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Teacher Files Lawsuit Against District That Fired Her for Teaching ‘Rainbowland’ Song

A Wisconsin school district fired a teacher for teaching her first graders the song "Rainbowland." This week, she sued them for violating her first amendment rights.

A Wisconsin school district fired a teacher who showed her first graders “Rainbowland,” a song about acceptance written by Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus. Earlier this week, the teacher, Melissa Tempel, filed a lawsuit against the School District of Waukesha for violating her first amendment rights. Tempel was placed on administrative leave last school year after tweeting about Heyer Elementary School precluding her from singing “Rainbowland” with her class. Returning from spring break on April 3, Tempel was met by law enforcement and administration at the school door, who told her she had broken the district policy that prohibited employees from displaying material related to “controversial issues” including Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Thin Blue Line and anti-racism according to the ongoing lawsuit. After speaking to the news about the incident, Tempel was fired in July. “If I have to lose my job, then at least I’ll be able to sleep at night knowing that I stuck up for kids,” Tempel told Insider back in April.