WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court let stand in Decembera state court rulingthat public school principals are neither “public figures” nor “publicofficials” for the purposes of defamation law.
The Court, without comment, rejected an appeal of an Ohio Supreme Courtdecision, which stated that public school principals do not “occupy a positionof such persuasive power and influence” that they can be deemed “publicfigures” in libel cases.