An arbitrator has ruled in favor of fired Ottoson teacher Chuck Coughlin in a work-assignment case that is unrelated to the long-running effort aimed at winning back his job.

The grievance dates from the spring of 2007 and involved then-Superintendent Nate Levenson removing Coughlin as the lead teacher of technology at Ottoson Middle School.

Alan Miller, the attorney for the Arlington public schools, said in a telephone interview April 23 the School Committee chose not to contest the case after deciding it was not worth the time and expense. Miller called the issue involved "academic."

Miller said the decision had nothing to do with the arbitration related to the e-mail case, which has continued since January 2008. Coughlin and Stavroula Bouris, then principal at Ottoson, were dismissed in August 2007 following an investigation regarding inappropriate e-mails, including alleged forgeries.

The next scheduled hearing date in that case is Tuesday, April 28. The last hearing was March 16. Potential further dates are May 28 and 29.

Miller said the that when the last hearing on the work-assignment arbitration was held, lawyers for the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) were joined by Frank Mondano, who is representing Coughlin in the long-running case.

Miller said witnesses brought by Mondano testified that Levenson was retaliating against Coughlin when he changed his work assignment. The schools' lawyer said the arbitrator rejected those arguments, which have also been made in the more prominent case.

Miller also said that, in a separate case involving Ron Colosi Jr., president of the Arlington Education Association, an arbitrator has ruled in favor of the Arlington public schools. He said the arbitrator ruled that Colosi's transfer from the Ottoson Middle School to Arlington High School was properly done.

Interim Superintendent Kathleen Bodie, who was away when she was asked to comment, responded April 27 that Miller is "correct in saying that we did not contest the referred-to grievance because it was 'academic,' meaning that there has not been for several years a
lead teacher position in technology, nor are there any plans for reinstating the position.

"So, if the outcome of the arbitration was that he was to be reinstated to that position, it would have no meaning since the position doesn't exist. The decision to 'not contest' was
to save the district money. "

A spokesman for the MTA declined to comment.

Colosi has been asked to comment on his case as well as the ruling on Coughlin's work assignment. He has not responded to a request fro comment from YourArlington since June 2008.