Third federal discrimination lawsuit filed against Eastpointe schools, superintendent – Macomb Daily

A former administrative assistant and grant specialist is suing Eastpointe Community Schools and Superintendent Christina Gibson alleging racial discrimination and a hostile work environment.

The lawsuit was filed Jan. 5 on behalf of Leah Black in the U.S. Eastern District federal court in Detroit by attorneys Jeffrey Hart and Charissa Huang of Smith, Haughey, Rice & Roegge.

Black’s filing is the third federal racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the district and superintendent within the past seven months.

According to the 15-page complaint, Black was hired as an administrative assistant for Kelly Middle School by the district in 2017. Black, who is Black, allegedly applied for or expressed interest in four other positions – human resource specialist, grants coordinator, administrative assistant to the superintendent, and athletic director —  between 2017 and 2021 when she left the district. Black alleges all of those positions were filled by white people who had less qualifications and experience

Black said she was required to train the person who was hired as grants coordinator and has a four-year college degree and experience in human resources, but the person hired for that position had a two-year degree and no experience.

The lawsuit also alleges that only white employees received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund grant bonuses and that the white person hired to replace Black when she left the district was given a salary $20,000 more than what she had been making.

Constructive discharge, hostile work environment, race discrimination, retaliation and violation of civil rights are alleged in the lawsuit. It also alleges Gibson threatened Black after she left the district and told the former administrative assistant that she was “watching her” and knew the superintendent at her new school.

In July, former Eastpointe High School principal Asenath Jones filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging race discrimination, retaliation and hostile work environment; First Amendment retaliation; violation of the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act; breach of contract; violation of the Michigan School Code; negligent misrepresentation; and defamation.

Former Eastpointe High School assistant principal Renita Williams filed a racial discrimination lawsuit in federal court last August

Eastpointe Community Schools administration did not respond to requests for comment.