# Ar-We-Va Community School District v. Long

> Supreme Court of Iowa · May 21, 1980 · 292 N.W.2d 402

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9740189

## Case

- **Full name:** AR-WE-VA COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Appellant-Resister, v. Elizabeth LONG, Appellee-Applicant; AR-WE-VA COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Appellant-Resister, v. Leah HENKENIUS, Appellee-Applicant
- **Court:** Supreme Court of Iowa
- **Decided:** May 21, 1980
- **Citations:** 292 N.W.2d 402; 1980 Iowa Sup. LEXIS 850
- **Precedential status:** Published
- **Opinion:** Dissent by Uhlenhopp
- **Judges:** Reynoldson, Rees, Uhlenhopp, McCormick, McGiverin
- **Cited by:** 6 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9740189

## Opinion text

UHLENHOPP, Justice
(dissenting).
I agree with the opinion of the Court of Appeals. The introductory clause of the sentence in question states:
In the event necessary reduction in staff cannot be adequately accomplished by attrition given the necessity to hire and/or maintain the most competent and qualified staff available in the interest of perpetuating the highest quality education program possible, .
The sentence then proceeds to say
the Administration shall base its decision as to resulting renewals on the relative skill, ability, competence and qualifica *406 tions of available teachers to do the available work.
(Emphasis added in both quotations.)
In using the word “qualified” in the introductory clause and the words “relative . qualifications” in the main part of the sentence, I think the contracting parties were talking about teachers’ qualifications in a broad sense, not in the narrow sense of whether teachers are certified. Especially is this true in view of the other three words in the group: “skill,” “ability,” and “competence.” “Noscitur A Sociis,” Black’s Law Dictionary 1209 (Rev. 4th ed. 1968); 66 C.J.S. Noscitur A Sociis, 607-08 (1950).
I would affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/9740189. Public record. Not legal advice.