My question involves defamation in the state of: California, where defamation law states it covers communication that "tends to directly injure" someone "in respect to his office, profession," etc., by imputing "general disqualification" or imputing something that reduces "profits." Also, it's defamation to accuse someone of a crime. Actual damage must result.
Small, rural community has a combined elementary and middle school. 58 students attend. Given size, there are only four teachers. Three of the teachers handle multigrade classrooms. One teacher does science, and also is part-time principal.
Because of small size, personalities matter. One teacher is from a locally influential family. She's difficult and ambitious on a small scale. She wanted another teacher's class, and made life so miserable for him that he left, and she got the class.
She then wanted to be principal/teacher. She made life miserable for him, too. But then she went a step further. She knows local community residents, and visited them regularly to complain about the principal/teacher. She spread rumors that he was unqualified, failed to perform, even that he was racist (telling people this deserved immediate firing.) This steadily undermined his reputation, until even sensible people were afraid to support him.
The principal/teacher finally chose to leave. I want to know if he has any legal standing to sue the teacher for slander.
Small, rural community has a combined elementary and middle school. 58 students attend. Given size, there are only four teachers. Three of the teachers handle multigrade classrooms. One teacher does science, and also is part-time principal.
Because of small size, personalities matter. One teacher is from a locally influential family. She's difficult and ambitious on a small scale. She wanted another teacher's class, and made life so miserable for him that he left, and she got the class.
She then wanted to be principal/teacher. She made life miserable for him, too. But then she went a step further. She knows local community residents, and visited them regularly to complain about the principal/teacher. She spread rumors that he was unqualified, failed to perform, even that he was racist (telling people this deserved immediate firing.) This steadily undermined his reputation, until even sensible people were afraid to support him.
The principal/teacher finally chose to leave. I want to know if he has any legal standing to sue the teacher for slander.
Defamation: Ambitious Staff Member Slanders Another to Force Him to Leave
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