Portland, OR—Attorneys with Pacific Justice Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom filed their opening brief on behalf of two Oregon educators earlier this month with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit urging it to protect the educators’ First Amendment right to speech and religion.
The two educators filed a lawsuit with the help of PJI in 2021 against Grants Pass School District 7 after officials suspended and then terminated them for voicing—on their own online platform—their opinions about local, state, and national policy.
“Public schools can’t retaliate against educators for expressing opinions on fundamental issues of public concern—like gender identity education policy—that implicate the freedoms of educators, parents, and students. Rachel and Katie spoke while off campus and off duty, but the school district used its overreaching speech policy to punish them for expressing their beliefs,” said ADF Legal Counsel Mathew Hoffmann.
“Educators who advocate for common sense and parental involvement should be applauded, not punished. PJI is privileged not only to co-represent these brave educators, but to now be joined by leading voices from across the freedom movement,” said Brad Dacus, president and founder of PJI. “Together, we have presented overwhelming evidence and constitutional argument showing why these courageous citizens should not have been punished for contributing to the nationwide dialogue on gender.”
Sager and Medart have been in the education field for many years, including at North Middle School in Grants Pass. Sager served as assistant principal, and Medart taught science there. Together, they started a grassroots organization “
I Resolve” to propose gender identity education policy proposals that respect the rights of students, parents, and teachers. The educators were forced to file a lawsuit against the school district for violating their rights to free speech and religious freedom. The district court ruled against them, prompting their appeal.
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