Rochester schools settles case with mom who said district got her fired for Covid complaints

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A suburban Detroit parent who claimed she lost her job for criticizing COVID-19 policies in the Rochester School District has reached a tentative deal to settle a lawsuit.

Attorney Deborah Gordon told the Associated Press the lawsuit against the Rochester district is being resolved. The lawsuit was filed by Elena Dinverno who claimed a school board member contacted her employer after she posted her thoughts about the plans on Facebook group pages which ultimately led to her termination.

No details of the settlement were released. 

Dinverno participated in Facebook groups that were in favor of reopening Rochester schools for in-person instruction in 2020. Dinverno also frequently questioned the school board's decisions. 

Dinverno claimed her activism cost her a job when a school board member contacted her employer. In a court filing, the Rochester district acknowledges that a deputy superintendent made a call, though attorneys deny any wrongdoing.

The lawsuit claims that Dinverno "advocated for the reopening of schools" on two Facebook groups: RCS Parents for In-Person Education and Conservative Parents for Rochester. When the school board voted to start school remotely in late July and early August 2020, Dinverno said she posted and asked for video testimonials from parents and students regarding "hardship about the availability of in-person school."

Dinverno, who was a marketing director at Blake's, said in response to those posts, a school board member contacted her employer, Blake's. 

In a court filing, the Rochester district acknowledges that a deputy superintendent made a call, though attorneys deny any wrongdoing.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.