No change in Coleman case

PENN YAN—Yates County Judge W. Patrick Falvey reserved decision on an appeal regarding suspended Dundee Central School District teacher Douglas Coleman.
No changes will be made at this time. The appeal had been filed by the Dundee Central School District.
During the Aug. 31 hearing in Penn Yan, attorney for the school district Eric Wilson said the district had three points they wished to make. The first was that they believe the award was too lenient and asks the court to take a look at the decision.
The current suspension was for six months and the district was ordered to pay Coleman’s health insurance during that time. The second concern was that the hearing officer exceeded his authority and the third point was the award of health insurance for six months was clearly beyond the hearing officer’s authority.
The attorney representing Coleman, Timothy Taylor, maintained there is strong public policy in New York that courts must defer to the hearing officer.
Following the proceedings, Superintendent of Schools Kathy Ring said Coleman is still suspended pending the outcome of the hearing. No time was indicted for judge’s decision to be rendered.
The Dundee district has previously noted that Hearing Officer Dennis Campagna found Coleman guilty of charges that included poor grading procedures, failing to follow directives to avoid using nicknames with students, placing his hands on various students and threatening to kill a student for failing to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance.