Former Teacher Pursues Federal Wrongful Termination Lawsuit

You may find that there are some people you work with that you just can’t get along with. Of course, you have to remain professional and simply get on with your job. Unfortunately, some people allow their personal feelings to interfere with their work and create a hostile work environment for their colleagues or employees. In some cases, employees are even dismissed for reasons that have nothing to do with their capability to do their jobs, such as their age or their race.

A former Philadelphia schoolteacher feels that this may have been the case in her own dismissal. As a result, she has filed a federal lawsuit, claiming wrongful termination, against the school district she worked for. The woman, who is in her 50s and is white, had taught elementary students and had received satisfactory evaluations in the past. However, she was accused by a principal, who is younger than the woman and is black, of ignoring unruly students in a class she was teaching. She denies having ignored the students and claims that the principal generated other false information about her. The principal was the one that purportedly recommended the woman’s firing.

The woman feels that the real reasons for her dismissal stemmed from her age and race. She has accused the above-mentioned principle of discriminating against and harassing her during the course of her employment. She further alleges that the principal discriminated against a number of other older, white or lighter-skinned teachers. She seeks compensation for various consequences of her dismissal, including lost income, damage to her reputation, and pain and suffering.

This case is from a different state, but employees in California can imagine how upsetting it would be to be unfairly dismissed. If you find yourself in a similar position, you may want to consider taking action. By challenging a wrongful termination, you may be able to be reinstated in your job or at least compensated for the wrong done to you. An attorney can help you understand your options and decide on the best course of action to take.