Michigan school paying $190K in dispute with outspoken mom

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A suburban Detroit school district agreed to pay nearly $190,000 to settle a lawsuit by a parent who said she lost her job after criticizing COVID-19 policies. The Rochester district released the agreement Tuesday after a public records request by The Associated Press. Controversies over masks, online learning, in-person instruction and other issues have rocked schools across the U.S. during the pandemic. But the allegations in Rochester were extraordinary: Elena Dinverno accused the district of making calls that got her fired from a marketing job. Dinverno participated in Facebook groups that were in favor of reopening Rochester schools for in-person instruction in 2020. Rochester acknowledged that a deputy superintendent called Dinverno’s employer, though it denied any wrongdoing.