Fired Lakota teacher sues school board

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WXIX) – A teacher who was recently fired by the school board that oversees Greater Cincinnati’s second-largest school district is suing to get her job and back pay back.

Eileen Washburn was terminated in October after the district placed her on unpaid leave earlier this year for allegedly “faking sick leave” to attend a concert in Nashville, district records show.

When the allegations against Washburn, who is also a Loveland School board member, came to light, the story made national headlines and was recently featured in People magazine and the Daily Mail.

The board’s lawsuit was put on hold at the superintendent’s recommendation after Washburn’s attorney requested a hearing that took place over the summer and was overseen by an attorney acting as an “arbitrator.”

The arbitrator issued a decision on September 25, finding that the board had presented evidence for the termination and recommending it on the grounds that “good and just cause exists,” according to a copy of the decision to terminate Washburn’s apprenticeship contract shows.

The Lakota school board passed it unanimously on Oct. 28.

However, her attorney contends in court filings that her behavior did not constitute abuse of sick leave, according to medical reports at her hearing.

The lawsuit also alleges that the board treated her differently than equal employees by terminating her for allegedly misusing sick leave, “while other district employees were punished less severely or not at all for using sick leave, even though.” They weren’t sick.”

Additionally, the board’s dismissal violated her constitutional rights, in part because she failed to answer questions about her medical condition at a pre-disciplinary hearing, the lawsuit says.

Lakota responded to the lawsuit with its own statement denying the allegations and saying, “The record speaks for itself.”

The filing also states that the lawsuit does not assert a claim but asks the court to dismiss the claim and assess any costs incurred by the board against Washburn.

FOX19 NOW has reached out to both Lakota and Washburn’s attorney for comment.

Washburn, 47, has worked in Lakota schools since 2015, primarily teaching English and English as a Second Language (ESL), district records show.

She worked at Lakota West High School until this school year, where she received positive job reviews after joining the district following her retirement from Princeton City Schools.

In addition to his teaching work, Washburn has worked as a varsity softball coach, student government advisor and yearbook advisor.

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