Jobs in school districts can encompass all sorts of interactions and responsibilities. The job of principal in a Colorado school or any other school can mean overseeing the actions of many. While the school board in one case is saying that a lack of proper oversight of others is the reason a principal was fired, the principal says she was let go because of race discrimination.
The woman had just signed her second one-year contract with the school district to act as principal of an elementary school when she received notice she was fired. The suit names the board of education, a former superintendent and assistant superintendent of human resources as defendants. The plaintiff says she has been blamed for the wrongful actions of unqualified substitutes and says it is now difficult to find another job based on her references from the district.
One of the issues mentioned pertained to a substitute falsifying work hours. The district maintained the principal was liable not checking the substitute’s credentials or work log in the first place. According to the suit, the district also held her liable for not checking on other responsibilities related to employees.
In cases of race discrimination, it may be difficult to prove conclusively that actions taken against an employee were based on that employee’s protected class status in Colorado. These cases may also get more complicated if there are discrepancies or disagreements about work place responsibilities to begin with. A race discrimination case, if successful, can help an employee move on from a hostile or unfair work environment and recoup monetary loses suffered such as back wages and benefits.
Source: nj.com, “Former principal sues Trenton school district for racial discrimination“, Anna Merriman, Dec. 24, 2015
