1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Allentown Teacher Suspended Pennsylvania teacher suspended after Jan. 6 riot fired for He also wrote a comment that read "wrong on so many levels, but hilarious" on another controversial meme. : Local economists weigh in after 3rd bank failure in last 2 months, Baby alligator temporarily staying in the Poconos after being found at sewage plant in Allentown, LVHN offering 2nd dose of bivalent COVID-19 booster shot for people 65 and older, immunocompromised people, Work to replace busy bridge connecting Lehigh, Northampton counties is underway; there's some good news for commuters, Allentown Service Plaza to close at night during the week as crews do paving work, High Delaware River water levels lead to additional safety requirements at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area this week, Gov. 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 Moorehead was officially reinstated in July 2021, after the investigation found he had violated the district's social media policies, but not its outside activities policy. His attorney Francis Malofiy said that despite a strongly worded letter to school administrators demanding an apology for the public statement placing Moorehead at the scene of the attempted insurrection, the school district has been silent. 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. 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. said Christine Condon, who also participated in the meeting. Former Pennsylvania state representative Rick Saccone also referenced storming the capitol in a social media post that day, but told the Tribune-Review he didnt mean it literally and only went to Washington to peacefully protest and express grievances about the way the election was handled. He resigned from his position at Saint Vincent College that week, saying he didnt want all this terrible media kerfuffle to tarnish the school.. 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. Mr. Follow Hannah & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @hannah_kanik | @thePhillyVoice On negative responses to his social media posts, Moorehead said he does believe that joining thousands to listen to the former president speak and form his own opinions is a civic duty. ALLENTOWN 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. Three others, including Benjamin Philips, 50, of Ringtown Pennsylvania, died of apparent medical emergencies during the chaos. 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 He said his address and phone number have been posted online. Suspended Allentown teacher Michael C. Davis, accused of spanking an entire class and slapping a student and his mother, wont get his job back. 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. 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. We walked around the Washington Monument, tried to get closer to the White House, ate a hot dog and then went back to the bus.. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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. "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. "We understand that many members of our community are upset by the image," the letter said. "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. 2023 WWB Holdings, LLC. You have permission to edit this article. 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. Moorehead, who has been teaching at the district for 17 years, appeared on Michael Smerconishs morning show on CNN Saturday with Malofiy. 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. I believe I was just terminated today by you nine, nine to zero, Moorehead said. The termination came because of the abandonment of his position, the solicitor said. Was the employee speaking about an issue of public concern? Moorehead called the violence at the Capitol Building disgusting and is steadfast on the fact that he was on a bus to head home when the Capitol Building was stormed. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Welcoming former Allentown teacher Jason Moorehead and his lawyer @FrancisMalofiy to discuss Moorehead firing re: Jan 6th attendance @SIRIUSXM @SXMPOTUS https://t.co/1Ogd2mEaqG. 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. 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 district said previously Moorehead's 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. The district cited social media postings from Moorehead in its initial decision to suspend him with pay and open an investigation into his actions that day. Morning Call reporter Kayla Dwyer can be reached at 610-820-6554 or kdwyer@mcall.com. District officials have not disclosed whether the suspended teacher was among those who breached the Capitol building. Friday morning, Freund said the investigation is not yet complete. Texas attorney Paul Davis was fired or resigned from Goosehead Insurance after posting videos during the riot, The Houston Chronicle reported. 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. 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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. Jason Moorehead said he was never at the Capitol when the violence erupted and only attended Trump's speech about a mile away. 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. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Partly to mostly cloudy, brisk, and cool. Know Your Rights: Searches of Students | ACLU of Northern CA Because Carrs rant was of limited public importance but harmed the publics trust in PennDOTs ability to safely serve the public, her speech was not protected, the court ruled. Supporters of President Donald Trump on the National Mall. "I love working in that school. 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. or redistributed. He urged staffers to "think carefully" about the information they share online, noting it could affect students and community members. "In less than a week we accrued more than 600 signatures that I can gladly send over to the school board," said community member Pas Simpson. You dont know about the 18 years I spent of giving my life to this Raub community. Pa. Teacher Suspended After Jan. 6 Fired for Not Working - US 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. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, and Ashli Babbit, a Trump supporter from San Diego, died from injuries sustained during the riot,CNN reported. All rights reserved. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. 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 Can my school conduct a random Moorehead, a social studies teacher at Raub Middle School in the Allentown School District, has gained national attention. Parker and School Board President Sara Brace declined to provide additional details or identify the teacher, citing it as a personnel matter,TheAllentown Morning Callreported. Why First Republic failed. The court said public employees may be fired for speech that is not public in nature. Allentown School District board of school directors voted Thursday to fire Jason Moorehead, who was a middle school social studies teacher at the Allentown "You can have your job back. "We ask the same of our students and families.". Are other banks to follow? Except I went to see a Trump rally.". Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania teacher who was suspended last year during an investigation into his attendance at, and social media posts about, the 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.. I met my wife there. Joseph Fling Jr., 77, of Hatboro, is accused of careless driving and failing to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, in the Sept. 6 death of Angela Yowakim, the outlet reported 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.. He is currently under a paid suspension as 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. Shame on you. Hannah Kanik 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. Wisconsin legislators are poised to accept the state's share of a settlement stemming from a multistate lawsuit accusing drug manufacturers and distributors of contributing to the nation's opioid crisis. Its a shame that most of you dont even know who I am. This 13-year-old is headed to medical school a year after - Feb 3, 2021 Jason Moorehead, an Allentown teacher, is requesting a apology from the Allentown school district. We talk about diversity of people but we have forgotten about diversity of speech and opinion, Malofiy said. teacher I definitely have some conservative values and beliefs, but they have never taken part in what I do in the classroom, Moorehead said. He maintains his trip to Washington to hear the former president speak was nothing more and denied involvement in the siege. The district suspended Moorehead for six months, then ordered him to return to work. Over the past half-century, the Supreme Court has issued four major decisions defining the limits of public employees First Amendment rights. "At the same time, the district has an obligation to respect the First Amendment rights of our staff and students.". More dry than wet overall, but still cool and unsettled. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Moorehead said he was offered his job back under the condition he undergo racial sensitivity training. Doing my civic duty, he commented. Moorehead mentioned he was in attendance for the "Save the Steal" rally on January 6th, but never made it to the Capitol to riot, according to Morning Call reporter Peter Hall can be reached at 610-820-6581 or peter.hall@mcall.com. No," he said. Parker and School Board President In 1964, Illinois school teacher Marvin Pickering wrote a letter to his local newspaper critical of the administrations spending on instruction and athletics. Because of the emotion and controversy stirred by the events of January 6, 2021, the teacher has been temporarily relieved of his teaching duties until the school district can complete a formal investigation of his involvement, the district said in a letter on Jan. 8. The chaos in Washington D.C. added to the "confusion and uncertainty" that students are facing during the pandemic, Parker wrote. Teacher The Social Studies teachers controversial social media posts had drastic consequences. President Donald Trump speaks at the "Stop The Steal" Rally on Jan. 6. Paul Lancaster Adams, a labor employment attorney, said some states have laws that protect or limit off-duty conduct. The Allentown School District has fired a teacher who was suspended after going to Washington, D.C. for the so-called Stop the Steal rally, which became a deadly insurrectionist riot that took over the capitol building. Allentown Teacher Suspended After Jan. 6 Fired for Not Because of the emotion and controversy stirred by the events of January 6, 2021, the teacher has been temporarily relieved of his teaching duties until the School District can complete a formal investigation of his involvement," The Morning Call reported. TEACHER ", Speaking to the board Thursday, Moorehead said the board fed the community lies. The only problem? Brand New App to watch all of WFMZ-TV News and Syndicated Programing 24/7 on your Streaming App enabled TV. District Solicitor John Freund told lehighvalleylive.com on Friday that Moorehead was initially suspended. "After numerous complaints the school district conducted an investigation of the extent of Mr. Moorehead's involvement in the events of January 6th. But he said didn't feel safe going back after the district failed to set the record straight that he wasn't part of the violence and not a racist. The Allentown School District is facing a legal battle after it alleged a teacher took part in the Capitol riots of January 6th. Carr argued that she had posted her rant as a private citizen, not as a PennDOT employee and that the safety of school bus drivers was a matter of public concern. FOX News contributors Dan Bongino and Sarah Sanders react to the day's events on 'Hannity'. No, period, he said. Im being fired for refusing to come to a place that is unsafe, a situation you guys created., Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Jason Moorehead said Saturday his reputation has been destroyed and his family is fearful because of the backlash from the districts statement that he says incorrectly connected him with the violent uprising at the U.S. Capitol. 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.. ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) A Pennsylvania teacher who was suspended last year during an investigation into his attendance at, and social media posts about, the They were emboldened by President Donald Trump, who urged them to head to Capitol during a rally near the White House. ", Bride killed in Folly Beach golf cart DUI crash, ESPN: Harper to return to lineup 159 days after Tommy John surgery, New details released about suspects charged in Evesham Township crash. The proper thing would be a full apology, Malofiy said. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. He explained his position on those posts to Action News: "There had been riots and protests, where they were excused away that the damage that was done was acceptable, because buildings and private businesses were insured. Period.. Capitol rioting: Trump, McEnany condemn storming of Congress. 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. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters. Moorehead claims the district called him an active participant in the riots, but that they they knew he was never part of it. The best states in the country excel in areas such as economy, fiscal stability and opportunity. Allentown School Board gets earful about teacher placed on leave after attending Jan. 6 Capitol rally, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. Pennsylvania social studies teacher Jason Moorehead was suspended for attending the protest. The intrusion prompted lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence to flee for safety. 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. Federal officials have been charging and arresting people in Pennsylvania and around the country for their alleged roles in breaching the building, damaging or stealing property inside and attacking law enforcement. Five people died in the violence around the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, including a Capitol Police officer and a 50-year-old Pennsylvania man and ardent Trump supporter who suffered a medical emergency at the protests. Moorehead said he was never at the Capitol when the violence erupted and only attended Trump's speech about a mile away. Moorehead said he longs to be back in the classroom. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. A retired firefighter from Chester County is charged with assaulting officers after authorities say he hurled a fire extinguisher at police. 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. "While we all have the right to express ourselves, it is important to do so respectfully," the letter said. Im being fired for refusing to come to a place that is unsafe, a situation you guys created.. lehighvalleylive.com "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. For example, a teacher cannot ask to search a bag that looks weird and bulgy for drugs based only on the look of the bag. 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. Allentown School District relieves teacher who attended Trump Legal Statement. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The districts determination will come down to the delicate balance between an employees First Amendment rights and the schools judgment about what it considers acceptable behavior. Being a teacher means he is a Police arrest suspect in April shooting, McCarthy touts U.S.-Israeli ties on trip underscored, Candidates can cross-file in Pennsylvania Primaries, Suspected burglar found sweeping inside TN home, Al Da con abc27: Evento Trash Can to Treasure, White House estimates 20K Russians killed in Ukraine, Hunter Biden in court over child support payments, York County jury convicts man of third-degree murder, Pennsylvania State House forms Black-Jewish Caucus, Sen. 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