group of school kids and teacher in classroom

The New Jersey Appellate Division has affirmed the reinstatement of a teacher who an administrative law judge below said "had voluntarily stepped down from her full-time teaching position and as such had no right to return to it."

According to the decision Monday, Catherine Parsells contacted Dr. Timothy Purnell, the Somerville superintendent, regarding a transfer of her employment status from full-time teacher to a part-time position with benefits. She received board approval for the 2016-2017 school year to do so. During that year, Parsells was granted a maternity leave and a child care leave of absence, which was extended through the 2017-2018 school year.