Fired Teacher and Bourne School Committee Member Loses Federal Court Appeal

The Bourne School Committee member’s lawyer announced plans to bring their case to the Supreme Court. This development follows the appeal loss of Kari MacRae, a former Hanover teacher, who claims her First Amendment rights were violated when she was dismissed from her job over controversial TikToks.

In 2021, Kari MacRae, a Bourne School Committee member, faced termination just a month into her role at Hanover High School. Despite the uproar and demands for her resignation, MacRae continues to serve on the committee until 2027.

MacRae’s TikTok videos, which included comments on race and gender identity, attracted scrutiny from the Bourne community. Many teachers in the area called for her to step down from her committee position, a role she secured in an uncontested race months before the controversy emerged.

According to the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, Hanover Public Schools, including Superintendent Matthew Ferron and the school’s principal Matthew Mattos, determined that MacRae’s posts “would have a significant negative impact on student learning.” The controversial TikToks were posted before she started teaching at Hanover.

MacRae’s TikToks were posted on her account @nanamacof4. Described as memes in the court’s decision, the videos ridiculed Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgender woman and the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health, commented on children’s gender identities, and minimized the significance of racism in U.S. history.

In one TikTok about her committee election, MacRae stated, “I’m taking on this responsibility to ensure that