A Fall River teacher fired for a Facebook post settles a lawsuit with the city. Here's why

FALL RIVER — A Fall River School Department special education teacher fired then reinstated after posting alleged racially charged comments on social media in 2020 has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit she filed against the city, the School Department and former Superintendent Matthew Malone.

Corporation Counsel Alan Rumsey confirmed that teacher Taryn Camara has agreed to a $90,000 settlement for her breach of contract claim. He declined to discuss the lawsuit further.

Camara’s attorney, Mark Gagliardi, did not immediately return a request for comment.

According to federal court documents, the case was headed to trial after mediation with the court failed and before the two sides reached an agreement.

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What did the controversial Facebook post say?

Camara was fired from her job as a special education teacher at Kuss Middle School in July 2020 for “conduct unbecoming a teacher,” a month after screenshots from her Facebook account were publicly circulated, catching attention and ire from former Superintendent Matthew Malone and the School Committee.

The postings by Camara came out during a period of protest and unrest in the country following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.

“There is one supreme race and gender and that is the white man — I also can't help but notice that race and gender were the ones leading most of the riots! Lastly if you look at the stats more black men have died from other black men than white men — so there lies two problems! But there are far more inequalities that will never change!” the post read.

Gagliardi said previously that the post was meant as sarcasm and was taken out of context. Camara, who had posted five other antiracist and pro-Black Lives Matter movement posts before the June 5, 2020, post, had attempted to clarify her meaning in subsequent postings.

The Massachusetts Teachers Association and the Fall River Educators Association refused to defend Camara in arbitration. The organizations were originally named in the lawsuit, but later terminated as defendants.

Superintendent condemned post in a public letter

Shortly after Camara’s Facebook comments came to light, Malone placed her on leave pending an investigation, then terminated her on July 1, 2020.

But before she was fired, Malone sent out a public letter condemning Camara’s comments, characterizing the comments as “disgusting, racist and bigoted,” which the School Department does “not tolerate.”

The letter, written on the superintendent's stationery, was signed by the entire School Committee.

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Camara was reinstated to her job after winning arbitration

When Camara filed her federal lawsuit in 2021, Malone was under fire by staff and School Committee members Kevin Aguiar and former member Paul Hart for alleged bullying and inappropriate behavior.

He announced his resignation in June 2021.

While awaiting the outcome of her civil lawsuit, Camara won an arbitration decision from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and was ordered back on the job. She returned back to the classroom in October 2021.

In addition to getting her job back, the School Department was ordered to pay Camara one year of back pay and given a year of seniority retroactively. 

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River teacher fired for Facebook post settles lawsuit for $90K