9 results for 'cat:"Education" AND cat:"Defamation"'.
J. Beales finds a lower court did not err when it found that a teacher and football coach had not shown he was defamed by a school report that found he had “loudly uttered numerous statements incorporating profanity around students.” Because the allegedly defamatory statements were made as part of an official report, the officials’ statements were “entitled to qualified privilege and, therefore, could not be defamatory.” Affirmed.
Court: Virginia Court Of Appeals, Judge: Beales, Filed On: May 7, 2024, Case #: 0702-23-3, Categories: education, defamation
J. Roman finds for the school district on a student's defamation and civil rights claims stemming from his five-day suspension for posting a photo of himself in a parking lot while his friend knelt above him with the caption "Cops got another" one day before the jury returned a verdict in Derek Chauvin's trial for the murder of George Floyd. The student received death threats after posting the photo, which was decried as racist, and the incident was a substantial disruption to the school, sparking a student demonstration and a school assembly. The district has an interest in maintaining order within its schools and therefore did not infringe on the student's free speech rights by disciplining him.
Court: USDC Southern District of New York, Judge: Roman, Filed On: April 5, 2024, Case #: 7:21cv6008, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: education, defamation, First Amendment
J. Dever grants a female student’s motion to transfer litigation from North Carolina to Louisiana in a suit she brought against a male student for sexual assault. Both students attended Tulane University in Louisiana at the time of the alleged assault, although the male student now resides in North Carolina. After the female student initiated litigation against the male student, he counter-sued for defamation and also sued Tulane for breach of contract as he was dismissed from the university one month before graduation. Weighing all factors in the case, the litigation involving the female student will be transferred to Louisiana where the suit against Tulane is already taking place.
Court: USDC Eastern District of North Carolina, Judge: Dever, Filed On: March 28, 2024, Case #: 5:22cv500, NOS: Assault, Libel, & Slander - Torts - Personal Injury, Categories: education, defamation, Assault
J. Sannes preserves claims for hostile work environment and Title IX gender discrimination against St. Lawrence University, who was sued by a sociology professor who claims she was drugged and raped by a fellow professor at his off-campus home. The court finds the complaint successfully imputes liability for the sexual assault onto the university under Title XI on the basis of deliberate indifference before and after the assault, and further sufficiently alleges that the alleged perpetrator’s actions after the sexual assault were threatening and constituted a hostile work environment. Additionally, the court trims a countercomplaint filed by the alleged perpetrator and preserves a single claim for defamation regarding Facebook posts she made alleging she was a victim of rape.
Court: USDC Southern District of New York, Judge: Sannes, Filed On: March 14, 2024, Case #: 8:23cv426, NOS: Employment - Civil Rights, Categories: education, defamation, Assault
J. Ellis grants in part a group of employees from the University of Illinois Chicago motion to dismiss defamation and false light claims brought by a law professor alleging retaliation and compelled speech. The professor’s alleged racist statements fail to constitute speech of public concern, so his retaliation claim shall be dismissed. UIC employees therefore have qualified immunity on the compelled speech claims, so they are dismissed in their individual capacities. All other claims are dismissed.
Court: USDC Northern District of Illinois, Judge: Ellis, Filed On: November 1, 2023, Case #: 1:22cv475, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: education, Employment, defamation
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J. Raggi answers certified questions by finding that the district court improperly dismissed state defamation and tortious interference claims stemming from accusations of rape that defendant, a Yale University student, brought against plaintiff, a co-ed. Disciplinary proceedings held by the college were not quasi-judicial, and thus defendant did not have immunity concerning statements made therein. However, the lower court properly dismissed claims contending the initial report to campus officials interfered with plaintiff's contract to attend the school in light of his immediate suspension because that claim was untimely filed.
Court: 2nd Circuit, Judge: Raggi, Filed On: October 25, 2023, Case #: 21-95, Categories: education, defamation, Interference With Contract
J. Mullins finds the lower court erroneously dismissed the male student's defamation claim against Yale University and the female student who accused him of sexual assault. The proceeding that led to the male student's expulsion was not quasi-judicial in nature and, therefore, the female student was not entitled to absolute immunity. The female student was not under oath at the time of the hearing and could not be punished by the university because she had already graduated, while the male student was not permitted to cross-examine his accuser or even attend the hearing, which deprived him of procedural safeguards and prevented the application of immunity. Reversed.
Court: Connecticut Supreme Court, Judge: Mullins, Filed On: June 23, 2023, Case #: SC20705, Categories: education, Immunity, defamation