Former Westhampton Beach teacher suing district, claiming wrongful termination
Laura Mara says the Westhampton Beach School District wrongfully fired her after a social media post about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
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A former Suffolk County teacher is suing the district that let her go.
Laura Mara says the Westhampton Beach School District wrongfully fired her after a social media post about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
As News 12 has reported, the ex-music and choir teacher posted on TikTok the day after Kirk was assassinated in September.
“We are not celebrating his death. We are responding to his death the way he responded to children getting shot in schools,” she said in the video.
According to the lawsuit, filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court on Friday, Mara was placed on leave the next day and fired in December.
The educator says her comments are protected by the first amendment and she is seeking $5 million in damages.
Back in September, some Westhampton Beach parents called for Mara's dismissal, telling News 12 her comments were insensitive and hateful.
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carolyn Probst, tells News 12 the district is not able to comment on matters pertaining to litigation.
