The superintendent was heard calling the middle school principal a **** in front of teachers and elementary principal. What can I do? Is this slande

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Asked on 6/19/2009 under: Personal Injury Arkansas

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney Answered 10 years ago | Contributor

Name calling and insults are not slander. Slander is a public statement of an untrue derogatory or damaging fact. If I say that you are an ***hole, that's insulting but slander. If I say I think you're stupid, that's insulting but not slander--it's just my opinion. If I say that you lied about your eduational background and do not have the degree you need to be principal--and I'm in a position where my saying that could damage your career--THAT would be slander. So would be making an accusation that an educator is a child abuser or molestor. So depending on what was said, it may be unfair, cruel, and stupid, but not slander.

Typically, educator contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and/or school system employee/personnel regulations do include codes of conduct and grievance processes. The middle school principal might have some remedy within the system for having been insulted and treated unprofessionally by a superior.

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