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Baltimore teacher says in lawsuit she was falsely accused of making social media threats
A Baltimore teacher is suing Republican delegates, members of Moms for Liberty, and a right-wing social media account for defamation of character after she was accused of making online threats.
Former Baltimore County Spanish teacher Alexa Sciuto said last summer she questioned local Moms for Liberty leader Kit Hart about the meaning of the word "woke" at a conservative parenting summit, which Sciuto was protesting. Sciuto posted a video of the exchange on her TikTok.
"I think it got 600,000 views on my platform," Sciuto said.
After the video went viral, Sciuto posted a picture of Hart with the caption, "Officer, I swear I didn't mean to murder her," which she said was rhetorical.
Lawsuit names state lawmakers, Moms for Liberty members
Baltimore County Republican delegates Lauren Arikan, Robin Grammer, Ryan Nawrocki, and Kathy Szeliga wrote a letter to the superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools saying Sciuto made a death threat to Hart and called for her to be fired.
"I did not think that what I said could possibly be interpreted as a threat," Sciuto said.
Sciuto resigned from Baltimore County schools in May 2024. Her lawsuit, filed in Baltimore County circuit court, states that members of Moms for Liberty have been falsely claiming she was fired.
Sciuto is suing the four delegates who wrote the letter, two local leaders of Moms for Liberty, including Kit Hart, and the owner of a right-wing social media account. She's seeking damages for reputational harm, emotional distress, and loss of future earnings.
"People still believe that I was fired, and I was not; they believe that I was asked to resign, and I was not. Worst of all, they think that happened because I made a criminal threat and I did not," Sciuto said. "So, to be taking action and to be speaking for myself after all of that is different and it's good and I'm ready."
The defendants named in the lawsuit have yet to respond to WJZ's request for comment.
