Andrew Policastro, a Tenafly High School teacher Loses Fight Over Mail Box Access

Policastro vs Board Of Education

A federal appeals court has upheld a decision that a Tenafly teacher’s rights were not violated by a school district policy that requires permission to place letters in teacher mailboxes.  (See Our previous post in this case  from July 21 2011)

U.S. District Judge Dickinson Debevoise in May 2010 granted a motion by defendants — the school board, interim Superintendent Eugene Westlake and the high school principal, Theodora Kontogiannis — for summary judgment and dismissed the remaining claims in Policastro’s suit. The court determined that Mr Policastro’s rights were not violated due to the fact that the mailbox policy was constitutional and unrelated to the contents of his letter.

Policastro, who has taught science at Tenafly High for 18 years, vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court.  “I’m not just fighting for my rights, but for my students’ rights,” he said.  Policastro added that he need not have to aks for permission to use the mail boxes.

Since his initial case the mail boxes policy evolved and now everyone is using e mail without having to get any permission. It is important to stand up for your rights said Policastro who has spent so far $10,000 on this case.