Judge denies part of teacher’s claim against Dublin City Schools

A Superior Court judge has denied part of a Dublin City Schools teacher’s lawsuit seeking reinstatement after the struggling school system fired her mid-contract to cut into a projected $13.4 million deficit.

In a ruling filed Monday, Judge Jud Green denied Ashley White’s petition for a writ of mandamus, which would have forced the school board to rehire White, one of more than 50 employees whose jobs were eliminated in October to cut costs. 

However, Green reserved ruling on two other complaints in White’s lawsuit – for a declaratory judgment and breach of contract damages.

The school system, which has borrowed advance state funding to pay its bills for the past four months, contends that it cannot pay White and the others, and without the job cuts the system will not survive. The ruling cites an updated cash flow projection, introduced as evidence in the case, that projects the school district’s deficit worsening from about $6.2 million in July 2026 to almost $17.6 million by June 2027.

  In his ruling, Green notes that a writ of mandamus is “an extraordinary remedy to compel a public officer to perform a required duty when there is no other available legal remedy.” 

In denying mandamus, the judge pointed out that White still could gain relief through her breach of contract claim, and that her lawsuit named the school district, but no individuals, as defendant in the suit.

“Her contract may be enforced through breach of contract, and plaintiff alleges that claim in count III. As plaintiff has failed to demonstrate that she cannot obtain an adequate legal remedy through her breach of contract claim, the court concludes that she is not entitled to a writ of mandamus.

“Furthermore, a mandamus claim lies against a particular individual, public officer or official and may not be asserted against an agency or governmental entity.”

Green said an order on the breach of contract and declaratory relief claims will be scheduled later.

White is one of five teachers suing the system over losing their jobs. The district claims the mid-contract job cuts were part of a reduction in force due to lack of funds, and thereby legal.

During an earlier hearing, Green described the job cuts, in mid-contract and during a school year, as “unprecedented.”

The cuts came after state officials first discovered the school system owed more than $6 million in overdue payments to the State Health Benefit Plan, then found it to be broke and headed for a huge deficit by the end of the fiscal year. It has since had to get advances on state QBE funding to meet payroll in September, October, November and December.

White’s claim contends that school officials already knew they were broke when they hired her and others last spring. A financial report submitted as evidence showed the district had a $1.3 million deficit in March 2025 – about the time teacher contracts were issued – and a general fund deficit of $1.8 million dating back to July 2024.