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Fired Fox Lane Teacher's Lawsuit Against District Is Dismissed

BEDFORD, N.Y. -- A state Supreme Court judge has denied fired Fox Lane High School teacher Adam Heller's bid to get his job back by dismissing his lawsuit against the Bedford Central School District.

Adam Heller was fired in May from his job as an English teacher at Fox Lane High School.

Adam Heller was fired in May from his job as an English teacher at Fox Lane High School.

Photo Credit: Daily Voice File Photo

In an Oct. 2 decision, Justice Charles Wood upheld a hearing officer's finding against Heller, a Pound Ridge resident, in a disciplinary proceeding that allowed for his termination.

The lawsuit, which was filed in May, sought to overturn the hearing officer's ruling.

"The hearing officer considered the totality of the evidence and his determination for petitioner's removal did not exceed a limitation of his power, was not irrational, and did not violate public policy," Wood stated in his ruling.

Jeffrey Sherman, the hearing officer, rendered his decision on May 12, with termination of Heller's employment being the penalty. Bedford Central's school board approved Heller's firing at its May 20 meeting, an analysis of records shows.

Heller, who had been an English teacher at Fox Lane, argued that he had no prior disciplinary record.

Heller's lawyer, Michael Sussman, submitted an appeal notice for the case, which is dated Oct. 8.

A court submission on Heller's behalf shows that he wondered whether the government had a role in the 2012 Newtown, Conn. school shooting and whether there was weather manipulation, with the matters coming up during an online dialogue with a "medium" named Georgia O'Connor.

Heller's earlier submission shows that the FBI, along with Bedford and Pound Ridge police, became involved, and the Pound Ridge Police Chief David Ryan met with him after he was pulled over in January 2013 after returning from a gun store. He was then transferred to Westchester Medical Center, where he remained for several days, the submission shows. 

Court documentation shows that Bedford Schools Superintendent Jere Hochman brought a pair of disciplinary charges against Heller, which alleged that he did not cooperate with an investigation into his mental fitness, and that his mental illness meant he was not competent to work.

Read previous Daily Voice coverage of Heller's lawsuit here.

 

 

 

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