Settlements and Verdicts

Gross Insubordination

Mansfield, OH: (May-13-08) Ruth Kotler brought a wrongful termination lawsuit against the Mansfield City School District, filed in Richland County Common Pleas Court and US District Court. The suit showed that Kotler, formerly a consultant with the Tri-County Educational Service Center at Wooster, was hired in Mansfield at an annual salary of $79,927. Sources said that Kotler was hired on May 16, 2007, and suspended on Aug. 11, 2007. Following her suspension, the board moved to terminate her for gross insubordination.

Sources familiar with the case stated that the parties had reached a settlement agreement, in which, the district agreed to pay the executive director of academic services $200,000, to resolve allegations. Under the terms of the deal, half the money will be paid by the school district, half by its insurance carrier, Netherlands Insurance Company of NH. School sources stated that the $100,000 the district will pay represents about the same amount Kotler would have received in salary and benefits for another contract year. The deal also stipulated that the district provide Kotler with the same health, dental and vision benefits as provided to similar executive directors who were hired in May 2007 until Jul. 31, 2009. [MANSFIELD NEWS-JOURNAL: KOTLER, BOE SETTLE FOR $200K]

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