Judge moves $5 million lawsuit forward in Bedford County Schools discrimination case
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WSET) -- A federal judge is moving a $5 million lawsuit forward against Bedford County schools.
This motion comes in response to claims of gender discrimination from a former deputy superintendent.
On Monday, a judge dismissed Dr. Schuch from the case. However, the school board was not dismissed.
Dr. Cherie Whitehurst's attorneys filed the lawsuit on March 15, 2019, in federal court.
The lawsuit states that Whitehurst is seeking damages against the school board for gender discrimination, including "retaliating" against her for alleging discrimination despite her having clear evidence," and against Schuch for "his actions taken under color of state law to discriminate against Dr. Whitehurst on the basis of her sex, thereby denying her the equal protection of the laws as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution."
Some of the 'worst actions' described in the lawsuit include the following:
- After being hired as the Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Whitehurst claims she began to feel marginalized by Schuch, who shifted responsibilities away from her position to men that held subordinate roles.
- Schuch refused to eat lunch alone with Dr. Whitehurst in public for fear that someone would suspect that he was engaging in an extramarital affair.
- Schuch made candid comments that "reflect his true feelings regarding the inferiority of women in the workplace compared to men," like making comments that a colleague and Dr. Whitehurst were 'the only women on senior staff and how does it look for the two of you to be having problems?'
- On multiple occasions over several years, when Dr. Whitehurst would question Schuch about a decision, he said that she was 'cycling' or that 'talking to you is like talking to my wife.'
There has been no word yet about the next court date.
