Outspoken Teacher Loses Job With College Goodwin Was Told Wednesday She Won’t Be Welcomed Back

Sat., Dec. 27, 1997

Grayden Jones Staff writer

A part-time instructor who has been critical of the Community Colleges of Spokane has lost her job after 11 years of teaching adult basic education.

Willene Goodwin, a 55-year-old employee of the Institute for Extended Learning, received her pink slip Christmas Eve, 12 days before winter quarter classes begin.

As the part-time representative for the Association for Higher Education teachers’ union, Goodwin this year charged the IEL, a division of the community colleges district, with underpaying teachers and violating its nepotism rules.

Her job paid about $5,100 with benefits per quarter.

“Now that I don’t have medical (insurance coverage), my blood pressure is up,” Goodwin said. “I’m still in shock about this.”

“Part-time instructors with the Community Colleges of Spokane are not tenured employees … and may be terminated depending upon the needs of the colleges,” the letter to Goodwin said. “We extend our best wishes to you.”

Sally Grabicki, the associate dean who signed the letter, was unavailable for comment Friday.

In September, Goodwin was reassigned from an evening class she had taught for several years at the Adult Education Center on North Monroe to tutor inmates at the Spokane County Jail.

In response, Goodwin appeared before the CCS board of trustees, claiming the district had violated its nepotism rules when Goodwin was replaced by the sister of the adult basic education department chair.

Richard Cox, president of the teacher’s union, said part-time instructors have little recourse because they are hired from quarter to quarter with no guarantee of a job.

“I’m surprised they sent her a notice,” he said. “Usually if you’re not told to come back, that means you don’t have a job.”

After reviewing Goodwin’s case recently, CCS chief executive officer Terry Brown said the school did not violate a nepotism rule that prohibits supervisors from hiring their relatives.

Under the union’s master contract, he said, a department chair is not considered a supervisor.

Goodwin said she may file a grievance with a federal labor board, but she doubts the CCS will replace her at the jail.

“I don’t think they really needed me,” she said.

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