COBB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTTERMINATION HEARINGIn re: Katherine Rinderle

FINDINGS OF FACT AND RECOMMENDATIONSTO THE COBB COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATIONCOMES NOW, the Hearing Tribunal, convened pursuant to O.C.G .A. § 20-2-940(f} toconduct matters and to submit findings and recommendations to the local board for its decision
thereon, makes the following Findings of Fact and Recommendations:
1. Katherine Rinderle is employed by Cobb County School District ("CCSD"} under a contractof employment as a teacher.
2. The Superintendent recommended Ms. Rinderle's contract of employment be terminatedand sent her a Charge Letter, first issued on June 6, 2023, and subsequently amended asto date and time of the hearing via a first amended Charge Letter on June 14, 2023, andvia a second amended Charge Letter on July 18, 2023 .
3.

Ms . Rinderle was charged with violating :a. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940(a}(2} : Insubordination;b. O.C.G .A. § 20-2-940(a}(3} : Willful Neglect of Duties; andc. O.C.G .A. § 20-2-940(a}(8} : Other Good and Sufficient Cause.

I

4. A Fair Dismissal hearing was held on August 10, 2023 and August 11, 2023, with Tom
Cable, Esq . presiding as Hearing Officer pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940(e} and Hearing
Tribunal members : Linda Keeney, John Kelly, and Cheryl Davis.
5. Ms. Rinderle was represented by Craig Goodmark and Michael Tafelski. Sherry Culvesappeared on behalf of CCSD .
6. ~~rch 8, 2023, Ms . Rinderle read My Shadow is Purple to her 5 t h Grade Target Class .
/ Disagreeel

7. The book My Shadow is Purple addresses the topic of gender identity and gender fluidity.
DisagreeWlC5n,0 t~11
PPAB 9762364v Ievrt S ·0\.\ lfn~

8. The book My Shadow is Purple considers gender beyond binary. e/ Disagree

9. On March 8, 2023, Ms. Rinderle implemented a lesson using My Shadow is Purple to her
5th Grade Target Class which invo lved the topic of gender identity or gender fluidity.
DisagreenQ..e. lA9 ,e_ O ,.(vV'\ W<A. 19 1pr1)'("\ GvtnO/ \ht. d Ji(1i-(O \-\Ct ·10. Ms. Rinderle was knowingly untruthful in her statements to investigators when she
denied that the book and her lesson on M y ~ is Purple addressed the topic ofgender identity and gender fluidity. Agree Il~

11. Ms. Rinderle was knowingly untruthful when she denied understanding that the topic ofidentity or gender fluidity was a sensitive or controversial topic in this community.

M'~/ Disagree

12. Ms. Rinderle exhibited poor judgment when she failed to recognize tha~ook and her/ Disagree
lesson on My Shadow is Purple addressed the topic of gender identity( ~13. The content of My Shadow is Purple involves a sensitive and controversial topic as coveredby CCSD Administrative Rules IFAA-R : Instructional Resources Se lection and Acquisition/ Disagree.
QLLand IKB-R: Controversial Issues.~.:..:7

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d.e.< m14. The content of My Shadow is Purple involves a topic that-;ili'ot appropriate for a teacher
to introduce to elementary students in a CCSD cl~ssroom.
/ Di!jagreel'l-hi yi~s of15.

16.

5-en.s i-kve \f\Ott\Ar-e.__ s~av--\o lo.e(lc~V,,J-cd

is Pur le does·
er identity and gender fluidity. Agree / Disagreeth. dwrm•·ng:;-;:~~~zj~~~~~~~Ts~~~~fn"~~~~~~~;;~~;;:;,-----Ana....-,t--f'JT<

17. During the lesson, the students engaged in a debate about the gender of the character,with some of the students exp res~ th~aracter wa~ e1 bg\L- Agree / Disagreev,-~

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18. Ms. Rinderle directed students to refer to the character of the book as "the character" orC"they'~and Ret OHi a b_oy or "be/bim-:!' A~/ Disagreel"A(c,o-roi ,·:' q +o fvJ b~d.IA~s -1°'- U (Y\.JuY\t) · ffi{; . 1t ,' 00\.et l-e..19. M:i;. Ai, ,derl-M"old students that their opinion that the character was a boy was due to theirown biases or stereotypes. Agree / Disagrees20. Ms. Rinderle instructed students to conduct an activity that involved them reflecting on
the book by drawing their own shadows and writing a poem.
Disagree,@I2
PPAB 9762364v IraW•21. M>, Rinde, le encouiaged ti ,e studer1ts not to use the colors pi nk or blue in t heir drawings~nd poerns Af]r=ee / Disegce.l
22. Ms. Rinderle read My Shadow is Purple and imp lemented this lesson without informing
school administration or families ahead of time .
ree / Disagree
23. Ms. Rinderle read My Shadow is Purple and imp lemented t his lesson without completing
Form IFFA-1 or complying with District po licies and ru les surrounding supplementalresources . gre / Disagree
24. Ms. Rinderle did not provide families an opportunity to opt out of the lesson or address
the topic of gender identity or gender fluidity with their children first. gree I Disagree
25 . Foc_some faroi!i0s, th@ topic at gender ici0ntity gr B@neler fluidity ir1vokes a rfioral orreligio•,s 13elie{ .

26.F :? 1Afi/W&: • • pottera of 111aki11g ,todrnts N!el oaeeffllartablo io ber elm

927. Ms. Rinderle's actjons have caused multiple parents ta COffif'll!li11 over tirrre , ega, di Mg herlackma mg stude nts fee l uncomforta le.
Agree / D{sog, ee

28. Ms. Rinderle's actions have c used the parents of at least eleven students to request thatthe,to Ms. Rm ere s c assroom . gree
Disagree29 . Ms. Rinderle's e-mai led response to the parent complaint about her lesson on My Shadow
is Purple was inappropriate~ ersely impacted her professional relationship with her
student's family. Agree / 'Qjsagree
30. Ms. Rinderle was trained on the District's policies, ru les, and procedures on:a. IFAA-R : Instructional Resources Selectin and Acquisitions
b. IKB-R: Controversial Issues
c. JRB-R Parents' Bill of Rights

Gt~ re~:-Me-e. ~.e,\.-eves~+-fhe_ (:.::,w\t"f"' 31 . A reasonable educator exercising good professional judgment should have known thatreading My Shadow is Purple to a 5 th grade class in CCSD el!!.et.l 1WLIN !n§ 3 ·administratio ,, al,ead of time and followi11g tire requisite steps to obtain periilission a-Rdaf~ a=a~~t,J , t'Vll \) ~ \ s c \,,\cn,-f e- 4 tn .' n . -fur °'-{'f yo'/'CA.. ( ·i~ ~ ~'T c:-ii~S~ ~ ~t ~s~3PPAB 9762364vl

Qisah~eve,~mm~,~-koL

32. In January 2022, Ms. Rinde~';:c:H'ef class a children's book authored by a current
politi@l==ta11d1date and tag Ele earn:ti-date url social media, causing some of her
students' parents to cGrn13lai11. Agree / Disagree
33. As a result of the January 2022 incident, Ms. Rinderle was warned about the perceptionof political bias in her clas:+oned1:o follow the District'?putrc:ffis wlieii seJecti,ng
supplemen ary materials and conducting lessons that could appear to be political orcontr~rsial. AgreeDisagreeI

34. Ms. Rinderle failed to fo1 1ow this directive to follGw Oistrict r,olicies wtien setecting
su12_Plemental materials and cond11ctiA~As OA contro1 1ersiawssu~i; . Agree ,I Qi5aq,:g_e

35. Ms. Rinderle's actions have demonstrated a lack of coachability. Agree / ~36. Ms. Rinderle's actions have demonstrated a lack of judgment.

/ Disagree

37 . Ms. Rinderle's actions have demonstrated a lack of willingness to acknowledge theinappropriateness of her actions. @/ Disagree

8 /have not caused the School District to r~ason~ l0ee vJ -l
1
confidence in her ability to continue as an educator in the Da:tri:r:t. W()
D~ <'~

38. Ms. Rinderle's actions

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40. Ms. Rinderle's actions have I have not violated School District policies andadministrative rules:
a.
b.
c.
de.
f.
g.

IFAA-R: Instructional Resources Selection and Acquisitions
IKB-R: Controversial Issues
J.RB R Parents' Bill of Rights
A G ~ e e Etllics
F~AGC-1: Professional Conduct by Edwators
PSC Code gf EthiGs 1 Standard 4: I lonesty
PSC Code of Ethics, Standard 9: Professional Conduct

41. Ms.,. Rind9rle lo ,owlngly a11d inte11tionally violated Distriet policies and admlrilst: ativen.J:es Agree / Disagre.p
42 . Ms. Rinderle \ ~ J ' disobeyed the instructions of her supervisor to avoid sensitive andcontroversial topics in the selection of supplemental resources~nd to follow bli&triet
pa-uci.es and procedures for approval at s,1ch Hlf}f}l9rnental resourc9s .@/ Disagree

4
PPAB 9762364v I43. The Hearing Tribunal cons id ered all the testimonial and documentary evidence presented
by both parties and admitted into evidence. The Hearing Tribunal finds the following
violations by a preponderance of the evidence :O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940(a)(2): Insubordination
O.C.G .A. § 20-2-940(a)(3): Wi llful Neglect of Duties
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-940(a)(8): Other Good and Sufficient Cause
WHEREFORE, the Hearing Tribunal affirms / ~day of August, 2023.

HEARING OFFICER :5PPAB 9762364v I'I.... nononothe recommendation of theSuperintendent to terminate Ms. Rinderle's employment contract .
This ~_ _ yes_.::6_ yes_£_ yes