“Complete Vindication” as Fired Barrington Teachers Win Major Covid Settlement
May 11, 2023 •Mike Stenhouse
In a rare legal victory against misguided government-imposed Covid-19 mandates, earlier today the Barrington Rhode Island School Committee announced a resolution on litigation regarding the termination of three Barrington Public School teachers who for religious reasons did not follow the School Committee’s former COVID-19 vaccination policy.
According to the teachers’ private attorney, Gregory Piccirilli, the settlement was a “complete vindication’ of the religious stance that the teachers initially took … and stood by throughout the court process. Piccirilli added that his clients were “made whole” and are relieved to have the ordeal behind them.
In the settlement, the three teachers were provided the opportunity to return to teaching positions within the Barrington School District next fall, should they choose to do so, at the steps they would have been at had they worked continuously.
The teachers, who were refused legal representation by their own NEA teachers union, received virtually everything they demanded in their lawsuit against the school district. Each individual will receive a payment of $33,333, along with back payments: Stephanie Hines ($65,000), Kerri Thurber ($128,000), and Brittany DiOrio ($150,000). Attorney fees totaling $50,000 will be paid to the teachers’ legal counsel.
“For the Barrington school district, the settlement is in essence a full admission of wrong-doing about their misguided vaccination policy,” commented Mike Stenhouse, host of the popular In The Dugout video podcast and who for years has been raising awareness about corrupt and non-science-backed government pandemic responses, including an interview with the three teachers last year on his show.
“The lesson for school districts and teacher unions is clear: stick to the basics of your job to provide a good, basic education for students … instead of continually engaging in politically-correct virtue signaling on social justice issues, or you may be forced to pay a heavy price” continued Stenhouse. “Schools have no expertise in medical, health, and a variety of other thorny issues and they should not dive into matters where they do not belong. Related decisions or instruction should be left to issue experts or parents.”
Pat Ford of the Coalition Radio Network interviewed attorney Piccirilli about the monumental victory for the three teachers against obvious government over-reach.
Across the state, school districts – often at the behest of radical-left-leaning teacher unions – are increasingly teaching divisive and inappropriate curricula, outside of their traditional educational purview. It is well know that Rhode Island schools are facing many problems when it comes to student achievement and many educational experts recommend a return to core subject instruction.
Once considered the best school district in Rhode Island, the Barrington School Committee, which previously fired its high-paid attorney who backed the misguided vaccine policy, issued the following statement:
“Our District was navigating an unprecedented health pandemic and leaned on the important recommendations by the CDC and the Rhode Island Department of Health to ensure the safety of our students and school community. Our then-policy helped combat the pressing public health crisis of the time, while keeping schools open, and one that nearly all faculty and staff adhered to.
“In coordination with our legal counsel and Superintendent, we determined this ongoing, expensive litigation would likely continue for a lengthy period of time, and a resolution should be reached. We believe our Administration’s time, and our District’s financial resources, should be spent on the daily work and mission of Barrington Public Schools. Our School Committee looks forward to continuing to support this important work.”
