Ratliff v. West Ada Education Association

Case Update: Thanks to the efforts of the Liberty Justice Center, both parties agreed to dismiss the case.

Case Background: Like other districts around the country, West Ada School District closed in-person operations in March 2020 and started the new school year in a remote learning model. The district has been phasing in some of its 40,000 students for in-person classes and was set to welcome back more students on Monday. Those plans were halted when more than 700 of the district’s 2,145 teachers called in “sick” in protest of reopening.

The impact of closed schools on communities is devastating. At the time, kids had missed out on more than six months of in-person education. Families were struggling financially. One mother in the lawsuit was an essential worker who had to bear the added financial burden of childcare for her elementary school-aged son who was struggling emotionally with the unpredictable school situation. Another father said the school cancellations were causing anxiety and fear of “falling behind” for his kids.

“I have three young kids in West Ada schools and they are reeling from yet another disappointment this week,” said Roy Ratliff, parent of three West Ada elementary school students. “The sudden changes in school are leaving my kids and others with emotional and academic anxiety. It is time for adults to be leaders and put our kids first.”

The Liberty Justice Center filed Ratliff v. West Ada Education Association on October 10, 2020 in District Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of Idaho, in and for the County of Ada.