Legal News

Tenure Review Case for Vineland Teacher is First Under New Law
Download PDF
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading...

Mark C. Bringhurst, a teacher from Vineland, New Jersey, who was caught running naked around an apartment complex because of a dare has lost his job. His tenure case was the first under a new law created to reduce the amount of time a tenure case should take to resolve. In the past, the cases would last anywhere from one to two years.

The new procedure took just four months from the time he was charged, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Bringhurst was a teacher at the Winslow School in Vineland for eight years and was the Teacher of the Year in 2011-12. He was a fifth-grade teacher.

  
What
Where


Bringhurst was arrested on March 21 by police officers in Berlin Township, Camden County, and charged with lewdness. He was seen running naked around the Greenway Apartments parking lot. Bringhurst told officers that this was the second time he committed the act, both because of a dare, but did not expect to get caught.

Municipal court heard the case and the charges were changed in July to “acting in an improper manner” and Bringhurst pled guilty. On June 27, Bringhurst was told by the Vineland School District that tenure charges would be filed in front of the board of education. On August 8, the charges were approved and on August 21, the district filed the charges with the state’s education commissioner.

On September 13, arbitrator Robert C. Gifford heard the issue and a hearing was held on October 18 in Vineland. Gifford said in his decision that Bringhurst showed poor judgment on multiple occasions and his lack of judgment was not reduced even though the issue occurred outside of school. The decision was posted on the website for the Department of Education on December 5.

Get JD Journal in Your Mail

Subscribe to our FREE daily news alerts and get the latest updates on the most happening events in the legal, business, and celebrity world. You also get your daily dose of humor and entertainment!!




“The respondent’s actions are simply not consistent with the conduct that a fifth-grade elementary teacher must display, whether in or out of the classroom,” Gifford wrote. Gifford said that the penalty of dismissal was justifiable.

Bringhurst’s license or chances to teach elsewhere are not affected by the decision from the arbitrator. The state’s Board of Examiners will decide on revoking his license. Robert Bowman, the attorney for Bringhurst, said that could not offer a comment on the issue, but did discuss the tenure process.



“It brought resolution in a timely manner,” he said.

A spokesman for the NJEA, Steve Baker, said that the cases going through the new system are being watched.

“So far it seems that it is working as it is supposed to,” he said. “But it is too early to make a final judgment.”



 

RELEVANT JOBS

Associate Attorney

USA-PA-Exton

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY McKenna Snyder LLC, a law firm in Exton, PA has an immediate opening for an ex...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Sturgis

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Attorney

USA-MI-Coldwater

Qualifications: HaasCaywood is seeking associate attorneys for our Coldwater and Sturgis, Michiga...

Apply now

Deputy General Counsel / Senior Deputy General Counsel

USA-CA-Sacramento

Cal Cities Culture and Mission Cal Cities is dedicated to creating a collaborative and inclusive ...

Apply now

BCG FEATURED JOB

Locations:

Keyword:



Search Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with ...

Apply Now

Education Law Attorney

USA-CA-Carlsbad

Carlsbad office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law attorney with 4-...

Apply Now

Education Law and Public Entity Attorney

USA-CA-El Segundo

El Segundo office of a BCG Attorney Search Top Ranked Law Firm seeks an education law and public ent...

Apply Now

Most Popular

SEARCH IN ARCHIVE

To Top