A District Judge has tossed out a defamation lawsuit filed against State Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, by EPIC Charter Schools last December.
Oklahoma County District Judge Cindy Truong dismissed the lawsuit last week.
Sharp said, “The judge dismissed it calling it frivolous.”
He said another hearing will be scheduled because “my attorneys are wanting to require Community Strategies (EPIC) to pay all of the legal costs and my attorneys may seek a judgment against them as well.”
Sharp pointed out, “As a Senator, I’m protected by sovereign immunity. That is what a senator says off or on the Floor, I have free speech.”
He added, “It’s expected that EPIC will appeal the judge’s decision to the State Supreme Court.”
The Senator said shortly after the lawsuit was filed in December, “They are accusing me of lying but their own words verify the statements I’ve been making.”
“The Oklahoma State Department of Education attorney confirmed in an article in the Tulsa World that EPIC Blended Learning Centers can’t use Virtual Charter School attendance policies.”
The lawsuit was filed in Oklahoma County last Dec. 9 and named Sharp as an individual. It names Community Strategies doing business as EPIC Charter Schools as the plaintiff.
The suit accused Sharp of making statements that were false or malicious unprivileged publications in writing. It also said his statements had exposed its staff, teachers, parents and students to public hatred, contempt and ridicule.
The suit claimed that Sharp’s statements were also false and unprivileged publications, other than libel, stating they had imputed criminal conduct on EPIC and its representatives.
EPIC’s lawsuit sought damages in excess of $75,000.
Sharp says there are five EPIC Virtual Charter Schools in Oklahoma and they are sponsored by a Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.