Hearings begin on ex-librarian's firing

By Nathan Mayberg

Liberty - The Liberty School District's attempt to fire former middle school librarian Angela Page began yesterday with a eight-hour hearing before an arbitrator.

The district argued that Page's physical inability to teach at the library for nearly three years is a financial burden and not in the best interests of the students. If returned to her job, she would earn a salary of $81,701 and nearly $30,000 in benefits.

Her attorney, Michael Sussman, said the district was responsible for her medical condition, because of mold at the library. The conditions were documented in a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The state Workers Compensation Board has granting Page compensation since 2005, a decision that the district has appealed.