Missouri Court of Appeals, Western District / Jul 28, 2020
Michael Welsh vs. Kansas City Public Schools
Michael Welsh, a former teacher, sued Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) after his contract was not renewed, alleging a violation of Missouri's Teacher Tenure Act. Welsh claimed he was a "permanent teacher" due to prior teaching experience in Catholic and Cristo Rey schools, entitling him to specific procedural protections. The trial court denied KCPS's motion to dismiss and granted summary judgment for Welsh. The appellate court reversed, holding that Welsh's petition failed to state a claim because his prior experience in non-public schools did not qualify for the one-year credit needed to achieve permanent teacher status under the Act.