Teacher sues Jefferson City Public Schools

A Pakistani-born math teacher is suing Jefferson City Public Schools, alleging his supervisor and others discriminated against him because of his age and ethnicity.

Naveed Malik, who teaches at the district’s Simonsen Ninth Grade Center, was given approval to move forward with the lawsuit by the Missouri Human Rights Commission in October.

Malik alleges in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Cole County Circuit Court that he was passed over for promotions, unfairly singled out by administrators for discipline, excluded from social events and had his concerns ignored. Malik is 52 years old and has taught in the district for 17 years, according to legal filings.

In his lawsuit Malik says younger teachers with far fewer years of experience were promoted ahead of him. He also claims he was demoted to teaching lower-level courses despite his experience level.

“The district strives to provide an equitable workplace free from discrimination while keeping our focus on fostering a high-quality learning environment for every student,” JCPS spokeswoman Ryan Burns wrote in an emailed statement.

“We are sorry Mr. Malik felt the need to take this action. We respectfully disagree with his position, and appreciate the opportunity to provide our perspective throughout the legal process.”

The district has dealt with several discrimination lawsuits in recent years, including one brought by a former admininstrator that was settled in April. ABC 17 News reported in April that the lawsuit brought to more than $1 million the amount the district had paid in discrimination lawsuits over the past two years.

No hearings have been set in Malik’s case.

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