LAWSUIT: Yearbook teacher suspended over censorship fight?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Jeffersonville High School yearbook teacher has filed a lawsuit against the Greater Clark County School System, Principal James Sexton and Superintendent Stephen Daeschner, claiming that the school principal suspended her after she stood up for the First Amendment rights of her yearbook staff.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court, teacher Kelly Short has been employed at the School System since 1994.

The lawsuit focuses on events that began in early 2011, when a story was published in the school's student newspaper, The Hyphen. The story was written almost exclusively by students, and centered on the school's decision to install security cameras.

Click HERE to read the full text of the lawsuit.

The lawsuit contends that Sexton was not happy with the story and took steps to see that something similar wouldn't happen again.

"In response to the story, Defendant Sexton demanded that he personally be allowed to review the paper prior to publication in the future, and also threatened to reassign [Short] if she did not submit the paper to him before publication," the suit states.

The suit also claims that Sexton, "berated" Short in front of her students for what he allegedly called "bad information" that she was giving her students about his administration.

In the spring of 2011, the suit claims that Sexton also attempted to discipline Jeffersonville High School students for posts they had made on Facebook. Short was, "outspoken in her belief that the posts made by JHS students were protected by the First Amendment."

According to the suit, Short filed a grievance against Sexton through her union, and he subsequently tried to remove her from her teaching position, "in retaliation for her protected speech and union activities." She was removed from teaching journalism, "for a period of time...leaving un- or under-qualified teachers to instruct the class."

Click HERE to read the full text of the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, the suit states, the principal tried to put in place a policy that would require students to submit the school newspaper to him for review three days prior to publication.

"The proposed policy declared that the newspaper, which is not funded by the school, was not a forum for public expression, and allowed Sexton to unilaterally revise or censor, 'potentially sensitive topics' and content that is, in his view, 'biased or prejudiced, vulgar or profane or unsuitable for immature audiences,'" Short's attorneys state.

According to the suit, Short opposed these policies, claiming that they were a violation of the First Amendment.

"The actions of and unconstitutional policies promulgated by Defendants constitute a matter of public concern, as the directly impact the administration of a taxpayer-funded school system, censorship of protected speech in students' homes and in public places, and other critical fundamental issues," the suit claims.

On Nov. 9, 2011, Short was suspended, "in retaliation for her protected speech...including her opposition to the illegal policies...her union activities and her support for students who opposed censorship," her attorneys claim.

The lawsuit accuses the principal, superintendent and school system of violating Short's Constitutional rights, the Whistleblower Statute, and taking "adverse action" against her in violation of public policy. It requests that Short be awarded -- among other things -- damages, an injunction, a jury trial, attorneys fees and other relief.

WDRB News is in the process of getting the school's reaction to the suit. This story will be updated throughout the day as more information comes in.