Justices Pass on School Employee’s Free Speech Retaliation Case

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it won’t review the lawsuit of a former Texas school district employee who says he was fired for criticizing the then-superintendent’s alleged misuse of funds during an internal investigation interview.

The case centered on whether Robert Hawkland, who managed the HVAC system for the Grand Prairie Independent School District, made the statements “within the ordinary scope” of his official job duties as a public employee. If he did, then the First Amendment doesn’t protect his speech.

The Fifth Circuit held in June 2021 that Hawkland’s statements were made in accordance with his official ...