MonticelloLive

The Southeast Arkansas Educational Co-operative heard the grievance hearing, as presented by former employee, Laura Creach, Wednesday, and denied her case.

It seemed at this point, the next step was to consider a settlement with her, at an upcoming meeting.

MonticelloLive.com has since learned that there is a likelihood that Ms. Creach will have the opportunity to present witnesses, at a follow-up session of the grievance process.

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The story below posted on August 11, 2008.

Southeast Educational Co-op To Hire New Director to Replace Terry, No Decision on Creech Grievance

The board of the Southeast Arkansas Educational Co-op met, last week, and voted to advertise for a new co-op director to replace Bruce Terry, who has been accused of sexual harassment, by former co-op employee, Laura Creech.

The board will accept applications, based on Arkansas statute, 6-13-1010.  Attorney Paul Keith will draft the advertisement for the position, and forward it to the state newspaper, and other posting sources.  The deadline for receiving applications has been set for Sept. 5, which is the Friday before the next board meeting.

In reference to the Creech case, Keith told the board that Ms. Creech has not been available to meet with him at this point to bring the grievance to a close, but he plans to meet with her during the upcoming week.

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The story below posted on July 29, 2008.

Educational Co-op Accepts Director’s Resignation-Declines Decision on Sexual Harrassment Grievance

After over a month of turmoil, the Southeast Arkansas Educational Co-operative Board of Directors heard a sexual harrassment based grievance hearing Monday morning, as requested by Laura Creach, a former adminsitrator over the Co-op’s Early College High School Program, with the complaint being lodged against her former supervisor and Co-op director, Bruce Terry.

After listenting to Creach’s opening comments, being allowed over an hour to read the printed presentation that she had prepared, and listening to her closing comments, the board “took it under advisement” and declined to make a decision at this time.

Creach made it clear that she wasn’t asking for her job back, but only for the information that she had been told had been added to her employee personel file be frozen and removed.  She had been told that several untrue allegations had been placed in her file, and that she had been denied access to see her personell file.

During the afternoon session of the Co-op board, former director Bruce Terry came to them, asked them to recind his suspension, and accepted his resignation, effective July 31, 2008.

Click here to read the report as presented by KTVE Fox 10 news correspondent, Corrie Cross.

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The following story posted on June 21, 2008

Southeast Education Co-operative Director is Suspended by Board, Friday

According to confirmed reports, Bruce Terry, director of the Southeast Educational Co-operative, here in Monticello, was suspended with pay, by the Co-operative’s board of directors, at their meeting, Friday.

The board of directors is made up of 13 local school superintendents.  Although all 13 were not present, there was a quorum present to issue the suspension.

The reasons for the suspension were not made public at this time.

MonticelloLive.com will provide more information about the co-operative’s decision, as it becomes available.