Court rules against high school teacher

WASHBURN -- U.S. District Court Judge Edward T. Gignoux has ruled in favor of the board of directors of School Administrative District 45 in the dismissal of a French and English teacher who sued the district.

Superintendent Carleton Barnes said Monday that the judge made a summary judgement last Tuesday in Bangor against teacher Eldon Dionne.

Dionne was notified last year that he would not be rehired and the Washburn Teachers Association voted for a board hearing on the nonrenewal of Dionne's contract.

Following the hearing, the board reaffirmed Barnes' decision not to rehire Dionne, whom he charged with poor class preparations, poor presentations and record keeping, and failure to provide the administration with requested materials.

In his court suit, Dionne contended that he was denied his constitutional rights because there was no verbatim recording of the hearing and witnesses were no heard as a group. Witnesses testified separately before the board.

Bangor attorney John Ballou represented the school district at the Federal hearing, and Presque Isle attorney William Flora represented Dionne.

[April 1973]

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