The following, which is mostly self-explanatory, was read at a meeting of the Princeton Regional Schools board of education. The request for rehiring was denied, coming on the heels of a decision by the NJ Commissioner of Education on January 23, 1976 (Gail T. Fishberg, Berverly Corson, Clyde Rue, Hedwig Haley and Amita Jones, Petitioners vs. Board of Education of the Princeton Regional School District, Mercer County, Respondent) in which it was ruled that the Board acted within its lawful authority by denying tenure to the Petitioners, although the Board was directed to provide them "a statement of reasons for its determination not to reemploy them for the 1974-75 academic year." See Math Teacher Missing On Reappointment List, The Packet, March 25, 1974.

PREPARED STATEMENT BY CLYDE B. RUE

May 5, 1976

Even though it has been two years since I was dismissed from the Princeton schools I have no idea what the Board meant by its purported "statement of reasons."

As Dr. Pike's letter of June 5, 1974 stated the only documents reviewed by the Board were the statement by Dr. McPhereson nominating me for tenure and Miss Euell's teacher evaluation of me. The evaluation by Miss Euell which seems to be in question was not based on any formal or informal classroom observations. She never entered my classroom [that] year. Furthermore, I do not understand why the Board did not see fit to contact Miss Euell to clarify the statements that the Board felt were critical enough to warrant my dismissal, especially considering the fact that Miss Euell made these statements as part of a total evaluation that supported my nomination for re-employment. Nor do I understand why the Board did not request other written evidence of the quality of my work. It is not too late to do this.

Mr. Grove was my principal for the first two years I worked in Princeton, 1971-73. He wrote year-end evaluations for both of those years based on first hand observation of my teaching. Also on record are observation reports by both Mr. Cobb and Mr. Prettyman for all three years of my employment. It seems a fair judgement of my work could not be made without a consideration of these reports. All of these reports were positive and without reservation. All of these reports are and have been available to the Board upon request. Although Miss Euell's evaluation offered me much in the way of critical questioning there is no doubt in my mind that she values highly my teaching ability and she should be offered the opportunity to defend her statements and recommendations.

It is still my hope that the Board will take all the information available to it into consideration and reconsider its decision on my behalf.

I am presently working at South Brunswick High School but my position has not been renewed due to a reduction in force. I moved to this area specifically to work in the Princeton schools. I am by training and experience best suited to work in the middle grades (4th-8th) and am ready and anxious to return to my job assignment as soon as re-instated.