Iowa Supreme Court: District didn't defame ex-West High tennis coach by posting meeting video
Anne Villarini filed a lawsuit in 2022 against the Iowa City Community School District, arguing that the district enabled defamatory comments by two former students. The comments were published in meeting minutes and broadcast in a video of the meeting from April 2022 on the district's board website and YouTube channel.
Villarini, who joined the West High tennis program in 2013, requested "on many occasions" that the school district remove the video and redact the meeting minutes, claiming that the comments and video were defamatory.
More: Iowa City West High tennis coach sues district, calling comments at school board meeting defamatory
Villarini also argued that the district wrongfully terminated her and breached the contract terms. She was hired on a series of one-year contract extensions during each tenure, according to court filings.
A Johnson County District Court judge initially granted "summary judgment" to the Iowa City district and dismissed Villarini's lawsuit. In November 2024, the state Court of Appeals denied Villarini's appeal.
The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with the lower courts on Friday, May 16, upholding the dismissal and writing that the school is protected by "fair-report privilege." The principle often protects the news media from legal repercussions when it reports on defamation during a public meeting.
"Applying the fair-report privilege to public school board meetings adds scaffolding to our open-government structure," Iowa Supreme Court Judge Samuel Langholz wrote in the opinion. "Shielding those that err on the side of transparency by drafting thorough minutes or posting unabridged videos."
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By publishing the meeting video, the court ruled that the Iowa City Community School District was "fairly and accurately relay(ing) statements made during open, official proceedings."
The court said the fair-report privilege "furthers the public's interest" by allowing residents to make their own judgments about meetings, school board decisions and board members without having to attend the meeting.
During the comment period from the meeting in question in April 2022, a then-Iowa City West High School student described a 15-second experience where Villarini allegedly "touched (her) inappropriately" on her back and thighs and said "inappropriate things."
She and another student were critical of how the district handled the alleged situation.
"The district made clear to me that my feelings do not matter," the student said, referencing a district investigation and report that preceded the comments.
That report confirmed that some of the alleged actions, which included "unwanted physical contact," favoritism, retaliation, and insensitivity, did happen. The district determined that the accusations didn't amount to "incident contact" and were "not violative of any ICCSD policy," according to the Johnson County District Court judge's 2023 ruling.
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The report cautioned Villarini to "refrain from touching players as much as reasonably possible." Villarini remained the coach of the girls' tennis team after the report was released.
Villarini was placed on administrative leave in 2022, the day after the two students spoke at the board meeting. Villarini said the decision was a "knee-jerk" reaction.
She received full compensation under the terms of her contract, according to the Iowa Supreme Court.
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In her claim for breach of contract, Villarini wrote that Iowa has a public policy to protect 'against school employees being forced out of their jobs by angry parents and students making wild, unfounded allegations for the purpose of ousting that employee.'
The Iowa Supreme Court agreed with the district court, which said the claim failed because Villarini did not reference a "clearly defined public policy."
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Supreme Court upholds dismissal of West High coach's defamation suit
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