not know plaintiffs had been living together. She discussed the marriage and Great Oaks' anti-nepotism policy with Dr. Carr and recommended that plaintiffs be allowed to remain at Scarlet Oaks for the remainder of the school year in order to avoid disrupting the students or the educational process. She also recommended transferring one of plaintiffs to another campus. Dr. Carr agreed with these recommendations.
Lowery next approached Scarlet Oaks Principal Timothy Hunter and asked him to discuss the matter with plaintiffs. Hunter testified that in late December 1992 or early January 1993 he met with plaintiffs and informed them that one of them would be transferred at the end of the 1992-93 school pursuant to the anti-nepotism policy. Charles Montgomery recalls that Hunter told them that one of them"might" be transferred.
Plaintiffs taught at Scarlet Oaks for the remainder of the 1992-93 school year. Both received positive evaluations and neither received notice of any particular problems that their marriage was causing at Scarlet Oaks. Mary Ellen Steinhauer, a Curriculum Support Specialist, testified that she observed Mr. Montgomery in Mrs. Montgomery's lab many times, particularly towards the end of the school year. According to Steinhauer, certain teachers were having difficulty meeting with Mrs. Montgomery because of the lack of time. Steinhauer attributes the lack of time in part to the increase in visits between plaintiffs during the school day. Steinhauer never brought this concern to Mrs. Montgomery's attention. Principal Hunter  plaintiffs' ultimate supervisor  was never aware of any problem caused by plaintiffs' marriage.
On July 13, 1993,