Kim Barraclough
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 25/99) - Ken Woodley says he was one of the last to hear of the motion passed at Yellowknife Education District No. 1 Board of Education's regular meeting calling for his resignation.

Woodley, superintendent of the public school board, said he knew a motion was going to be made at the Tuesday meeting, but said he was not informed as to the results. He said he found out when he heard it on the radio the next morning.

"I had not heard the results of the meeting -- I still have not been told (by the Board)," said Woodley.

"I don't know quite how to feel -- I'm certainly disappointed."

At the regular school board meeting Tuesday evening, a motion was passed that would "commence the process leading to the dismissal for cause of Superintendent, Ken Woodley".

Dan Schofield, chairman of the school board, said the process will present Woodley with what the board believes is cause for dismissal and give him a chance to defend himself.

"We have to ensure that we are being fair to the employee," said Schofield.

Schofield said the cause for dismissal is "very internal to the board only and will not be discussed publicly."

"It's not that we're trying to run -- we can't go out in public and argue this out in public."

The motion was passed 6-0 with one of the board members not present.

Board member Bob Patterson, during discussion prior to the motion, said he was pleased with the way Woodley's evaluation was handled.

"We've done everything that needed to be done in a proper way."

Woodley was suspended for 30 days with pay as of June 3, 1999.

Since the suspension, a review of Woodley has been completed by the board.

On June 22, Woodley filed an application with the territorial Supreme Court that calls for a judicial review of the board's decision. The review is scheduled to go ahead today.

Also on June 22, Woodley filed an application with the territorial Supreme Court which asks for the schools board's lawyer Earl Johnson, who also works for the GNWT's department of justice to be disqualified as counsel due to conflict of interest.