Philadelphia Teachers Sue Over Right to Protest Asbestos Hazards

Three educators filed a federal lawsuit against the School District of Philadelphia over their first amendment right to publicly demand answers about asbestos inside classrooms. The suit claims their rights were violated when the district allegedly punished them for a protest in 2021. Plaintiffs include teachers Ethan Tannen and Carolyn Gray, as well as now retired educator Karen Celli. Along with 50 of their colleagues, they worked outdoors during two teacher workdays at Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in protest of asbestos exposure risks. School administrators allegedly told staff they would face disciplinary action for unauthorized leave, including lost wages, if they did not go inside the building. Mary Catherine Roper, the teachers’ lawyer, says the educators were not absent from their jobs.  “Those teachers were not ‘absent.’ The district knew that and knew they were working,” Roper wrote in a statement released to the press. “The district wanted to stop the protest, so they threatened the teachers and then punished them. That violates the First Amendment.” Asbestos Risks in Philadelphia Schools The protest at the heart of the lawsuit aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos in U.S. schools. Philadelphia schools have been at the heart of significant controversy over the last few years as the district grapples with legacy asbestos in its facilities. The ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Asbestos (general) Asbestos Exposure Legal Source Type: news