Judge Will Consider Motion to Dismiss Case Against Dyer

An administrative judge will consider dropping the Howard County Board of Education's request to remove board member Allen Dyer from his seat because the charges were unclear, the Howard County Times reported. 

At Tuesday's hearing, the fifth day of testimony, Administrative Law Judge Douglas Koteen said he would consider a second appeal by Dyer to have the charges dismissed.

Koteen had denied a previous request to dismiss the charge.

The Board of Education in , accusing him of breaching confidentiality provisions, acting in ways that undermined the functioning of the board and using his position to "further his personal litigation against the Board of Education,” among other allegations.

In his cross examination Tuesday of board member Janet Sidiqqui, Dyer asked for specifics about the charges levied against him, particularly the charge that he had threatened members of the staff and undermined the functioning of the board.

Siddiqui said at the hearing that Dyer's attitude undermined the function of the board, noting his tone in emails. "What I consider rude," she said, "is when you use capital letters."

She also said he breached confidentiality rules when he released information about an ethics complaint filed against him after the information had been leaked by another source. 

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Koteen said that after five days of testimony, "It's still not entirely clear exactly what the board relied on" when voting to remove Dyer, "and that's the problem of proof for the Board," the Times reported.

Koteen said he will consider Dyer's motion to dismiss at the next hearing date, June 6. 

after coming in at No. 7 in the April primary; the six top vote-getters move on to the general election.