Mediaboss Marketing

Teacher and accused felon Philip Zlomke faced the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education Tuesday night, fighting to maintain his contract with the district.

The hearing, initiated by Zlomke, was an attempt to overturn the districts initial decision to terminate Zlomkes contract. Zlomke, a financial literacy teacher at Westridge Middle School, requested the district continue his contract until his cases were decided in court.

On March 17, 2022, Zlomke was arrested at Westridge Middle School before classes started. For that arrest, he was accused of two counts of first-degree sexual assault. The crimes allegedly occurred in 2021.

On May 4, 2022, Zlomke was served with another arrest warrant (not on school property), this time accused of committing sex crimes against a minor. The five charges include three counts sexual assault of a child, first degree, occurring in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

None of the crimes Zlomke is accused of involve Grand Island Public Schools students, according to district spokespeople.

Zlomke was initially notified his contract was terminated May 2, 2023, more than one year after his arrest at Westridge. In the meantime, Zlomke was on leave, but receiving unemployment, according to proceedings.

Soon after Zlomke received his letter of termination from the district, he requested a hearing to contest his termination. Said hearing was Tuesday night at Kneale Administration Building.

In his opening statements, Zlomke said, Please know that due to the nature and ongoing litigation, that I am not at liberty to discuss the details pertaining to the allegations that have been levied against (me), he said. Please note that if I choose to practice my Fifth Amendment rights, it is out of my desire to keep the litigation within the courtroom.

By the end of the hearing, Zlomke had invoked the Fifth Amendment several times.

Zlomke, who represented himself, asked interim GIPS Human Resources Director Wayne Stelk why it had taken a year to present Zlomke with contract termination.

Stelk was not with the district between March 2022 and October 2022.

What happened between March and October was not something that I was privy to, as far as any kind of decision making process, Stelk said.

Once he became aware of the situation, Stelk said the legal process progressed slowly.

It was in January, approximately, that I made the decision that we can't just keep letting this (be) hanging out there in limbo, he said. In my opinion it had already hung out way too long.

Zlomkes absence from the classroom had placed a burden on the buildings teachers, said Westridge Assistant Principal Stefanie Novotny.

It's been difficult for us to determine how we're going to plan staffing and building our schedule with the unknown, Novotny said in her testimony. It makes it hard not knowing when the proceedings will be finished. It's hard for us to plan moving forward.

While questioned by Zlomke, Stelk said, Even though we have filled your position, that doesn't mean that it doesn't still create additional burdens on (the) district because now we have fewer people to use in other vacancies that we may have.

Over the course of the hearing, prior complaints about Zlomke from students to Westridge administrators surfaced, most notably an incident involving poking a student in the buttocks with a fork. For that incident, Zlomke was presented a memorandum of understanding (MOU).

Still, Zlomke contended, he was an effective teacher with a good rapport with his students.

Stelk said, We're not here to try to convince the board that you were an ineffective teacher. We're talking about the felony charges that you've been charged (with).

If the felony charges (had) never been brought forth ... the publicity along with that you've been arrested at the school if none of that would have occurred and all we had was an MOU, we would not be talking about cancellation (of contract), in my opinion, Stelk said.

Matt Fisher

Besides concerns about Zlomkes conduct, the reputation of GIPS was also brought into question, said GIPS Superintendent Matt Fisher, alluding to news coverage.

In the headlines, it doesn't say Grand Island man was arrested for these charges. It says Grand Island Public Schools teacher was arrested, Fisher pointed out. Three of the districts exhibits were news headlines.

During testimony, Zlomke asked Fisher if he thought Zlomke lacked ethics.

Well certainly the incident having a student bent over and poking them in the butt with a fork demonstrates a clear lack of ethics in my mind, Fisher told Zlomke before mentioning other alleged misconduct: We can put these other things as far as talking about porn, regardless of the depth, to me demonstrate(s) a lack of ethics.

Justin Knight, legal counsel for Grand Island Public Schools, questions a witness during the hearing deciding Philip Zlomkes contract. Zlomke is accused of committing seven felonies. His contract was on the line during a special school board hearing Tuesday night. To Knights left is GIPS Superintendent Matt Fisher.

In his closing statement, GIPS legal counsel Justin Knight told the board, I don't know how a board can bring someone back with seven felonies pending against them as serious as we have here today.

Knight then addressed the timing of Zlomkes termination. I do think it is a fair question: Why we weren't here in June of 2022? As has been said, we can't answer that. Thats something that I think in hindsight the administration at that time should have pursued a lot faster.

Zlomke said in his closing statement, I'm not asking for (the board) to put me back in the classroom yet. I do not expect that putting me back in the classroom without a verdict is irrational I'm asking you to wait and hear from those trials.

Following executive session, the board unanimously upheld the decision to terminate Zlomkes teaching contract, effective immediately. Board members Lindsey Jurgens and Dave Hulinksy were absent. Board member Josh Sikes recused himself from participating in the hearing.

Westridge Middle School Principal Brad Wolfe was among the school districts witnesses. Zlomke did not have any witnesses on his behalf. Attorney Lily Amare presided over the hearing, which lasted nearly four hours.

Jessica Votipka is the education reporter at the Grand Island Independent. She can be reached at 308-381-5420.

Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox.

See the article here:
Teacher, accused of seven felonies, pleads his case to Grand Island ... - Grand Island Independent