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Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Ind. Decisions - Judge Barker rejects fired teacher's claim

An AP story today in the Indianapolis Star reports:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A teacher who claimed she was fired for talking in her classroom about peace activism plans to appeal a federal judge's ruling that the school district did not violate her constitutional rights.

Deb Mayer sued Monroe County Community Schools in 2004 after she was fired from her job at Clear Creek Elementary School. Mayer said Monday she thinks she needs to fight the ruling on behalf of other teachers. "I think the judge really got the law wrong. Actually, she just ignored the law," Mayer said. "I believe, and my attorney agrees, that the law says a teacher doesn't have to check her rights at the schoolhouse gate."

A school district administrator said officials were pleased with the ruling by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker in Indianapolis. "We were also gratified that the court agreed that Ms. Mayer's classroom speech had nothing to do with her termination and that schools have the right to oversee the type of instruction taking place in their classrooms," said Pam Sklar, the district's human resources director.

The district had maintained that Mayer's contract was not renewed because of complaints about her teaching skills, discipline style and interaction with students and parents.

Here is a copy of Judge Barker's 39-page opinion in Mayer v. Monroe County Community School Corp., 3/10/06.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 22, 2006 11:28 AM
Posted to Ind Fed D.Ct. Decisions