Lawsuit against Becker school district withdrawn after policy change

MINNEAPOLIS -- Union educators in Becker have withdrawn a lawsuit suing the school district over its new communications plan they said violated free speech provisions.

The Becker School Board voted Tuesday to rescind the controversial communications policy.

The lawsuit filed by the Becker Education Association last week argued the plan was so broad it would prohibit educators from saying anything that isn't positive about the district to someone who isn't employed by it.

"The Becker community deserves to hear the unfiltered truth from classroom educators about what's happening in our schools, both the successes and things we need to improve," said Jason Baune, co-president of the Becker Education Association.

While the lawsuit is withdrawn, the Becker Education Association says it retains the right to refile if the board adopts a "similarly problematic policy" in the future.

Becker is located roughly 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis.