School Administrator Granted Authorization to Advance Lawsuit Against Denver Public Education System
In a notable legal battle, Kurt Dennis, former Principal of McAuliffe International School, has filed a lawsuit against Denver Public Schools (DPS) alleging wrongful termination due to his criticism of the district's safety policies.
The lawsuit, which was first filed some time ago, has seen no new developments as of recent search results. The search results primarily include unrelated legal cases, court docket listings, warrant lists, and financial documents, none of which mention Dennis, McAuliffe International School, or a wrongful termination lawsuit against DPS.
However, a significant event occurred on December 24, 2020, when Federal Judge John Kane rejected DPS's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The district had argued that Dennis violated student privacy rights under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by disclosing a student's written threats to the media. Judge Kane, in his ruling, wrote that the information disclosed by Mr. Dennis is not covered by the Act, and that FERPA's non-disclosure provisions do not apply to individual instances of disclosure.
The district also argued that Dennis made inappropriate or unacceptable remarks during an interview with 9News, and that, because Dennis gave the interview in his capacity as principal, he is subject to employment-related "disciplinary measures." Dennis, on the other hand, claims these remarks should be afforded First Amendment protections.
Dennis expressed a desire for an apology from DPS, acknowledging that his reputation may not be fully restored, but seeking recognition that he was wronged. He has managed to find work as a paraprofessional, a role that reminds him why he became an educator in the first place.
Judge Kane stated that it is plausible that Dennis's remarks to 9News were not made in any official capacity, as the forum for his speech was a local news channel, available to a private citizen. This work has come at the cost of his pay and his professional reputation.
Dennis gained a deep appreciation for whistleblowers and people who speak up at some level of personal risk. He maintains that his speech was not limited to a McAuliffe International School or DPS-specific audience, but was intended for the general public via a public news channel.
The case is currently ongoing, and further updates may be found through specialized local news sources, Denver court records, or official statements from the involved parties.
- Kurt Dennis's lawsuit, which involves education-and-self-development as he was an educator, politics, as it involves a legal battle against a school district, and general-news, as the case was discussed in local news channels, continues to move forward despite no recent developments.
- The ongoing case between Kurt Dennis and Denver Public Schools (DPS), categorized under crime-and-justice due to the allegations of wrongful termination, has seen a significant turn of events with Federal Judge John Kane rejecting DPS's motion to dismiss the lawsuit in December 2020.
