Rachel Carr was fired from her job as a driver for PennDOT after she posted in a local Facebook group about her frustration with school bus drivers in the area after one pulled out in front of her truck. Jason Moorehead, who was suspended by the Allentown School District following the U.S. Capitol riots, claims his reputation as a teacher has been tarnished by Pa. Teacher Suspended After Jan. 6 Fired For Not Working Moorehead has said he went to be a witness to a historic day and listen to then-President Donald Trump speak, and that he didnt know about the deadly riot until much later. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. It gives people in the United States the right to speak their minds, worship, gather and support the political candidates of their choice without fear of being silenced or punished by the government. Moorehead, who has been teaching at the district for 17 years, appeared on Michael Smerconishs morning show on CNN Saturday with Malofiy. The district would reasonably enforce a policy of suspensions and expulsions for willful defiance and other misconduct, not because its best for the person being At the same time, the district has an obligation to respect the First Amendment rights of our staff and students. Raub Middle School teacher Jason Mooreheads social media posts from the Jan. 6 rally for former President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., began circulating in Allentown on the afternoon when the world watched in horror as protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol. His termination was in no way connected to his activities on that date, the districts attorneys John E. Freund, III, and Brian J. Taylor said in a statement. Pennsylvania middle school teacher rightfully suspended over possible Youve made it impossible for me to return. A woman was fatally shot during Wednesdays riot, a Capitol Police officer later died of injuries suffered in the unrest and three others died of medical emergencies, police said. Spokesman Chris Lilienthal of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, of which the Allentown Education Association is a member, declined to comment. Not everyone there is a rioter.. Im being fired for refusing to come to a place that is unsafe, a situation you guys created.. Can my school conduct a random The unnamed educator was among a number of people who have reportedly been fired or asked to resign from jobs after being identified as a Capitol rioter, The Morning Call in Allentown reported. The district is mindful that teachers do not lose their [constitutional] rights because they are teachers, wrote Freund, the solicitor. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I definitely have some conservative values and beliefs, but they have never taken part in what I do in the classroom, Moorehead said. ", "When the district finally admitted to me privately that I had done nothing wrong and that I could return, they refused to let the community know that I am safe, to alleviate both their fears and my fears about returning," he said. "@properties does not condone violence, destruction or illegal activities," a statement from the company said after explaining she acknowledged she took part in the riot. I dont know how I can get that trust back. The proper thing would be a full apology, Malofiy said. Moorehead said he had taken a bus trip to Washington on Jan. 6 to protest the certification of Electoral College votes and hear the president speak. WebA student at Dieruff High School in Allentown who had been suspended will now face charges in connection with a teacher's fall from the gym's bleachers last week. The court further narrowed protection in 1983 in the case of a New Orleans assistant district attorney who circulated a questionnaire to co-workers asking their opinions on transfers, morale and supervisors in the office. 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. You dont know about the 18 years I spent of giving my life to this Raub community. 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. 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. In one, he stood before a sea of Trump banners wearing a Make America Great Again hat and carrying a Revolutionary War flag. said Christine Condon, who also participated in the meeting. Follow Hannah & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @hannah_kanik | @thePhillyVoice 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.'. Morning Call reporter Kayla Dwyer can be reached at 610-820-6554 or kdwyer@mcall.com. Pa. Suspended Allentown teacher claims he wasn't anywhere near "After numerous complaints the school district conducted an investigation of the extent of Mr. Moorehead's involvement in the events of January 6th. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters. All rights reserved. Allentown teacher suspended during probe into riot fired Teacher suspended The platform is designed to engage citizens and government leaders in a discussion about what needs improvement across the country. James Harden Dominates, Sixers Stun Celtics to Take 1-0 Series Lead, 7 Cars Involved in Crash, House Catches Fire in North Philly, Police ID 2 Persons of Interest in Triple Homicidein Philadelphia, This 28-Year-Old Pays $62 a Month to Live in a Dumpster He Built for $5,000 Take a Look Inside. "I had no idea people were breaking in and that destruction was happening," Andrews said. Why First Republic failed. Freund wrote on Jan. 25, the reaction fomented by your clients photographs and postings (on social media on Jan. 6) was formidable, making temporary reassignment entirely justifiable.. Its a shame that most of you dont even know who I am. He also claimed the board colluded with community groups to attack his character, being called a racist and a white supremacist. All Rights Reserved. But images he posted on social media quickly made the rounds, and on Jan. 8 he was placed on paid suspension by the district. Teacher suspended for attending Capitol 'Stop 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. Instead theyre trying to figure out what to do now and its double down, dig in the heels.. They could face penalties ranging from fines to prison time. Friday morning, Freund said the investigation is not yet complete. He and his lawyer speak with CNN's Michael Smerconish. Last year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court added the question of whether an employees speech impairs the ability of an agency to perform its duties by damaging the publics trust. The teacher has been relieved of his duties until the investigation plays out, Superintendent Thomas Parker wrotein a letterThursday evening. 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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. Teachers union President Mark Leibold did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment. 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. 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. Morning Call reporter Peter Hall can be reached at 610-820-6581 or peter.hall@mcall.com. And I, I wanted to make how the media looked at different protests differently," he said. Shame on you. The chaos in Washington D.C. added to the "confusion and uncertainty" that students are facing during the pandemic, Parker wrote. 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., When the district finally admitted to me privately that I had done nothing wrong and that I could return, they refused to let the community know that I am safe, to alleviate both their fears and my fears about returning, he said. Doing my civic duty, he commented. The Allentown School District is facing a legal battle after it alleged a teacher took part in the Capitol riots of January 6th. There was a problem saving your notification. The Allentown School District called the allegations false. District spokeswoman Melissa Reese referred questions to district solicitor John Freund III, who said the district is still conducting a full investigation of the teachers involvement and is unable to comment on details of the investigation, in the interest of proceeding in a professional and proper manner with all regards for the teachers rights.. Moorehead also doesn't dispute that he attended Donald Trump's 'Stop the Steal' rally on January 6, 2021. And did the speech affect the operation of the government agency? Libby Andrews, a Chicago-based real estate agent, was fired after her social media posts about storming the Capitol were identified by several people and sent to her employer. In 1977, the court ruled that the First and 14th Amendments do not provide blanket protection in the case of a teacher who had argued with co-workers and cursed at students. Pa. teacher suspended after Jan. 6 fired for not working - ABC27 Allentown Teacher's 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., When the district finally admitted to me privately that I had done nothing wrong and that I could return, they refused to let the community know that I am safe, to alleviate both their fears and my fears about returning, he said. The court ruled that the questionnaire disrupted the office and dealt with office politics and not matters of public concern. Market data provided by Factset. One person, Jason Jenkins, even called out the district's investigation. In 2015, a federal appeals court ruled that former Central Bucks High School East teacher Natalie Monroes comments caused enough of a disruption in the classroom and her ability to perform her job because numerous parents told the district they didnt want her to teach their children that it outweighed her First Amendment claim. Parker and School Board President Francis Malofiy represents Moorehead in his defamation suit against the district and alleges Moorehead was fired because of his support of the former president. Please enter valid email address to continue. District officials have not disclosed whether the suspended teacher was among those who breached the Capitol building. My reputation and character have been destroyed: Allentown Being a teacher means he is a Mostly cloudy, brisk, and unseasonably cool with a few scattered showers. Ive always encouraged my kids to be critical thinkers and to form their own opinion, one that they can be proud to have., His attorney Malofiy blasted the districts decision to suspend Moorehead and issue the statement without first gathering more information about what really happened. Ive had thousands of great relationships with students and parents.. 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. ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania teacher who was suspended last year during an investigation into his attendance at, and social media posts about, the We talk about diversity of people but we have forgotten about diversity of speech and opinion, Malofiy said. The Social Studies teachers controversial social media posts had drastic consequences. Superintendent Thomas Parker and school district solicitor John Freund did not respond to repeated phone calls Saturday. All rights reserved. The freedoms ensconced in the First Amendment are among the most celebrated in the U.S. Constitution. "There is no agenda item related to action on any employee at this board meeting," said District Superintendent Thomas Parker atThursday's school board meeting. Moorehead claims the district called him an active participant in the riots, but that they they knew he was never part of it. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Moorehead said the day after the January 6th riots, the Allentown School District suspended him and put out a press release that read in part that a staff member was "involved in the electoral college protests that took place at the United States Capitol Building.". The First Amendment allows people to personally and privately engage in disagreements with their government, said Francis Malofiy. Feb 3, 2021 Jason Moorehead, an Allentown teacher, is requesting a apology from the Allentown school district. 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. (Associated Press). Period," he said. That didn't stop people from sharing their opinions of Moorehead during the public comment section of the meeting. Best States is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News for ranking the 50 U.S. states, alongside news analysis and daily reporting. Pennsylvania teacher suspended after Jan. 6 riot fired for Pro-Trump mob breaches U.S. Capitol as lawmakers prepare to affirm Joe Biden's victory, Pa. 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