Atheist Teacher Sues School Over Firing

A former high school teacher in Middlebury, Indiana is suing his school district, claiming he was fired for being atheist.

Former German teacher Kevin Pack has filed a lawsuit in federal court against Middlebury Community Schools after he was fired in April from his post at Northridge High School. Pack is alleging that he was fired because he is an atheist, and therefore his civil rights have been violated.

The school district has argued, however, that Pack was fired because of his poor teaching performance, citing immorality, incompetence and insubordination as the reasons for his termination, according to The Elkhart Truth.

"We did not terminate Mr. Pack because he is (an) atheist," Superintendent Jane Allen told the local media outlet this week. "He was a poor teacher. That is why we terminated him, and we still believe the same thing."

Pack reportedly filed his lawsuit after receiving a "right to sue" letter from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to Goshen News.

"Mr. Pack was terminated by the Middlebury Community Schools after his supervisor (a high school principal) learned he is an atheist and after he objected to certain practices of the school principal that promoted religious beliefs in a public school," the lawsuit states.

Pack's attorney, William Wilson told the South Bend Tribune that "When a teacher objects to conduct not permitted by the First Amendment, he should not lose his job as a result."

 "It doesn't matter whether the teacher is a Catholic, Methodist, Buddhist or atheist. Freedom of religion requires that people feel they can safely object to behavior that the First Amendment prohibits."