Former teacher sues Booneville School District

November 28, 2008

BY LENA MITCHELL

Daily Journal Corinth Bureau

BOONEVILLE - A former teacher in the Booneville School District has

filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, saying that the school

district violated her First Amendment right of free speech and also

violated federal and state public policy.

Kathy Lamb, represented by Tupelo attorneys Jim Waide, Shane

McLaughlin and McLaughlin, filed the complaint in October.

A summons issued to the school district on Nov. 19 requires an answer

to the complaint within 20 days. The case has been assigned to U.S.

District Judge Sharion Aycock and Magistrate Judge Jerry A. .

In the lawsuit, which presents one side of a legal case, Lamb says her

contract to teach special education students was not renewed because

of a stance she took against using corporal punishment on a severely

autistic child.

Lamb said she was instructed to administer the punishment, but refused

to do so based on scientific literature that says corporal punishment

aggravates an autistic child's problems.

However, the school's principal questioned Lamb about her stance and

then, Lamb said, insisted that corporal punishment was appropriate.

Lamb refused to administer the punishment, as stated in her complaint,

because federal and state laws that require an Individual Education

Plan be prepared for each special education student do not include

corporal punishment.

Though Lamb said administrators told her the reason her contract was

not renewed was due to funding cuts, she later learned that a " much

younger teacher " was hired in the position.

She is seeking a jury trial and asks for an award for damages for

mental anxiety and stress as well as lost income.

Contact Lena at or lena.mitchell@....

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