The Social Studies teachers controversial social media posts had drastic consequences. "Mr. Moorehead had the opportunity to return to work for well over a year and chose not to do so. "After numerous complaints the school district conducted an investigation of the extent of Mr. Moorehead's involvement in the events of January 6th. Why First Republic failed. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "We believe that all individuals have the right to an opinion, but when beliefs and opinions devolve into illegal and violent activities, there will be no tolerance," the college said in a statement. You dont know about the 18 years I spent of giving my life to this Raub community. Thousands of people are there, and only a few are doing the rioting and destruction. He also claimed the board colluded with community groups to attack his character, being called a racist and a white supremacist. The attorney for an Allentown School District teacher suspended after school officials learned hed been in Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 6 protests said the districts failure to correct a false statement in its news release means a lawsuit is all but inevitable. Market data provided by Factset. Published: July 31, 2022. The only problem? Moorehead admitted to reposting what could be considered controversial memes and that he commented on one of rioters at the Capitol that read: 'don't worry everyone the capitol is insured.'. Pa. Shame on you. Pennsylvania teacher suspended after Jan. 6 riot fired for Legal Statement. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. He appealed under the First and 14th Amendments and was reinstated when the Supreme Court ruled the inaccuracies in the letter were not malicious and did not interfere with the districts operations. "Now, when you're a government employer, the law says that you have a right to first amendment right to freedom of speech, very different than in private sector," he said. They could face penalties ranging from fines to prison time. Moorehead said that while he attended a rally for then-President Donald Trump in Washington that day, he was never closer than a mile from the Capitol building. Moorehead had the opportunity to return to work for well over a year and chose not to do so., Speaking to the board Thursday, Moorehead said the board fed the community lies. The Georgia appeals court reasoned that her post interfered with the operation of the middle school where she taught.. All rights reserved (About Us). The district has received notice Moorehead plans to take legal action in Lehigh County Court, but a complaint has not yet been filed. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? Thus, Zirkel said, courts use a three-part test to determine if a public employee is protected by the First Amendment: Was the expression part of the employees duties, or was it as a private citizen? 0:45 One day after the deadly insurrection in Washington, a Pennsylvania school district announced it was suspending a teacher who, the district asserted, was But those freedoms are not absolute, and over the years, the U.S. Supreme Court has established that government bodies such as school districts may fire employees for what they say if it gets in the way of the agencys mission. In a few cases, protesters have lost jobs even if they did not take part in the violent rioting. We walked around the Washington Monument, tried to get close to the White House, ate a hot dog and went back to the bus, he told CNN. He said the false association with the deadly storming of the Capitol has forced him to delete his social media accounts, avoid answering the phone and keep curtains drawn at his house. You destroyed my career, my character, my life, my marriage, I might lose my house -- all because some of you did not like my political conservative views. Moorehead was officially reinstated in July 2021, after the investigation found he had violated the districts social media policies, but not its outside activities policy. Allentown School Board gets earful about teacher placed on leave after attending Jan. 6 Capitol rally, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. "I have some conservative values," he said. Being a teacher means he is a "I'm being fired for refusing to come to a place that is unsafe, a situation you guys created. It is also mindful that as teachers, they must exercise discretion in how they exercise those rights so as to preserve their credibility as educators of young people.. When asked if he broke any laws, Moorehead was clear. Have a news tip? Even though district officials have spoken with Moorehead to hear his side of the story, they have done nothing to clear his name. Please enter valid email address to continue. Let us know. I am none of those things, Moorehead said Thursday. Stay informed daily on the latest news and advice on COVID-19 from the editors at U.S. News & World Report. All rights reserved. Was the employee speaking about an issue of public concern? ALLENTOWN, Pa. - An Allentown middle school teacher who was placed on leave after attending a Trump rally in Washington D.C. on January 6 is n. He said he was never a part of the violence on Jan. 6, but that the school board painted him as an active participant in the riots.CAPITOL SIEGE. Morning Call reporter Kayla Dwyer can be reached at 610-820-6554 or kdwyer@mcall.com. A 2006 ruling in another case involving a prosecutor established that public employees are not protected when they speak in their official capacities. Malofiy said he believes district officials reacted rashly to the outcry over Mooreheads social media posts from the Trump rally and said his client has been made a victim of cancel culture, in which people are penalized for their political beliefs. The Allentown School District has 22 schools and more than 16,000 students enrolled, according to theFuture Ready PA Index. The district said previously Mooreheads social media posts about the events of Jan. 6, and not just his presence in Washington that day, were the focus of its probe last year. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Does it make it more difficult for the school district to operate? said Hobie Webster, a Pittsburgh employment lawyer who represents school districts. "Is this the kind of person that we want in our school district spending time with our children and influencing minds and hearts?" This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. WebA Lehigh Valley teacher says he was suspended for being in Washington, D.C., on the day of the Capitol riot. Later, he reposted someone elses tweet saying Dont worry everyone, the capitol is insured, adding This, to show his approval. Are other banks to follow? Russia missile attack on Ukraine injures 34, damages homes, May Day: Worlds workers rally, France sees pension anger, FDIC recommends raising insured deposit limit for businesses, What the Tech? The uproar was enough for Allentown School District to suspend him with pay while it investigated his involvement in the days events. We understand that many members of our community are upset by the image, the letter states. Moorehead, a social studies teacher at Raub Middle School in the Allentown School District, has gained national attention. Get local Breaking News alerts sent directly to your inbox. The superintendent continued, "We understand that many members of our community are upset by the image. The driver who struck and killed an Allentown teacher's aide outside a city high school in September will face charges, according to a report from WFMZ. Until the district completes the investigation and makes a decision on his status, the teacher is still receiving pay and benefits. This 13-year-old is headed to medical school a year after - Pro-Trump mob breaches U.S. Capitol as lawmakers prepare to affirm Joe Biden's victory, Pa. 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He is currently under a paid suspension as Allentown School District board of school directors voted Thursday to fire Jason Moorehead, who was a middle school social studies teacher at the Allentown School District. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The First Amendment allows people to personally and privately engage in disagreements with their government, said Francis Malofiy. Wisconsin Legislators to Consider Opioid Settlement Payout. Moorehead was officially reinstated in July 2021, after the investigation found he had violated the districts social media policies, but not its outside activities policy. Moorehead says he was never closer than a mile away from the Capitol building that day and didnt realize the violence that occurred until after he had left. or redistributed. The teacher has been relieved of his duties until the investigation plays out, Superintendent Thomas Parker wrotein a letterThursday evening. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, and Ashli Babbit, a Trump supporter from San Diego, died from injuries sustained during the riot,CNN reported. Being a teacher means he is a role model and because of his profession, his personal life is public, wrote one Facebook user. Teacher suspended after Jan. 6 fired for not working. My client has been very very patient in hoping that the school district would do the right thing and at this point, it seems inevitable that we will be filing a lawsuit, Malofiy said. Legal Statement. Ive been bullied and I dont want my family, my co-workers, my students to feel they shouldnt defend their First Amendment protections.. "We ask the same of our students and families.". The court said public employees may be fired for speech that is not public in nature. Best States is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News for ranking the 50 U.S. states, alongside news analysis and daily reporting. ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania teacher who was suspended last year during an investigation into his attendance at, and social media posts about, the Stop the Steal rally which later turned to a deadly insurrection on Jan. 6 has been fired for refusing to return to work. A letter from the Allentown superintendent over the unidentified teacher reminded educators to be careful what they post and share online because of how it could affect their students and colleagues. Moorehead also doesn't dispute that he attended Donald Trump's 'Stop the Steal' rally on January 6, 2021. Morning Call reporter Peter Hall can be reached at 610-820-6581 or peter.hall@mcall.com. A Bucks County teacher who called her students utterly loathsome and frightfully dim in her online blog lost her appeal to the First Amendment after her district fired her. Asked what he was trying to convey with the posts, Moorehead said during a CNN interview on Jan. 23 that he was not mocking Black Lives Matter or antifa. 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