Court Opinion

ID: 9695941
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 18:31:45.726979+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:20:17.521262
License: Public Domain

Yetka, Justice
(concurring specially).
I agree with the decision reached by the majority, but I differ on what constitutes proper notice of a hearing. I submit notice would have been timely had the notice of termination contained a clause to the effect that if the teacher were to request a hearing, the hearing would be held on March 30 or March 31 and had set forth the time and place.
It appears that March 14 was the earliest date the board of education could give notice because it was at that particular meeting that it was advised that the state Department of Education guidelines required a new special education program. Relator acquired verbal notice on March 15 of the termination of her contract and, under the statute, had 14 days to request a hearing. Since the board did not set a hearing date in its original notice, the date of said hearing was largely under the control of the teacher and her attorney. If a hearing was requested, they *246both knew that under the statute the hearing would have to be held before April l.1
I believe much of the fault here lies with the statute. The legislature should not only set out the number of days a teacher may have to request a hearing after notice of proposed termination, but should also have set forth the number of days required for notice to the teacher of the date set for the hearing pursuant to her request for such a hearing.
I concur in reversal because there was no showing that the state guidelines required the two age groups to be taught by separate teachers or that relator could not teach both units.

 The legislature by L. 1973, c. 128, amended Minn. St. 1971, § 125.12, subd. 4, which now casts a doubt on whether there is any longer an April 1 deadline for refusal to review a teacher’s contract. Thus, there are several reasons why the legislature should consider clarifying this entire procedure.