Teacher Sues School District After Being Fired For Attending Rally

After being dismissed, a former Sacramento City Unified School District teacher has filed a lawsuit against the district.

Dustin Watson, a teacher, said that he was fired by the district after it was discovered that he had attended a demonstration before the assault on the US Capitol, which happened on January 6, 2021.

Watson posted Facebook updates describing the events as they unfolded, but he did not expect them to turn violent.

Watson reportedly fled the area as the disruption began and never entered the Capitol building, according to the lawsuit.

Watson is suing for monetary damages and restitution for lost wages as well as denial of employment benefits.

Watson was placed on administrative leave in January 2021 after the Sacramento City Unified School District learned about his attendance at the demonstration, according to a statement from the district. Until August 2021, he was on paid administrative leave.

Watson’s lawyer informed the site that his client’s First Amendment rights had been infringed.

He went on to say that Watson’s termination was very problematic because he had never received any disciplinary action previous to his firing.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States by Watson and his legal team. On Monday, the Eastern District of California’s District Court heard the case.

He has now accepted a job teaching in another school district about 70 miles south of Sacramento, and he believes the school has barred him because of his Jan. 6 visit to Washington, D.C.

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