TUPELO, Miss. (AP) - A former Tupelo Schools music teacher has filed a federal lawsuit against his former employer.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports (http://bit.ly/Terk95 ) Calvin Ellis claims five counts of wrongdoing by the Tupelo Public School District, including breaches of contract, interference with his contract, violation of his constitutional right to due process and violation of his right to equal protection.

His 29-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Oxford Thursday accuses the district, its board, its administration and others of "contriving false and fictitious charges" against him.

He asks for a jury trial.

Board attorney Otis Tims said Thursday that he'd just received a copy of the lawsuit.

Tims told the newspaper the system will follow the normal procedures and deal with it in an appropriate manner.

Information from: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, http://djournal.com

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