A fired Massachusetts teacher is suing the district officials who sent her packing for her TikTok videos that slammed critical race theory and other contentious issues.
Kari MacRae, who earlier this school year was hired to teach math and business at Hanover High School, was canned after her social media videos surfaced.
She posted those videos as a candidate for Bourne School Committee, months before getting hired in Hanover, her lawyers argue in the lawsuit filed in Massachusetts U.S. District Court. They’re citing the First Amendment, and are seeking damages against Hanover Superintendent Matthew Ferron and Hanover High School Principal Matthew Mattos.
“Kari MacRae was viciously targeted and unlawfully fired as a teacher because she exercised her First Amendment rights to criticize critical race theory,” said Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, which filed the lawsuit.
“This civil rights lawsuit aims to hold accountable school district officials who are so desperate to push critical race theory that they will trample the civil rights of our client, Ms. MacRae,” Fitton added in a statement.
MacRae was elected to the Bourne School Committee in May, and she made TikTok posts during her campaign.
In one video, she said, “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,” she added in the video. “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.”
MacRae was fired after school officials investigated her social media videos.
Hanover’s superintendent, Ferron, on Wednesday said the district is aware of the lawsuit.
Massachusetts school districts can let go teachers within their first 90 days of employment, with or without cause.
“The Hanover Public School District understands and respects the First Amendment rights of all employees,” Ferron said in a statement.
“That being said,” he added, “if a teacher publicly interfaces with the community in a way that may negatively impact our ability to provide a positive and distraction free learning environment for our students and staff, it is important that school districts have the ability to exercise their 90-day dismissal option under Massachusetts law.”
