August 12th, 2024

PERK: info@perk-group.com

Media Contact: Dan Kramer (949)415-8721 Call/Text or Email: dan@creativemediagroupllc.com

Law Firm Representative: Scott Street sstreet@jwhowardattorneys.com

PERK Prepares for November 4 Case Against Granada Hills Charter School (GHC) on Behalf of Fired Teachers

(Los Angeles, CA) Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids (PERK) is gearing up for a jury trial in the case of Iris Arnold et al. v. Brian Bauer et al., a damages case that could be the first to have a jury decide whether an employer—in this case, Granada Hills Charter (“GHC”)—violated California’s employment laws by refusing to accommodate employees who had religious and medical objections to COVID-19 vaccination.

This is a historic case, involving the first group of teachers to be fired back in 2021 for asserting their rights. PERK and five plaintiffs, all educators and employees of the school, filed the suit against Brian Bauer, CHC Executive Director, and the school itself.

The groundbreaking case was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court’s Chatsworth division in 2022. In it, Plaintiffs Iris Arnold, Setiawatin Beckman, Angela Karapatyan, Sarah Olczak, Laurie Peachey, and PERK allege that Brian Bauer, GHC executive director, unilaterally decided to require that all employees get vaccinated and pressured the school’s governing board to ratify the requirement, which became their official policy. Several employees requested religious exemptions, but Bauer denied them. Two plaintiffs asked for medical exemptions, but Bauer also rejected those. Those plaintiffs were placed on administrative leave, told they could not set foot on campus, and ultimately fired and denied unemployment benefits.

“I was terminated from my job as a Purchasing Assistant at Granada Hills Charter School on October 15, 2021. Granada Hills was the first public school to fire employees like me and tenured faculty members in California. I requested reasonable accommodations based on my sincerely held beliefs as a Christian, was denied twice, and ultimately fired. Three challenging years later, I continue to defend my constitutional and civil rights. I am thankful, grateful, and blessed that PERK supports and believes in protecting and defending ordinary people like me who wanted to stay employed but were not given the opportunity due to my faith,” stated plaintiff Laurie Peachey.

PERK Attorney Scott Street said, “This is one of America’s most important civil rights cases. GHC did not even try to accommodate the plaintiffs’ religious beliefs and medical conditions. It fired them based on a misunderstanding of the facts and the law. Once it learned during discovery that it could have allowed them to continue working in person, it refused to take responsibility. GHC then pivoted to a scorched earth strategy to put the plaintiffs’ beliefs on trial. The only way to hold GHC accountable, vindicate the rights of plaintiffs, and stop other employers from doing this in the future is to win this case at trial, as we expect to do.”

PERK founder Amy Bohn, which has supported this case from the start, echoed those thoughts. “From the beginning, PERK stood alongside these educators as they fought back. As the President of PERK, our organization is at the tip of the spear, leading the charge against unconstitutional mandates in California. We must never forget what happened during the COVID Era. Almost every industry, and certainly every family and every child, felt the impact of the overreach of tyrannical mandates that jeopardized fundamental human rights. As this case heads towards trial, its significance is monumental,” said Bohn.

We’ve fought for California’s first responders, public employees, parents, veterans, actors, the children, and now our teachers. This case has been in litigation for almost three years. We will finish what we started and help these teachers and educators secure restitution for their wrongful termination. We expect this will be another medical freedom victory that will continue our positive momentum even in a contentious state like California,” continued Bohn.

Trial in the GHC case is currently scheduled to start on November 4, 2024.

PERK is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that advocates for parental rights, civil rights, bodily autonomy, medical freedom, and issues affecting children and families.

PERK has filed this complaint against GHC and similar lawsuits against Los Angeles County, the City of Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the Piedmont School District, among others. Visit www.perk-group.com for additional information on these cases.

Link to PDF of the litigation here.

Attorneys John Howard and Scott J. Street of JW Howard/Attorneys, Ltd.

PERK has filed this complaint against Granada Hills Charter as well as similar lawsuits against Los Angeles County, San Diego City, the City of Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and the Piedmont School District, among others.

Sarah Olczak

"My name is Sarah Olczak. I found out about PERK around the time that I was terminated for my job as a high school counselor in October of 2021 after being denied both religious and medical requests for accommodations for the covid vaccination. As a cancer survivor with genetic predisposition for 2 additional cancers-I passionately believe in medical freedom. As an American, I also believe in religious freedom. Being fired is demoralizing, disempowering and completely depressing. When I fight for my own right to these freedoms, I fight for everyone. Unfortunately, the fight is colossal and without the advocacy of PERK, it would feel like I’m all alone shouting into the abyss. Amy and her organization are champions in the fight to protect children, which is our only job as adults. To be the voice of the voiceless requires grace, strength, and courage. For that I am eternally grateful to have my voice amplified by PERK. PERK has been a matchstick in the dark for those of us standing in our truth. Please consider donating to keep the fires of hope and the sanctity of the truth and justice alive."

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