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Suncoast Pasco News

Lawsuit Against School District Rejected

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: November 20, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - A hearing officer has recommended rejecting a lawsuit filed by a Pasco teachers union over staffing at emergency shelters at area schools.

"It's over" said Renalla DuBose, assistant superintendent for administration for the Pasco School District, about the complaint by United School Employees of Pasco.

Lynne Webb, president of the union, which also represents bus drivers and other school staff, has not yet responded to a message requesting comment.

It's unclear if an appeal will be made. The deadline to file objections to the hearing officer's recommendation is Nov. 30.

Union officials had objected to the School District plan during crises as outlined in a May 24 memo.

The School District set up a call-in system among school personnel to help staff emergency shelters if not enough volunteers are available. The only shelters in the county are at schools.

"If the big one comes, we have to be all hands on deck," DuBose commented. She harkened back to a series of four hurricanes in six weeks during fall 2004 and Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans in 2005.

School personnel would collect regular pay should they be called upon to help staff emergency shelters, DuBose said.

"We thought it was a nothing issue," DuBose added, "and we were surprised by (USEP's) reaction" to the May memo.

"Employees are subject to call-in during declared emergency situations," Superintendent Heather Fiorentino wrote in the May memo. "I want to be clear that it is my intent to continue to use volunteer help whenever possible."

In another decision, the hearing officer said the union and School District should pay their own legal expenses.

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