Four teachers fired in 2008 spoke at the Washington Teachers’ Union K Street headquarters, charging their principals with lying or relying on personal attacks in letters recommending their dismissal to D.C. Public Schools.

They’re among the 75 teachers caught in a war between the District and the union after an arbitrator ruled that DCPS improperly terminated the teachers and ordered DCPS to reinstate them with two years back pay. The school system is appealing the ruling. John Dixon said he had just finished his second year teaching the fourth grade at Oysters-Adam Bilingual School when D.C. Public Schools informed him that he was fired. Just last week, the school system showed him the letter his principal wrote to DCPS to warrant his dismissal.