Berlin v. Superintendent of Public Instruction

Plaintiff appeals from grants of summary disposition in favor of defendants on claims sounding in common-law tort and under 42 USC 1983, all relating to incidents of alleged conduct calculated to deter plaintiff from exercising his right to engage in free speech. We affirm as to defendant Phillip Runkel with respect to all claims and as to the remaining defendants with respect to the common-law tort claims, but we reverse as to the latter defendants with respect to the § 1983 claim.

Plaintiff is a supervisor in a program for the severely mentally impaired operated under the auspices of the Oak…