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Wednesday, March 13 2013 |
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A civil rights lawsuit has been filed in San Diego Superior Court seeking to halt the teaching of yoga in Encinitas public schools.
Filed on behalf of a couple with two children in the district, the lawsuit claims that yoga represents religious indoctrination and seeks to have the court block the program. According to news reports, students receive two 30-minute yoga sessions each week under a grant provided by a local yoga studio.
Having the program in the nine schools of the K-6 district "represents a serious breach of the public trust" and a violation of state law that prohibits religious instruction in public schools, said Dean Broyles, attorney for the Escondido-based National Center for Law and Policy.
The school district expressed disappointment with the filing of the lawsuit, claiming that part of the program's goals are to teach students the benefits of exercise and healthful eating. "We are not teaching religion, we are not instructing anyone in religious dogma," said Superintended Tim Baird. "Yoga is very mainstream."
Parents are allowed to opt their children out of the program and, thus far, 30 have. But Broyles said the ability for parents to opt out is not sufficient. The program "is extremely divisive and has unfortunately led to the harassment, discrimination, bullying and segregation of children who, for good reason, opt out," said Broyles.
—Source: The Los Angeles Times |
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Thursday, March 07 2013 |
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Two Pennsylvania brothers are suing beer maker Anheuser-Busch, claiming that its beer doesn't pack enough punch.
Thomas and Gerald Greenberg have filed a federal lawsuit claiming that Anheuser-Busch's brands of beers, including Budweiser and Michelob, don't contain 5.0 percent of alcohol as promised. News reports indicate that the brothers consume more than a case of Bud per week and that they don't get intoxicated from the beer.
Anheuser-Busch said it will fight the suit, calling it "groundless."
"Our beers are in full compliance with all alcohol labeling laws. We proudly adhere to the highest standards in brewing our beers, which have made them the best-selling in the U.S. and the world," Peter Kraemer, vice president of brewing and supply, said in a statement to NBC.
—Source: potstownpatch.com |
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Thursday, February 28 2013 |
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A New Jersey man is suing sandwich giant Subway claiming the "$5 Footlong" subs don't measure up.
Jason Leslie filed his federal class action lawsuit after reading news reports that revealed that the sandwiches sometimes come up short. “The sandwiches are anywhere between a half-inch to an inch shorter . . . I feel cheated,” said Leslie.
Leslie's attorneys estimate that 25 percent of the company's revenues come from selling the Footlong subs, totaling $2.85 billion a year. The suit alleges that roughly 5 percent of that (or $142.5 million) represents "unfair and deceptive revenue."
“Plain and simple, the advertising is deceptive,” said Jerry Marks, founding partner of Red Bank, NJ, law firm Marks & Klein, which is representing Leslie.
This is the second lawsuit filed in the last two months to allege deceptive marketing by Subway. A state suit was filed by New Jersey attorney Stephen DeNittis. News reports indicate DeNittis hired an investigator to measure sandwiches at 17 Subways near his office and found that all measured less than 12 inches.
Subway counters that each Footlong loaf is formed from exactly the same weight of dough but the inconsistencies of kneading, rising, shaping and proofing entail that on occasion some loaves fail to measure up. A Subway spokesman said in a statement, “We have redoubled our efforts to ensure consistency and correct length in every sandwich we serve. Our commitment remains steadfast to ensure that every Subway Footlong sandwich is 12 inches.”
—Sources: Forbes.com and NYPost.com |
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Wednesday, February 20 2013 |
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A San Diego woman is suing a frozen pizza maker for $5 million, claiming the frozen pizzas cause cancer.
Katie Simpson, a mother of two young children, filed the class-action lawsuit against Nestle — makers of DiGiorno, Stouffer's and California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizzas — claiming that the food giant is “placing profits over public health” by failing to remove trans fat from their frozen pizzas.
The lawsuit states that the frozen pizzas in question shouldn't contain a toxic food additive banned all over the world, said Greg Weston, an attorney for the plaintiff. The lawsuit seeks to recover all profits made through the sale of the frozen pizzas.
In a statement, Nestle said it will vigorously defend itself against all "baseless allegations,'' saying its pizza products are in strict compliance with both FDA and USDA regulations.
—Source: coronadopatch.com |
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Thursday, February 14 2013 |
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An Indianapolis (IN) woman who was held hostage and witnessed a fatal shooting during a robbery attempt is suing her local Kroger store and the store's former manager.
Christine Nelson, who worked as an unarmed security guard at the Kroger, was being held hostage by alleged robber Jeremi Atkinson. Responding to Nelson's cries for help, store manager Elijah Elliott came to her defense. Video surveillance cameras show that after Atkinson released Nelson he charged at Elliott, who then fatally shot Atkinson. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office ruled the shooting to be justified under Indiana law to prevent a forcible felony.
Nelson claims in her lawsuit that she was endangered and traumatized when Elliott shot Atkinson. She seeks unspecified damages and contends she suffered "extreme mental anguish and emotional distress" in witnessing the fatal shooting.
Elliott acknowledged that he violated Kroger's policy barring employees from having weapons on store property and resigned after the shooting.
The alleged robber's mother, Toni Atkinson, also filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Kroger. News reports indicate that Atkinson's criminal record showed a conviction in 2009 of armed robbery for holding up a Subway restaurant.
—Source: Indianapolis Business Journal |
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