Trustee, a former teacher, drops Sutter Union High suit over ag post

Trustee Herb Cooley, a former Sutter Union High School teacher, has dropped his lawsuit against the district over a disputed consultant contract.

Cooley, 33, a trustee for the Yuba City Unified School District, sued over the hiring of retired ag instructor Larry Crabtree for what Cooley said was an unlawful $11,500-a-year consultant contract.

Cooley contended that he could have undertaken Crabtree's work preparing an orchard at the high school for harvest and supervising students' agricultural projects. Cooley worked for Sutter High from 2004-09. He was laid off due to budget cuts. Sutter said Cooley had the least seniority of teachers with ag credentials.

Cooley had contended that Sutter Union High School district policy calls for consulting contracts to be awarded only when the staff can't undertake such work. He wanted the court to order the Sutter school district to offer him the opportunity to do the work Crabtree, 68, performed.

Attorney Andrea Price, representing Cooley, filed a request in Sutter County Superior Court to dismiss the suit late last month. Price and Cooley did not respond to voicemails seeking comment.

Jeanette Sturzen, an agricultural education consultant with the California Department of Education, had a declaration filed in the case noting the affect of Crabtree's departure in 2002.

"Given Mr. Crabtree's vast experience in agriculture, his retirement left a huge gap in the experience level at Sutter Union High School," Sturzen said.

Ryan Robison, superintendent and principal of the Sutter school district, in a declaration described Crabtree as a former teacher and department head with "unrivaled qualifications to provide almond orchard consulting services."

Nancy Aaberg, superintendent of the Yuba City Unified School District, also stated in a declaration that in summer 2009, she asked Cooley if he was interested in an ag teaching position at River Valley High School. Cooley replied that he had too much work do as a school district trustee, Aaberg stated.