WOOSTER, Ohio (AP) — A vegan teacher has sued the northeast Ohio school district where he works for firing him last year for a Facebook post critical of dairy farming practices.

Keith Allison says in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that he was fired last August by the Green Local School District in rural Wayne County after being told a Facebook post that included a photograph of baby cows offended local dairy farmers.

Widespread media attention and a social media campaign led to his reinstatement, the lawsuit says. Allison claims his rehiring at a middle school instead of an elementary school was retaliatory.

The lawsuit asks for unspecified damages and back pay. He also wants the district to not restrict his rights of free speech.

District officials did not return phone calls Wednesday.

See our story on Allison from December below: