Appeals court reinstates lawsuit of woman who claims Iowa law school did not hire her because of her political views
Des Moines Register
January 3, 2012
A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit filed by a conservative, former anti-abortion activist who claims she was passed over for a job at the University of Iowa’s College of Law because of opposition from liberal faculty members.
Teresa R. Wagner alleges that Carolyn Jones, former dean of the College of Law, “discriminated against her in violation of her First Amendment rights of political belief and association” when Wagner was not hired to be a full- or part-time instructor at the college when she applied for those jobs in 2006-07, according to court documents.
A lower court last year dismissed the lawsuit, saying that a dean could hire whomever she pleases.
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday that a jury should hear the evidence and decide “whether Dean Jones would have made the same hiring decisions in the absence of Wagner’s political affiliations and beliefs.”
The 3-0 decision was written by Judge Karen Schreier
