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[–]WickedWitchOfTheWest 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Appeals court rules in favor of teacher who wore MAGA hat to racial bias trainings

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals three-judge panel said former Wy’east Middle School Principal Caroline Garrett had violated science teacher Eric Dodge’s constitutional rights in 2019 when she told him “Next time I see you with that hat, you need to have your union rep,” Education Week reports.

Dodge, who worked for the Evergreen School District for over 17 years, had been assigned to Wy’east Middle for the 2019-2020 school year, according to the court opinion.

The genesis of the imbroglio was Dodge “displaying” the hat “on top of his backpack” at the trainings. He never actually wore the hat during the sessions. The leader of one workshop, a professor from Washington State University, told Principal Garrett she felt “intimidated and traumatized” by the hat.

A teacher reportedly broke into tears while another felt “threatened.”

Garrett (pictured) allegedly asked Dodge “What is the fucking deal with your hat?” and informed him some felt the hat represented “hate and bigotry.” She also called Dodge “a racist, a bigot, a homophobe, and a liar” according to a report from KATU.