Petition of Gorham School Board

In this case, we must decide what rights a tenured public school teacher has when terminated because of a reduction in work force.

In the past six years, the school population in the town of Gorham has declined by over sixteen per cent. In 1980, the voters at the annual school district meeting reduced the school budget by almost $28,000, thereby triggering a review of staffing patterns in the schools. While one outside consultant recommended that the elementary school guidance counselor position be eliminated, a New Hampshire Department of Education official recommended the position be reduced…