ASPEN — A teacher who sued her former school for refusing to allow her to speak with her parents after her husband’s death is suing her former employer as well as her former high school for wrongful termination.
The Aspen Post is reporting that former high-school teacher and former Aspen County School District employee Michelle Johnson is seeking $2 million in damages for her wrongful termination, along with other claims.
The lawsuit also claims that she was fired for refusing her husband, Anthony Johnson, to give her a copy of the suicide note he left behind.
According to the lawsuit, Johnson said she was told by her supervisor, “We’re going to put a gag order on the family.
You are not to talk about this.”
She said she told her supervisors the same thing after she spoke to her parents and learned they were having a miscarriage.
She said the same was said to her after she told them she was pregnant.
Johnson’s father, Andrew Johnson, told CBS affiliate KTVZ he didn’t know of the suit until he heard about it from a reporter.
The school district said in a statement that it denies the allegations, which it said were based on “false and misleading statements made by Michelle Johnson.”
The district said it is a leader in ensuring that students are treated with respect and dignity.
It said the district has been involved in multiple cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct by teachers, including one involving a teacher who was charged with sexual assault.
The district has also taken steps to address concerns about safety of students.
