NILES — The Niles Board of Education and Superintendent Ann Marie Thigpen didn’t publicly address fired teacher Christopher Chieffo’s $4 million lawsuit against the district during a Thursday meeting, but they went into executive session with their attorneys to talk about it.

Chieffo, 45, was terminated Jan. 18 by the Board of Education after being accused of using sick time while he was coaching boys golf for Howland Local Schools during an October tournament — accusations he claims were defamatory — and he is appealing his termination and suing the district.

Chieffo and his wife Abbey, who still teaches in the district, filed suit Feb. 5 against the district, Board of Education and others. The couple claims Thigpen and her husband, Michael Thigpen, as well as Board of Education President Susan Longacre, invaded their privacy. Longacre specifically is accused of sending vulgar text messages to the Chieffos on their wedding night, copies of which were included as exhibits in the lawsuit. The suit also claims school board members engaged in group texts in May 2016 that implied they chose a high school principal before an interview process occurred.

A motion in the lawsuit filed Wednesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court claims that seven days after the Chieffos filed suit, someone reprogrammed the computer system district employees use to call off sick. The system is a significant piece of evidence in Chieffo’s termination appeal and his lawsuit and a summary judgment of $4 million is being sought, the motion states.

Thigpen and Longacre declined to comment and referred any questions to attorneys John Britton and Megan Zidian, who are representing the district and were present at the meeting. It’s obvious the suit and allegations in it only originated because Chieffo was fired, Britton said before entering into executive session with district officials.

“Sometimes in these situations the best defense is to be offensive,” Britton said. “The courts will take care of all of it.”

Zidian said she hasn’t had an opportunity to speak with her client about the allegations that someone tampered with evidence.

“What I can tell you is that it’s more than a stretch,” Zidian said.

In other business, the Board of Education and Thigpen accepted a proclamation from Niles Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia on behalf of the city of Niles recognizing the importance of public schools and the role Niles City Schools and education play in economic vitality.

“We’re very proud of Niles City Schools and we’re very proud of our superintendent and Board of Education,” Scarnecchia said. “We wish them the best of luck in everything.”

jwysochanski@tribtoday.com