Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
MCCOOK, Neb. (AP) — The McCook school board won't let a new teacher out of the contract she signed to teach this coming school year.
The board voted unanimously Monday night to refuse a request from Tori Peters, of Omaha, the McCook Daily Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/TJSiez ).
"From her resume, she looks like a great candidate ... but contracts are contracts," said board member Loretta Hauxwell.
Peters agreed in March to teach eighth-grade science in McCook for the 2014-15 school year. But in a resignation letter she submitted May 19, she asked to be released from her contract because of "major life-changing events," which the board didn't explain. She said she preferred to remain in Omaha to teach.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Peters on Wednesday were not successful.
The supply of quality science teachers for junior high is limited, board President Tom Bredvick said. Superintendent Grant Norgaard agreed and told the board that he felt strongly about Peters' skill set.
If there were time to recruit someone new for the position, "it would be a different scenario," Norgaard said. But "once you offer a contract, you are locked into it," he said. "That group (of students) deserves a good science teacher," referring to Peters' prospective students at the junior high this coming year.
Teachers can lose their certifications if they don't contract obligations and cannot sign a second contract while bound under another one, Norgaard said Tuesday.
___
Information from: McCook Daily Gazette, http://www.mccookgazette.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
