Jury rejects suit by Pa. teacher fired over blog

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former suburban Philadelphia teacher fired two years ago over a blog in which she called students “disengaged, lazy whiners.”

Teacher Natalie Munroe had accused the Central Bucks School District and some administrators of violating her free-speech rights by “harassing and retaliating against her” over the blog.

The Bucks County Courier Times reports that U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss the suit.

The judge ruled that Munroe’s blog posts didn’t provide enough value to the debate over educational reform to outweigh the district’s right to maintain an “efficient” educational environment.

Munroe’s attorney, Steve Rovner, said his client disagreed with the ruling and they would appeal to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.