By Amanda Schiff, Editor
Richard Scott, a fifth grade teacher at McDole Elementary, has filed a lawsuit against the district for discrimination and is seeking $375,000 in damages.
The lawsuit was filed June 22 in the Northern Illinois District of the U.S. Federal Court. The suit also names retired Superintendent Dr. Charles McCormick, current Superintendent Dr. Jeff Schuler and current McDole principal Martne McCoy as defendants.
Steven Glink, the attorney who represents Scott, said that the main reason Scott is suing Kaneland is because he believes there was an injustice against him, and he wants that fixed.
Scott has taught in the district for 14 years. Scott said in his complaint that he had received excellent performance evaluations until three years ago, when McCoy became assistant principal and began issuing him lower evaluations.
In the suit, Scott also claims that he was discriminated against as the only male classroom teacher at McDole, that the district’s failure to provide reasonable accommodation for his ADD by transferring him to the middle school exacerbated his depression and violated his civil rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that the district intended to cause him severe emotional distress and force his resignation.
His wife, Debi Thomas, who is a co-plaintiff, is also suing the district for causing damage to her marriage, which she claims in the filed complaint was done by exacerbating Scott’s depression.
Schuler said that the district was unable to comment on an ongoing lawsuit, but that Scott’s allegations are false.
“The district remains committed to the fair treatment of our employees and to providing a quality education for our students,” Schuler said in a statement. “This has been, and will continue to be, a core value supported by the work of our administrative team.”
McDole Elementary had four male faculty members last year, including a male assistant principal, and now has five male faculty members, including a long-term substitute.