State board hearing involving former Mount Vernon principal postponed

A disciplinary hearing involving a former Mount Vernon principal who gave “celebration” spankings to students did not take place on Monday as scheduled.

Terry Eisenbarth, former principal of Washington Elementary School in Mount Vernon, resigned his position last June after a series of complaints and board hearings about his controversial birthday spankings of students.  Last month, the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners charged Eisenbarth with unethical practice and physical abuse of a student.  If found guilty by the board, Eisenbarth would face disciplinary action, up to and including the loss of his Iowa teaching license.

The hearing was set for Monday, but an attorney for the board said either Eisenbarth or his attorney had asked for a continuance in the case.  That continuance was not connected to snow and ice that caused some statewide travel problems Monday.

No new hearing date is set yet, but the board attorney said it probably couldn't be re-set before April due to the available of a hearing officer.