AKRON -- A lawsuit filed last week against the Akron Public School Board, its president, the district superintendent and others alleges those involved breached an agreement regarding a teacher and coach's contract.
The lawsuit, filed by the Akron Education Association, claims former Akron Public Schools teacher and Buchtel Community Learning Center boys basketball coach Steve White was not renewed as a coach because he was negotiating his teaching contract at the time.
White coached the team for 18 years with a résumé including five-time coach of the year, state coach of the year and seven-time city championship. The lawsuit claims Buchtel Principal Byron Hopkins chose not to renew White as head basketball coach in March 2017 as retaliation for White seeking union representation for issues related to his teaching contract. The AEA filed a grievance on White's behalf.
An arbitrator ruled in June 2018 that the Board of Education violated White's contract and acted in an "arbitrary and capricious manner." According to a news release issued by the AEA, the Board of Education disregarded the arbitrator's ruling and filed a Motion to Vacate.
The suit asks the court to "move the Board of Education to abide by the agreements they enter into, uphold the rights of Coach White and all members of AEA under the contract and cease breaching the terms and conditions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement."
