A mother and conservative activist from Wisconsin has successfully defended herself in a free speech case where she was sued for defamation over social media posts criticizing her school district’s “woke” priorities.
Scarlett Johnson, a prominent figure in Moms for Liberty’s Wisconsin chapter, faced a lawsuit from Mary MacCudden, a former English teacher and “Social Justice Coordinator” for the Mequon-Thiensville School District (MTSD). The lawsuit stemmed from critical posts made by Johnson on social media in October 2022.
Johnson posted a screenshot of MacCudden’s LinkedIn profile along with comments questioning the necessity of a “Social Justice Coordinator” in the school district and criticizing the presence of “woke, White women with a god complex.” She also referred to DEI specialists as “woke lunatics” and “bullies” who silence and intimidate parents.
Despite the defamation lawsuit filed by MacCudden, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Johnson, stating that her comments were expressions of opinion rather than factual statements that could be proven true or false.
The court highlighted the subjective nature of terms like “bully” and “lunatic” and deemed terms such as “woke,” “White savior,” and “god complex” as vague and lacking clear definitions.
Johnson saw the lawsuit as an attempt to silence her and other parents who opposed DEI programs in schools. She emphasized the importance of standing up against such legal challenges to protect the right to speak out against radical ideologies in public schools.
WILL Deputy Counsel Luke Berg commended the court’s decision, emphasizing the right of individuals to question and criticize the government without fear of meritless lawsuits.
While Fox News Digital reached out to MacCudden’s attorney for comment, no response was received.
