Abston v. Woodard

This is the second appeal in this case. In Abston v. Woodard, 398 So.2d 237 (Ala.1981) (Abston I), this Court reversed the trial court and remanded the cause for determination of whether the nonrenewal of Abston’s employment contract was imper-missibly based on his exercise of First Amendment free speech rights. On remand the trial court allowed no inquiry into other reasons for non-renewal and only required the defendant school board members to testify in summary and conelusory terms whether Abston’s protected conduct motivated them in deciding not to renew his contract. This limitation of…