Judicial Watch sues Dist. 211 on behalf of Palatine High teacher fired over Facebook post

The conservative educational foundation Judicial Watch filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of a Palatine High School social studies teacher who was fired last year after posting controversial opinions on her personal Facebook page.

Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board members voted 5-2 to fire Jeanne Hedgepath July 16, 2020, after district officials finished an investigation into her Facebook posts. The posts criticized the protests that followed the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, seeks damages from Township District 211 and the district officials who participated directly in Hedgepath's firing, according to a news release from Judicial Watch. Attorney Christine Svenson of Palatine is assisting Judicial Watch with the lawsuit.

Hedgepath also previously sued District 211 school board member Tim Mcgowan, during his campaign, for $50,000 in compensatory and punitive damages for defamation and intentional interference with a business relationship. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County court.