In
Family, Life, Faith and Freedom Educational Corporation v. Serrano, (CD CA, May 28, 2013), a California federal district court dismissed a lawsuit that was brought by a private Christian school against two of its teachers and the teachers' attorneys seeking to enjoin them from filing an employment discrimination suit against the school in state court. The two teachers' contracts were not renewed after they refused too fill out pastoral reference letters and statements of faith to reflect their abilities to be "spiritual leader[s]" in the classroom. The school claimed that filing the religious discrimination lawsuits against it would violate its rights under the free exercise, establishment and equal protection clauses. The federal district court concluded:
Plaintiff’s entire complaint consists of anticipated defenses to a yet-to- be-filed state court religious discrimination suit, and thus no federal question is raised.
The court found the lawsuit legally baseless and ordered Plaintiff’s counsel
to pay Defendants $14,520 in attorney’s fees as a sanction under Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
Thousands Oaks Acorn reports on the decision.
