On September 4, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that the disruption that teacher Natalie Munroe caused at school with her online writings outweighed her claim that the First Amendment should have protected her from losing her job.  Facts:  Ms. Munroe, a high school teacher, was fired after profanely blogging about her allegedly “utterly loathsome” and “frightfully dim” students.

Circuit Judge Cowen wrote “The First Amendment does not require a school district to continue to employ a teacher who expresses the kind of hostility and disgust against her students that Munroe did on her blog and then publicly defends such comments to the media.”

Alfred Maiello

Alfred C. Maiello is the founding member of MBM and has represented area school districts as solicitor for 50 years. He counsels school districts and educational institutions on leading developments in school law and guiding them through their day-to-day and long-term challenges.