GEN: URGENT! Breaking a contract

[AGerald <agerald@GREENAPPLE.COM>]

I was offered a librarian position with a public school on Wednesday.  The
pay is an increase of $11,000.00 and a cut in my commute by half an hour.
This IS my dream job!  The principal was aware that I was already in a
contract with a Catholic school.  She asked me if I would have trouble with
my principal releasing me from my contract.  I told I would talk to him
emphasizing that he had allowed six others over the three years to break
their contracts. I truly thought that he would understand my financial
hardships and would be happy that I found an answer. Oops!  He refuses to
release me.  I feel discriminated against as he did allow others to break
their's.  I have offered to set up the library for the next person, write a
step-by-step instructions of how to run the library, offered to come in a
few Saturdays if the new person needed help, and to give the principal a
list of library candidates.

According to our union representative, it is very common for public schools
to look for candidates at this time of the year in private and
Christian/Catholic schools because if those candidates break their contracts
they will not have their licenses suspended.  I was advised to have another
meeting with my current principal telling him that I would be willing to
bring legal help into the situation if we could agree to some sort of an
agreement.  I am willing to pay for substitutes until the position is
filled.  By the way, the library doesn't open until the first week of
September.

My family and I are extremely poor.  $11,000.00 or $1,000.00 extra a month
is like winning the lottery to us!  What should I do?  Do you know of anyone
who broke a contract?  What were their consequences?  Will it be worth it?

I will be talking to the new principal on Tuesday after Monday's meeting
with my old principal.

Angela Gerald
School librarian
St. Mary School
agerald@greenapple.com

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