Colorado Springs school board votes to retain member on probation

The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education voted 4-3 at a Sept. 23 special meeting to retain Dr. Angelica Givler-Viers for one year on probation. The approved motion directed the board’s attorney to draft findings and conclusions, along with probation terms, the meeting recording shows.

A separate motion to retain Givler-Viers while adopting the administrative law judge’s findings and conclusions failed 2-5. The board instead directed its attorney to prepare its own findings and probation terms. The written terms had not been settled at the meeting.

The board president said directors’ review was limited to the hearing officer’s factual findings and that they were not to add facts or consider information outside the record. He also said the board was not the fact-finder. One director said she agreed with the hearing officer’s conclusion that the district had not proven insubordination, neglect of duty or good and just cause.

The board president argued that posts urging families to keep students home during a teachers’ strike supported political action and, in his view, constituted insubordination and neglect of duty. Directors also discussed whether Givler-Viers had notice of a revised social-media policy and an alleged violation of an administrative-leave directive. The board had not adopted findings on those disputed issues at the meeting.

Directors discussed possible communication or respectful-workplace training and leaving placement decisions to the superintendent. Neither possibility was adopted as a probation term; the written terms remained to be drafted.