JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Former Douglas Anderson School of the Arts art teacher Hope McMath has filed a 30-page lawsuit against the Duval County School Board and three individual board members, alleging viewpoint discrimination and First Amendment retaliation.
McMath was removed from her classroom last September after making a online post stating “karma is a b” following the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk.
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Last week, Action News Jax told you that an administrative judge recommended that all state charges against McMath be dropped, including efforts to suspend or revoke her teaching license.
The 30-page lawsuit names 10 defendants in total. Among those named individually are Duval County School Board members April Carney, Melody Bolduc, and Charlotte Joyce.
Attorney John Phillips is representing McMath in the legal action. McMath and Phillips allege that state officials opened an investigation into her social media activity before any public complaint was filed. Furthermore, the state’s investigation concluded that McMath’s Facebook post caused no harm to students.
Phillips addressed the findings of the investigation and the decision to pursue legal action.
“The record lacks any persuasive explanation for why the school district took that action. In fact, Principal Feagins would like to have Ms. McMath back,” Phillips said.
The lawsuit also cites an incident where school board members faced public criticism for wearing shirts referencing Turning Point following Kirk’s death.
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Despite the administrative judge’s recommendation to dismiss all state charges, McMath remains outside the classroom while seeking to return to teaching.
McMath spoke about her experience during the news conference announcing the legal filing.
“If their goal was to keep me out of the classroom, whether they were right or wrong, they were successful, up until now,” McMath said.
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McMath emphasized the broader implications of the district’s actions against her.
“When wrong things happen and when people stand up and push back, that right can win and should and if we can’t along the way show very specific examples of that, we are truly lost,” McMath said.
We reached out to Carney, Bolduc, Joyce, and the Florida Department of Education about the lawsuit and are waiting to hear back.
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