School Board Asks State Supreme Court To Uphold Firing

Friday, July 20th 2007, 1:12 pm

By: News On 6

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) _ Lawyers for the Hilldale school board will go before the Oklahoma Supreme Court next week and ask that a restraining order allowing a fired principal to return to work be dissolved.

The board voted 3-2 on March 31 after a lengthy and emotional meeting attended by hundreds of students, parents and teachers, to fire popular Principal Dewayne Pemberton, who had been suspended because of a disagreement with Superintendent D.B. Merrill.

Pemberton was accused of interfering with the actions of an assistant principal who was trying to persuade Cara Christensen, a math teacher and softball coach who is engaged to Pemberton's son, to obtain a commercial driver's license to transport students to games, as other coaches have been required to do.

Less than a week later, a judge issued a temporary injunction against the board's decision, allowing Pemberton to return to work, and later issued the restraining order.

In seeking the restraining order, Pemberton argued that he was wrongfully dismissed and irreparable harm will be done if he is not reinstated.

The district argues the school board had the final decision in his firing, and Pemberton's only remedy is a jury trial on the issue of irreparable harm.

The school board's lawyers will make their argument before the Supreme Court Wednesday.

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