Support Katie & Rachel in Protecting Free Speech

Help us raise $15,000 by April 28th, in time for our deadline to submit our notice of appeal!

As educators in Grants Pass, Oregon, Katie Medart and Rachel Damiano were placed on leave by the Grants Pass School District after they expressed their opinions on gender identity education policy in a video promotion for their grassroots organization “I Resolve.” The educators' employer was initially supportive of the policies proposed. They were aware of their plan to make a video to share the proposed ideas as private citizens. Katie and Rachel's video was created and published on their OWN time, OFF campus, during Spring Break, with no reference to their employer.

A librarian at a different school in the district saw their video, was offended, and sent the video to her supervisors and district staff who were LGBTQ+ club advisors. The school district caved to five heckler complaints by staff and placed Rachel and Katie on leave. The district then launched an investigation against them. The district emailed the district community and all staff members asking for others to send in concerns and complaints about I Resolve. Ultimately, the district fired the educators for allegedly causing a "substantial disruption" and allegedly using district resources for personal use. But the district caused a disruption by sending an email soliciting complaints and then they punished Katie and Rachel for the disruption that the district itself caused.

While on leave, the district changed its policies to further compel teachers' speech to provide disclaimers about “controversial” speech and to restrict teachers from taking a side of an issue if the educators disagree with the district's position.

Public schools can’t retaliate against their staff for having and expressing opinions. Not only does this harm the teachers’ careers and reputations, it also encourages staff and students to engage in cancel culture, shutting down views they don’t like. And it is unconstitutional. Rachel and Katie sued the school district for firing them because of their speech and for the unconstitutionality of the new policy.

Recently, a magistrate judge granted summary judgement to the district, thereby dismissing the case, but the two ladies are appealing! In the judge’s opinion, he claimed, “The Court finds that whether the disturbance was "caused" by Plaintiffs' speech or by the staff, student, and community reaction to the speech is a distinction without a difference.” In other words, he claims that if an educator says anything that some people do not like and those people make enough noise, it is justified for the educator to be canceled. If this judgement is allowed to stand, teachers across the nation would be in jeopardy of losing their freedom of speech in and out of the classroom.

Help Rachel & Katie in their fight for free speech by donating today!