Opinion ID: 1208241
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Daddow's Contract Claim

Text: Following Daddow's presentation of her case, the district court directed a verdict in the District's favor after concluding that [t]he School District did not breach its employment contract with Plaintiff by wrongfully terminating her. In my view, this was an erroneous conclusion of law. By its terms, the employment contract between Daddow and the District incorporated the termination procedures set forth in the Public School Code. The contract language mandates that any termination must comply with statutory procedures, even when there is good cause for termination. This contract may be canceled by the Board for cause, including unsatisfactory work performance, incompetency, insubordination, physical or mental inability to perform the required duties or for any other good and just cause, provided, that any such cancellation may be effected only in accordance with the New Mexico Statutes and any applicable rules and regulations of the State and Local Boards of Education. This provision mandates that any termination must comport with the requirements of Section 22-5-4. Because the termination did not comport with that statute, the District improperly terminated her, and thus breached the foregoing provision of her contract. Whether Daddow was incompetent or insubordinate does not change the fact that the District failed to follow a procedure to which it had consented. I would reverse the directed verdict and remand for trial on the contract claim.