Katie Rinderle — the Cobb County teacher who was put on leave in March after reading “My Shadow is Purple,” a book about gender identity, to fifth graders — faces a hearing Thursday.
She’s believed to be the first public school teacher in Georgia to face consequences under a series of laws passed last year that limit what teachers can talk about in the classroom.
In a June 14 letter outlining its findings, the district accused Rinderle, who taught at Due West Elementary School, of insubordination and willful neglect of her duties. In conversations with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and through the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rinderle and her attorney have maintained her termination would be unjustified.
Here’s what you should know about the hearing.
When and where?
The public hearing will start at 9 a.m. Thursday at the school district’s office at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. It is scheduled to conclude on Friday.
What exactly happens at a hearing?
The district will call witnesses and introduce documents into evidence, the letter to Rinderle stated. The list of possible witnesses includes Rinderle and three parents from the class, including one who is also a teacher.
Rinderle, who is being represented by attorney Craig Goodmark, is also able to call witnesses and introduce evidence.
A “disinterested member” of the state bar will serve as a hearing officer to make a decision on any legal issues that come up.
What rules did the district accuse Rinderle of breaking?
In the letter, Rinderle is accused of violating these rules related to instructional content and employee conduct:
• Instructional Resources Selection and Acquisition: This policy states that teachers “may require written permission of parents/guardians ... if in his/her opinion the content may be of a sensitive nature ...”
• Controversial Issues: Prohibits teachers from using classroom instruction to espouse personal political beliefs or theories of origin.
• Parents’ Bill of Rights: Allows parents to learn about their child’s courses of study and object to instructional materials which they feel are “divisive or harmful to minors” and withdraw their child from sex education at the school.
• Ethics: Rinderle is accused specifically of violating the “honesty” and “professional conduct” standards in the ethics code. Rinderle “failed to acknowledge” the book was “inappropriate” when she maintained in conversations with district investigators that it was about inclusivity, not gender identity, according to the letter.
Credit: Larkin House
Credit: Larkin House
Who will review the case?
State law allows either the school board or a tribunal of “at least three impartial persons possessing academic expertise” to hear the case. This hearing will be conducted by a tribunal, Cobb Board of Education Chair Brad Wheeler told the AJC.
In July, the board voted to give the authority to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and his team to select tribunal members. The AJC asked a district spokesperson who could serve on the tribunal, and was directed to submit an open records request. At the time of publication, it had not received a response. Wheeler did not know who the tribunal members will be.
When will we know the verdict?
Tribunals have five days to file their findings and recommendations with the school board. The board must render a decision within 10 days after the receipt of the transcript, per state law.
The board is expected to discuss the case privately and vote publicly on the issue at its next scheduled meeting on Aug. 17, Wheeler said. They could accept the tribunal’s recommendation or change it.
After that, appeals can be taken to the Georgia Board of Education.
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