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Rhode Island School District Settles with Fired Teachers Who Refused Covid Vaccine on Religious Grounds

ByAlki David

May 13, 2023

Three Rhode Island teachers who were fired from Barrington Public Schools in 2021 over their refusal to take the Covid-19 vaccine on religious grounds have reached a settlement with the school district. The teachers, Stephanie Hines, Kerri Thurber, and Brittany DiOrio, claimed that their religious beliefs prevented them from receiving the vaccine and cited a state law that protects people from being forced to violate their religious beliefs.

After being fired, the teachers filed a lawsuit against the school district claiming that their termination was discriminatory on religious grounds. The settlement reached between the parties reinstates the teachers to their former positions and provides them with full back pay.

Additionally, each of the three teachers will receive $33,333 in damages. Hines will receive $65,000 in back pay with Thurber receiving $128,000 and DiOrio receiving $150,000.

This case highlights the ongoing debate regarding vaccine mandates and individual rights under religious beliefs. Schools and employers are grappling with the challenge of balancing individual freedom with the public health concern during the pandemic. The case also raises questions about the potential for future legal disputes and whether similar legislation may be passed nationally to protect those who refuse vaccines on religious grounds.

In conclusion, the settlement reached between Barrington Public Schools and the three fired teachers is a significant win for religious freedom advocates. As the debate over vaccine mandates continues, it is likely that we will see similar legal challenges arise across the country.

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.