First hearing set in former principal's lawsuit against Huff, Besendorfer

The first hearing in the wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Royal Heights Principal Larry Masters against Joplin R-8 Superintendent C. J. Huff and former assistant superintendents Angie Besendorfer and Steven Doerr has been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 23, before Judge David Mouton in Jasper County Circuit Court.

The defendants' motion for access to Masters' word record and any other pending motion will be heard at the time and a trial date set.

Masters accuses the three of conspiring against him and providing false information to the Board of Education after he had already been offered a principal's contract for the 2010-2011 school year  The board rescinded that contract, though Masters, who had tenure as a classroom teacher, remained in the R-8 system.

Besendorfer's response to the lawsuit was filed Monday.