A former dean of students in Colorado is suing Cherry Creek School District after being fired for making pro-American comments during a mandatory DEI training session. Patrick Hogarty, who worked at Campus Middle School, was let go after expressing his belief that the U.S. is “the greatest country in the world,” a statement that the district’s equity director deemed to carry “racist undertones.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court by America First Legal, accuses the school district of violating Hogarty’s First Amendment rights. During the January 2024 training, Hogarty’s remarks were reported to school administrators, and by March, his position was eliminated under the pretext of “budgetary reasons.” When Hogarty challenged the layoff, he was placed on administrative leave for “unprofessional conduct.”
Ian Prior, senior advisor for America First Legal, criticized the district’s actions, saying, “Cherry Creek has replaced the Bill of Rights with the ‘DEI Manifesto.’ Teachers, students, and parents are being silenced for standing up for the values that make America great.”
The lawsuit contends that Hogarty was dismissed not for budgetary reasons but for expressing a viewpoint that clashed with the district’s DEI-driven agenda, which allegedly emphasizes that America is a systematically racist nation. Hogarty’s case adds to the growing debate over free speech in schools, as educators across the country face increasing pressure to conform to DEI principles.
As the legal battle unfolds, the outcome of Hogarty’s lawsuit could have broader implications for the rights of educators to express dissenting opinions in environments dominated by DEI policies.
