By Michael Karlik | Colorado Politics
A jury will decide whether a Douglas County charter school fired an employee because of her protected online speech about vaccinations, a federal judge ruled last month.
At the same time, U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott T. Varholak determined Jennifer Webb’s repeated reports of alleged financial improprieties were not protected by the First Amendment. Consequently, jurors would not evaluate whether Aspen View Academy retaliated against her for raising concerns of embezzlement.
Webb was the business manager for Aspen View, an elementary and middle school in Castle Rock, between 2017 and 2021. Her job generally entailed bookkeeping and financial oversight. Webb soon became concerned about financial malfeasance by the school’s principal, Robert Barber. His purported improprieties included failing to back up purchases with receipts, spending school money for personal use and directing funds to a friend’s company.