Frequently Asked Questions About Disciplinary Meetings
1. What is a disciplinary meeting?
The purpose of a disciplinary meeting is for the administration to inform an employee that they are being disciplined. This usually follows one or more investigatory meetings.
2. Who can I have in the meeting with me?
We recommend that WEAC members bring an Association Representative (AR) with them – that can be your Building Representative (BR) or other officer of your local (president, vice president, grievance chair, etc.) If one isn’t available or there aren’t any in your local, you can bring a trusted colleague with you.
3. What if my Association Representative isn’t available when admin wants to have the meeting?
Ask your administrator to delay the meeting until your AR can be present. Administrators are often willing to do this, though it is not required.
4. What if I disagree with the discipline being given?
You have a right to respond to and dispute the findings of the District’s investigation according to the grievance process outlined in your District’s handbook. By state law, your school district must have a grievance procedure in place that includes a hearing before and Impartial Hearing Officer (IHO), with the school board as the final level of appeal.
Another option is to write a rebuttal, which the District would be required by state law to place in your file with the discipline. You may also want to do this if you pursue a grievance but are not successful. We recommend waiting until after that process is concluded before submitting a written rebuttal.
While it can be challenging, it is important to manage your emotions at this difficult moment. Lashing out at your supervisor or colleagues during the meeting will not help you in your efforts to mitigate or remove the discipline.
5. How can I challenge a discipline using the grievance procedure?
Most District’s grievance processes start with a hearing with a District administrator and then proceed to the school board. Factors that might cause the administrator or school board to overturn the discipline could include whether this is a first offense, if there are significant mitigating factors, if the discipline might seem excessive for the given offense, or if the policy is perhaps unclear or overly broad. Especially with school boards, the degree of support you can show from colleagues and parents is often the single most powerful factor in getting a discipline reversed.
6. What if they want me to resign?
Only the employee can decide whether or not to resign. If you think you may want to resign, ask for a few days to consult your AR and your family. If you are willing to resign, you may be able to negotiate a severance agreement that could include terms like a letter of reference and the extension of paid insurance benefits. If you are at or near retirement age, retiring may also be an option to consider.
If you initially decide not to resign and instead to contest the discipline, expect to be called to a hearing by the school board, sometimes even within a matter of days, to decide on your termination. In addition to evaluating the strength of your arguments and your support, you need to weigh carefully the risk of having a termination or non-renewal on your employment record when applying for future employment in the event the school board terminate or non-renews you.