CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio (WXIX) – A Clermont County teacher is suing a school district after she was placed on an unpaid suspension due to four books sitting in her classroom that were deemed “controversial.”
Karen Cahall has been a teacher for New Richmond Exempted Village Schools since 1990. On Dec. 2, she filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Southern District Court of Ohio’s Western Division against the district she has served in for the past 34 years.
According to the lawsuit, a Monroe Elementary School parent, Kayla Shaw, emailed the school’s principal and every board of education member to report the presence of LGBTQ+-related books in Cahall’s classroom on Oct. 30.
Those four books were Ana On The Edge, The Fabulous Zed Watson, Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea and Too Bright to See.
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In November, New Richmond Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Tracey Miller began a disciplinary hearing against Cahall and suspended her for three days without pay.
The lawsuit says the suspension was issued for “simply having in her possession in her classroom four books that had LGBTQ+ characters in the plot line even though these particular books were intermingled among approximately one hundred other books” and “were not prominently displayed.”
None of the books were considered “obscene” or “offensive” as they do not have sexual content in them. The lawsuit described them as books about LGBTQ+ characters who are “coming to terms with feeling different.”
According to the lawsuit, Cahall did not teach from the books and did not require the students to read them. It goes on to say that the district’s board of education allegedly “engaged in content- and viewpoint-based discrimination in disciplining plaintiff Karen Cahall in their application of the Richmond Board Policy 2240…”
However, the teacher was previously told by Miller that the books were controversial, according to our media partners at the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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A disciplinary letter obtained by the Enquirer says the books were “not acceptable,” especially after Cahall previously requested to place them in the library – a request that was denied.
Cahall filed the lawsuit on several claims for relief:
The New Richmond Board Policy 2240 is “unconstitutionally vague” and violates the Fourteenth Amendment.
Cahall sustained economic loss despite the policy violating the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits Miller from showing hostility toward any religion or religious group.
The Free Exercise Clause in the First Amendment prohibits Miller from using Board Policy 2240 to show hostility towards any religion or religious groups, including Cahall’s moral values.
Miller is accused of depriving Cahall of her constitutional rights, which are guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.
New Richmond Board Policy 2240 – “Controversial Issues”
Section 2240 of the New Richmond Exempted Village School District’s policy was first adopted in 2009 and was last revised in 2021.
According to the policy, a controversial issue is “a topic on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion or likely to arouse both support and opposition in the community.”
The district will permit “controversial issues” to be taught during instruction if:
The content is related to “instructional goals” and students have a proper level of maturity
The content does not tend to “indoctrinate or persuade students” to follow a specific view point
The content encourages open-mindedness and is scholarly
However, the lawsuit argues that the policy is not only “vague” and “ambiguous,” but also that it does not state what a teacher is permitted to have in their classroom when it is not used for an “instructional program.”
FOX19 NOW has reached out to Cahall’s attorney, the school district and Miller for comment, but has not heard back. A request for Shaw’s email has also been submitted.
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Last week, the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with running back Ezekiel Elliott. The former Ohio State star requested his release so he could pursue an opportunity with a playoff contender as his years in the league are growing shorter. It didn’t take long for Elliott to find a new home.
The former Buckeye will be heading to the West Coast to join the L.A. Chargers. Los Angeles is currently prepping for a Wild Card game with the Houston Texans. Zeke may be past his prime in being a productive runner in the NFL, but his veteran leadership, short-yardage prowess, and excellent pass-blocking ability make him a valuable asset for the Chargers.
Elliott will be joining former teammate Joey Bosa in L.A. Bosa was the No. 3 pick by the Chargers in 2016 followed by Elliott as the No. 4 player drafted. He will also join fellow Buckeye running back J.K. Dobbins who has had a resurgence with Los Angeles after an injury-filled time in Baltimore.
It remains to be seen if Zeke will be able to have an impact on such short notice but he’s always been a guy willing to do the dirty work. That alone may get him some reps.
The Chargers take on the Texans in Houston on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Devin Royal had 19 points and Bruce Thornton scored five of his 18 in a second overtime as Ohio State rallied to beat Minnesota 89-88 on Monday night.
Thornton hit a 3-pointer for Ohio State (10-5, 2-2 Big Ten Conference) to begin the second extra period, Aaron Bradshaw followed with a three-point play and Ques Glover capped a 7-0 run with a layup to give the Buckeyes the lead for good.
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Minnesota (8-7, 0-4) had a chance to win in the first overtime, but Mike Mitchell Jr. — a 91% free-throw shooter — missed twice with six seconds left and the Golden Gophers leading 73-71. John Mobley Jr. made two free throws with four seconds remaining to force a second extra period.
Royal stole the ball and dunked with five seconds left in regulation but missed on his chance for a three-point play, forcing overtime tied at 64.
Royal made just 5 of 14 shots from the floor, but he hit nine of his 11 free throws and added seven rebounds. Thornton made two 3-pointers and went 8 for 9 at the foul line. Glover had 13 points off the bench and Mobley scored 12. Micah Parrish added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Parker Fox had 21 points to lead the Golden Gophers. Lu’cye Patterson totaled 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. Mitchell and freshman reserve Isaac Asuma both scored 18 — a season-high for Asuma.
Fox scored 11 to help Minnesota take a 28-27 lead into halftime.
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Minnesota made only 12 of 27 free throws, while Ohio State sank 29 of 33.
Ohio State will host No. 15 Oregon on Thursday. Minnesota travels to play Wisconsin on Friday.
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Former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor filed a class-action lawsuit against Ohio State University, the NCAA, the Big Ten Conference, and Learfield Communications back in October 2024.
Since the initial action, new developments have surfaced from the defendant’s side of the case.
Pryor began seeking compensation after accusing the aforementioned entities of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. Pryor alleged that the use of his name, image, and likeness (NIL) was used to monopolize profits.
He alleges that they are still profiting from use of his NIL.
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On Friday, a “trio of dismissal bids” were filed by the defendants, arguing that Pryor’s legal case was riddled with flaws.
Learfield Communications, the media firm involved in the case, has argued that their entity, along with that of Ohio State, should have immunity against such lawsuits. The Big Ten and NCAA filed their dismissal bids on the platform that Pryor waited too long, and his claims should no longer be eligible for the court’s attention.
Pryor has been out of the college football scene for 14 years, according to the dismissal bids.
The NCAA and Big Ten are using this fact to argue the validity of his lawsuit should be questioned, as his involvement in the program has more than surpassed the statute of limitations.
The Clayton Act has a four-year statute of limitations for federal antitrust claims.
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Pryor is not the first athlete to raise questions against the NCAA and other sports groups in collegiate sports, but he has designated himself as something of a spokesperson. He cited a past experience when he and a group of his teammates were suspended for trading their autographs for tattoos.
Examples like that are circling the NCAA, and past athletes are pressing to gain any ounce of compensation they can.
Having to deal with a separate lawsuit, Ohio State had to come up with their own defense against Pryor’s allegations.
Ohio State cited the Eleventh Amendment in their defense, stating that the sovereign immunity afforded to the states would protect the Buckeye institution because Pryor is not an Ohio resident.
Learfield Communications went along with Ohio State’s citation of the Eleventh Amendment, adding their contract with the state school provided them the same protections under the sovereign immunity point.
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The case is known as Pryor v. NCAA et al., and therefore, Pryor will have to face each entity’s defense in order to emerge victorious.
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