Teacher fired after alleged Jan. 6 involvement wins wrongful termination lawsuit
“There was never any justification for [the district’s] insidious and Orwellian course of action.”
Finally some good news!
A Pennsylvania teacher who was fired for allegedly attending the U.S. Capitol “insurrection” on January 6, 2021, has won a wrongful termination lawsuit after a two-week trial.
Jason Moorehead, a 17-year veteran social studies instructor in the Allentown School District, had always maintained he was “at all times over a mile away” at the Washington Monument when the riot occurred.
But on Jan. 7, the district issued a news release stating a district employee “was involved in the electoral college protest.” In it, Superintendent Thomas Parker did note the district “has an obligation to respect the First Amendment rights of our staff.”
. . . . On Aug. 16, a jury awarded Moorehead $131,500, most of which will come from the district. Two school board members, Lisa Conover and Nancy Wilt, are liable for $6,000 and $500 respectively.
Moorehead had not specified a desired dollar amount for “loss of earnings, loss of career, reputational damage, mental and emotional pain and suffering,” and punitive damages.
Moorehead’s lawyer AJ Fleuhr said in statement that he and his client were happy “a federal jury recognized that the Allentown School District violated Jason Moorehead’s First Amendment rights to free speech, assembly, and political affiliation,” and that the named board members had “maliciously and wantonly attacked him.”
Fleuhr added “There was never any justification for [the district’s] insidious and Orwellian course of action.”
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Comments
Justice.
If there had been a sky-high monetary award in lost compensation, punitive and other damages, etc., I would like the outcome WAAAAAY more.
It serves the school district tax payers right!
While this is always a valid concern, I don’t often see such damages assessed personally against government officials — and in this case, it actually happened.
And, it should happen more often with higher awards for ignoring the Constitution.
Yes, it was nice some minor amount of the judgment was held personally. But, really, ALL of it should have been.
Depending on the state & on the board’s bylaws, there may be an obligation for the board to reimburse the members.
The district will assuredly pay it
THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO CENSOR
the schools and anyyyy who take the tax money “work” for the government
those who fired him
need to now be fed the same prescription
This went to trial? The government usually settles if it’s as simple as him not being in the riot.
Odd that it doesn’t say if he was reinstated to his old job or not.
Would you want to go back? When all the school district has to do is look the other way when the local chapter of SturmAntifa pays him a visit??