Judicial Watch files lawsuit supporting teacher fired over anti-Critical Race Theory posts

Conservative legal group Judicial Watch has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in support of a Massachusetts high school teacher, who was fired over social media posts expressing her opposition to Critical Race Theory (CRT).

The teacher, Kari MacRae, taught math and business at Hanover High School. The lawsuit "asks for damages against Hanover School Superintendent Matthew Ferron and Hanover High School Principal Matthew Mattos for retaliating against MacRae," according to Judicial Watch.

MacRae was fired in September, less than a month after she was hired.  

“I got fired specifically for a social media post I made," she told the Cape Cod Times in October 2021.

The posts were created months before she became a teacher at the high school. MacRae ran for Bourne School Committee in May 2021. In one TikTok video, MacRae stated, "So pretty much the reason I ran for school board and the reason I’m taking on this responsibility is to ensure that students, at least in our town, are not being taught critical race theory. That they’re not being taught that the country was built on racism. So they're not being taught that they can choose whether or not they want to be a girl or a boy. It’s one thing to include and it’s one thing to be inclusive. And it’s one thing to educate everybody about everything. It's completely another thing to push your agenda. And, with me on the school board, that won’t happen in our town."

Principal Mattos investigated six memes and two videos from MacRae. He fired her because the posts "would have a significant impact on student learning," despite the fact that no parent or student had expressed concerns over MacRae's beliefs.

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said the lawsuit is looking to hold school officials accountable. "Kari MacRae was viciously targeted and unlawfully fired as a teacher because she exercised her First Amendment rights to criticize critical race theory," he commented.

This case is MacRae v. Mattos, No. 11917, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

The legal watchdog is also involved in other education cases across the nation. Last month, Just the News reported on Judicial Watch's Freedom of Information Act requests that revealed a "coordinated effort to advance Critical Race Theory initiatives" in Loudoun County, Virginia, "despite widespread public opposition to the curriculum."