Two educators in Oregon, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom and Pacific Justice Institute attorneys, reached a favorable settlement with a school district that violated their free speech, religious freedom, and equal protection rights. As part of the settlement, Grants Pass School District agreed to pay $650,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees, issue a public statement acknowledging that the educators’ wrongful termination fell short of its standards and responsibilities, provide positive letters of recommendation for both teachers, revise the district’s policy to comply with the First Amendment, and remove negative references from their personnel files.
Grants Pass School District 7 officials punished Rachel Sager (formerly Damiano) and Katie Medart for speaking about gender identity education policy. The educators filed the lawsuit in 2021 when officials suspended and then terminated them for voicing their opinions about local, state, and national policy. In June, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in the educators’ favor by partially vacating the lower court’s decision and remanding the case for trial.
“Educators are free to express opinions on fundamental issues of public concern—like gender identity education policy—that implicate the freedoms of teachers, parents, and students,” said ADF Legal Counsel Mathew Hoffmann. “The Grants Pass School District is taking the right step by acknowledging that teachers don’t give up their First Amendment rights when they set foot on school property. Public schools can’t retaliate against speech simply because they disagree with what’s said.”
Sager and Medart have worked 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 the grassroots organization “I Resolve” to propose gender identity education policy proposals that respect the rights of students, parents, and teachers.
