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Auditor General: Wilkes-Barre district judge’s office fell short in issuing warrants

Two-year-old vehicular homicide case in West Wyoming delayed

<p>A former Dallas High School football coach&#8217;s civil rights claim inched closer to trial this week with a federal judge&#8217;s order and memo.</p><p>U.S. District Judge James M. Munley on Tuesday issued a memorandum granting partial dismissal of claims in Ted Jackson&#8217;s civil suit against the Dallas School District.</p><p>Jackson alleged in a 2012 complaint that members of the school board violated his constitutional rights to free speech and association when, after some 28 years of employment with the district, they chose not to reinstate him to his job as head football coach after the 2011 season.</p><p>In its defense, the school district has cited alleged disciplinary infractions and a resulting &#8220;unsatisfactory&#8221; evaluation as grounds for Jackson&#8217;s dismissal, according to court papers.</p><p>The judge&#8217;s memorandum granted the defendant&#8217;s motion for dismissal of the speech claim, and says only Jackson&#8217;s associational claims remain in the case, including a claim for damages against the individual defendants.</p><p>According to the memorandum, Jackson has indicated in prior filings that he will not proceed &#8220;on a political speech theory.&#8221;</p><p>In an order, Munley scheduled an Aug. 27 pretrial conference in the case, to be conducted in the judge&#8217;s chambers, according to court filings.</p><p>The judge&#8217;s order says he will not grant any delays for the conference.</p><p>Jackson&#8217;s complaint says the board removed him as retaliation for comments he made in the media and to others expressing disapproval about the dismissal of his son, Ted Jackson Jr., from coaching positions within the district.</p><p>It argues further that the board members replaced him and his son with political allies. According to Jackson&#8217;s complaint, Jackson Sr.&#8217;s replacement was less qualified for the role.</p><p>Jackson&#8217;s complaint demanded the school district reinstate him to his former position.</p><p>Also named as defendants in the case are Catherine Wega, Maureen Matiska, Karen Kyle, Larry Schuler, Richard Coslett and Charles Preece, court papers indicate.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Staff Report</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta></shirttailMeta></div>

Dallas football coach’s civil suit advances to pretrial