A judge has ruled against the Detroit school district in its lawsuit against two teachers involved in teacher sickouts. The district failed to meet its burden of proof and interpreted a state law in a way that is “offensive to fundamental rights of free speech,” the judge said.
The decision closes a case that began in January; saw the number of defendants drop from 28 to two; and cost the state, which picked up the district’s legal tab, about $320,000.
The district had accused teachers Steve Conn and Nicole Conaway of illegally encouraging the sickouts that closed dozens of schools earlier this year. Both have been outspoken critics of state-appointed emergency management of the district.
