Overton County Board hears appeal from teacher Julie Miller over four-day suspension; board renders decision, appeal rights noted

At its May 13, 2025 meeting, the Overton County Board of Education heard an appeal from tenured teacher Julie Miller challenging a four-day suspension that had been sustained by hearing officer Dale Condor. The board's agenda papers and board counsel cited Tennessee Code Annotated 49-5-512 and the teacher code of ethics, Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-1003(b)(15), as the governing legal standards for the board's review.

Virginia McCoy, identified in the record as Miller's attorney, told the board the district had not met its burden to prove either unprofessional conduct or inefficiency. McCoy said Miller had used the final five minutes of a lesson on propaganda to respond to students' questions about a widely reported scandal; McCoy called the exchange a "teachable moment" and said the conduct alleged in the district's suspension letter did not match the misconduct described in the statutory ethical provision. "She was using this as a teachable moment," McCoy said. She argued the evidence before the board did not show inappropriate sexualized conduct or the other actions listed in the code.

McCoy also argued Miller's personnel record undercuts an inefficiency charge: Miller, the attorney said, has 33 years of service, is head of her department at Livingston Academy and had recent observations showing performance at the highest levels. McCoy asked the board to rescind the four-day suspension and to reimburse Miller for the four days of pay.

The board recognized Catherine Kimmel (recorded as counsel for the board) to present the district's position; the transcript records that counsel was given time to argue why hearing officer Condor's decision should be sustained. Board members then discussed the materials in the record and were asked whether they would move to sustain, reverse, remand for additional evidence, or reduce the penalty.

The public record notes that the board rendered a decision at the meeting; the transcript records that Miller "is dissatisfied with the decision rendered today by the board" and states she has the right to appeal to the Chancery Court for Overton County within 20 days. The transcript does not include the board's precise written findings or a roll-call vote on the appeal in the segments provided.

Background: the suspension notice in the meeting record is dated Oct. 2, 2024 and cites Tenn. Code Ann. 49-5-1003(b)(15), the teacher code of ethics provision that addresses sexualized behavior and related misconduct. The hearing officer's decision sustaining the suspension and the board's administrative record were before the board; under state statute, the board stated it could consider only the information in that record and could not receive new evidence at the appeal.

Miller's appeal drew testimony cited in the record from a colleague identified as Ms. Jolley and from the school principal (identified in the record as Melton). The transcript also records counsel and the director of schools (identified in the record as Dr. Donnie Hellman) participating in the procedural discussion.

The board's next procedural note in the record is the statement of Miller's appeal rights and the 20-day deadline to file in Chancery Court.