Sacramento School District fires teacher for serving in Iraq

A Reserve officer who followed through on his duty to serve in Iraq was let go by the Sacramento School District once he returned.  Edward O'Gilvie, the teacher, is taking the matter to court:

An officer in the U.S. Army Reserves has sued the Sacramento, Calif.,school district, saying he was denied his old job when he returned fromactive duty.

Edward O'Gilvie found a job in Chicago. But hesays he is making less money than he was as an assistant principal atKennedy High School in Sacramento and had to pay to get a master'sdegree and to move, The Sacramento Bee reported.

Because it's a public school district, I really didn't expect a problem with getting my job back, O'Gilvie said. I was hurt, shocked. It was the last thing I expected when I came back.

O'Gilvie, who was mobilized for two years, filed a lawsuit in court on August 3rd.  The school district refused to comment.

According to the Sacramento Bee, what the school district did was against federal law:

Federal law is clear that soldiers returning from service within fiveyears of leaving a job generally are entitled to get that job back orbe given an equivalent position, said Jerrold Jurin, Californiacoordinator for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Departmentof Defense organization that promotes cooperation between servicemembers and their employers.

Feel free to email the Sacramento City Unified School District to voice your concerns.