WASHINGTON – The District of Columbia will appeal an arbitrator’s decision to reinstate a group of teachers terminated from employment with D.C. Public Schools in 2008, Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced today.

“It is the opinion of the Attorney General that the arbitrator erred in requiring the District to provide back pay to teachers who were justifiably found not to be effective teachers,” said Mayor Gray. “Therefore, while we remain committed to providing the due process cited by the arbitrator, the OAG will appeal the decision by Monday’s deadline to ensure that the District is not forced to place or pay ineffective teachers in the event there are future disagreements about what the decision means.”

Gray said the city has also begun a 60-day good-faith effort to locate the affected teachers in order to abide by the ruling, pending a decision on the appeal.

“My bottom line continues to be that all students should be taught by good teachers,” he said. “Going forward, all actions related to the arbitrator’s ruling will be based on that premise.”

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