NEW RICHMOND, Ohio -- A New Richmond Exempted Village Schools teacher is suing the district after she says she was disciplined for having books in her classroom that included LGBTQ+ characters.
According to the suspension letter from Superintendent Tracey Miller, teacher Karen Cahall was placed on a three-day unpaid suspension in November for having books in her third-grade classroom library that "contained themes and discussion of topics of a controversial nature."
The letter argued the books were not related to instructional goals and were beyond "the level of maturity" of her students. The books listed were "Ana on the Edge," "The Fabulous Zed Watson," "Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea" and "Too Bright to See."
"You agreed that some topics contained in the books are controversial, although you do not believe that they should be," the letter says. "You also agreed that you did not get permission to place these books in your classroom library."
Synopses of the books show they include nonbinary, trans or lesbian characters. None of the books include any sexual activity or conduct but do discuss LGBTQ+ issues, Cahall said.
Miller also said in the letter that based on Cahall's 30-plus years with the district, she understands the values of many within the community: "The Board of Education has made clear that it values parental input and instills the values of the community in the programming of the district."
"You may believe that some of the books listed above are appropriate for some of your students, but it is not for you to decide on books that require approval," the letter says.
Cahall's lawsuit claims she did not teach from the books as part of instruction and did not require students to read the books, stating they were four of the approximately 100 books in her library.
The lawsuit challenges the board's "Controversial Issues" policy, claiming its definition of a controversial issue as "a topic on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion or likely to arouse both support and opposition by the community" is too vague and ambiguous, allowing discriminatory enforcement.
It notes that before complaints from community members during the 2021-22 school year, New Richmond allowed its teachers to wear rainbow stickers on their name tags or display rainbows on their laptops or nameplates to show they could offer a safe space for LGBTQ+ students. The district also considered allowing students to provide their preferred pronouns, names and gender identities.
When some community members complained and spoke in opposition, the district then prohibited students from providing their preferred pronouns, names and gender identities and barred the wearing of rainbow stickers.
Cahall's lawsuit notes other staff or district employees have been able to promote religious activities or faith-based events. The lawsuit says she has "held moral and religious reasons for keeping the books in her classroom." She claims her suspension violates her "clearly established rights" under the First Amendment.
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