Filing: Union Pen Incident Led to Minnesota Teacher’s Ban

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS -- Court records show a popular sociology teacher was banned from a Twin Cities community college for allegedly pressuring a student to hand out pens with his union's label.

Dave Berger was put on "paid investigatory leave" at Inver Hills Community College in February. Berger was banned from the campus in Inver Grove Heights for more than three months while the school investigated an undisclosed complaint against him.

Berger disclosed in a recent court filing that the investigation ended in August with a decision to suspend him for five days without pay.

According to the disciplinary letter, Berger was cited for allegedly pressuring a student to distribute pens with the logo of the faculty union.

Berger denies the allegations. His union has filed a grievance.

College officials declined to comment, citing the ongoing lawsuit.