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On The Front Lines

Rutherford Institute Legal Staff Defend Teaching Assistant's Right to Religious Free Speech

SYRACUSE, NY--The Rutherford Institute has successfully defended Rocko Epolito, a teaching assistant in the Syracuse, New York city school district who was reprimanded by his supervisor after she overheard him inviting a college student to his church and exclaiming "Praise the Lord" during a pizza party. In attendance at the pizza party were special education students, parents, teachers, aids, college students and volunteers, among others.

After receiving a letter from The Rutherford Institute's legal department, the Director of Special Education for the Syracuse city school district chastised the supervisor for her remarks, removed all records of the incident from Mr. Epolito's personnel file, and assured The Rutherford Institute that in the future Mr. Epolito would have the "ability to express his beliefs without fear of reprimand."


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Nisha N. Mohammed
Ph: (434) 978-3888, ext. 604; Pager: 800-946-4646, Pin #: 1478257
Email: Nisha N. Mohammed

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