Three Rhode Island teachers will get their jobs back with full back pay after they reached a settlement with the school district that fired them two years ago for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.
The three teachers, Brittany DiOrio, Stephanie Hines, and Kerri Thurber, were fired from their positions in Barrington Public Schools in 2021 after they requested the school district accommodate a religious exemption from a districtwide mandate to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
On Thursday, the teachers and their attorney, Greg Piccirilli, announced that they had reached a settlement with the school district that will see them reinstated and entitled them to back pay and $33,333 in damages each. Hines will receive $65,000 in back pay, while Thurber will receive $128,000 and DiOrio will receive $150,000.
“We’re extremely gratified that they’ve been vindicated in their position,” said Piccirilli, who will receive $50,000 in attorneys fees as part of the settlement, according to the Boston Globe. “A lot of people were dismissive and skeptical of their claims at the time. They went through a lot of personal trauma dealing with this. Their faith has gotten them through this.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINERIn a statement, the Barrington School Committee said it determined the litigation with the three teachers was likely to drag on and that it should instead settle the case.
“We believe our Administration’s time, and our District’s financial resources, should be spent on the daily work and mission of Barrington Public Schools," the district said. "Our School Committee looks forward to continuing to support this important work."