Stories like this one in the Billings Outpost make me think of William Shakespeare's timeless advice: "Kill all the lawyers."

It seems Trey Ransom, a substitute who taught during the Billings teacher strike last year, is now suing the Billings Education Association, the Montana Education Association and former BEA head Brian Ehli for defaming him. And what did they do to defame Mr. Ransom? They pointed out Ransom had allegedly bought alcohol for minors while employed by the Red Lodge school district.

Ransom resigned his position in Red Lodge when the allegations became public (no doubt on the advice of his attorney). Now, keep this in mind as you carefully read what his suit against the teachers unions and Ehli says, as quoted in the Outpost: [The suit argues that the former union president did so by making ’Äústatements that [the] Plaintiff had been released from a school for having purchased alcoholic beverages for minors.’Äù The complaint argues that Mr. Ehli knew or should have known that the statements were false.]

Notice this doesn't deny Ransom actually bought alcohol for his students in Red Lodge. (It's pretty apparent Ransom gave up the ghost on fighting that battle when he resigned.) It says Ehli made ’Äústatements that [the] Plaintiff had been released from a school for having purchased alcoholic beverages for minors.’Äù That, of course, is correct: Ransom wasn't released, because he quit.

Seems like an awfully tiny crack to slither through.