Court Opinion

ID: 9409440
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-07-18 12:08:24.171877+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:20:50.344174
License: Public Domain

TEXAS COURT OF APPEALS, THIRD DISTRICT, AT AUSTIN

                                      NO. 03-22-00083-CV

                       Caddo Mills Independent School District and
                    Mike Morath, Commissioner of Education, Appellants

                                                 v.

                                   Steven Sumrow, Appellee

              FROM THE 200TH DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY
 NO. D-1-GN-20-001907, THE HONORABLE AMY CLARK MEACHUM, JUDGE PRESIDING

                             CONCURRING OPINION

               I agree with the Court’s analysis and its conclusion that the language of the

contract requires us to affirm the Commissioner’s order. I write separately to express my view

that the school district’s abrupt change in its course of dealing with an educator who had been

employed by the district for 15 years in the same position, absent any cause, is the type of unfair

surprise that borders on being unconscionable. While there may be legitimate reasons justifying

the inclusion of the term allowing reassignment, the school district’s execution of the

reassignment here, which it attempted to justify by requiring an additional certification that had

not previously been required, is disturbing.

                                               __________________________________________
                                               Gisela D. Triana, Justice
Before Justices Baker, Triana, and Jones

Filed: July 12, 2023

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