ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

Finally, King claimed that he was subject to defamation on the part of the district.
Sometime following King’s suspension, Gepford had the locks at Murray-LaSaine changed.
Furthermore, he requested via email to have further security placed at the school. Gepford
explained that faculty and staff were concerned about King’s mental stability and retribution for
their statements against him as an administrator. To succeed on this claim, King had to establish
the presence of four elements. On his first element, King failed. King had to show that the
district had issued a false and defamatory statement. On this point, King argued that the school
psychologist had spread rumors that the district office was concerned about his mental well-
being. The court explained that this single statement did not rise to the level of defamation.
Moreover, the court reasoned that at no point had the district sanctioned the school psychologist
to speak on King’s employment history with the district. Thus King failed on this point. All other
elements were moot.
Disposition: Summary judgment was granted on all claims to the school district.
Citation: Floyd v. Amite County School District, 581 F.3d 244, (2009 U.S. App.).
Key Facts: Charles Floyd served as the principal of Amite County High School from
2000 into the Fall of 2002. Amite County High School is a predominantly African American
high school and those mentioned in this brief are African American. In May 2002, Floyd, who
also served as the head track coach for the high school, was granted permission to use the Amite
County facilities to train his private track team. A number of the members of Floyd’s track team
were White students who attended local private schools.
In June 2002, the district, at the direction of the State Board of Education, implemented a
“dual position policy.” This policy disallowed the practice of administrators serving as coaches
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