In September 2021, local pastor and IFA board member Jeremy Story attended a school board meeting in Round Rock, Texas. After making a public comment about the danger posed by the district’s superintendent, Dr. Hafedh Azaiez, an alleged abusive adulterer who was allegedly illegally hired, Story was dragged away by police officers and arrested shortly after. In May of the following year, Story sued the district, the board members, the superintendent, and some police officers over his silencing and arrest. Now Judge David Alan Ezra of the U.S. District Court’s Western District of Texas has ruled in Story’s favor.
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We received a press release from Story on Friday detailing this critical update. According to the release:
“The district spent the last 14 months filing numerous attempts to dismiss Story’s case with over 400 pages of legal arguments. This latest ruling by Judge Ezra shot down the district’s hopes of having the case dismissed. Judge Ezra also asked Story to submit more facts by August 26th so that Ezra may determine if additional board members or police may be included in proceeding towards trial.”
In his decision, Judge Ezra said: “Story, however, has alleged facts sufficient to state a claim that he was engaged in constitutionally protected speech. An arrest would certainly chill a person of ordinary firmness from continuing to engage in the protected activity … and Story has alleged that his arrest was substantially motivated by his speech to the Board … thus, the Court finds that Story has stated a First Amendment retaliation claim.”
The release says further: “Ezra ruled that Story had shown colorable First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment violations as well as Open Meetings Act violations that could proceed towards trial. Ezra also allowed Story’s claims against the defendants as individuals in addition to their official capacity to head towards trial. Mary Bone, a board member not named in the suit, revealed at the previous board meeting she had discovered the defendant trustees had signed secret agreements with the district to pay for their defense as individuals with district tax dollars. Bone noted that this didn’t follow standard practice of other districts and violates state law.”
In light of the judge’s decision, a Round Rock school board meeting held this past Thursday included a motion brought forward by Bone concerning Amy Weir, a board member named in the lawsuit. This motion sought to “request that Amy Weir resigns from her place on the Round Rock board of trustees and pay back all public funds expended on the federal case for her individual benefit.” Unfortunately, this motion was voted down 5–2.
Regardless, Judge Ezra’s decision brings a great deal of hope into this situation. Let’s continue to pray for Story as he fights for his constitutional rights and those of other parents!
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(Press Release from Jeremy Story. Photo Credit: Jeremy Story)