Discrimination lawsuit filed against CPS by middle school student, father
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A discrimination lawsuit was filed on Wednesday against Columbia Public Schools by a middle school student and her father.
The lawsuit -- which also names Oakland Middle School, its principal Jeff Mielke, teacher Vanessa Hickem and Superintendent Brian Yearwood – seeks damages, accusing CPS of negligent infliction of emotional distress and racial discrimination. A summons was issued for the defendants on Wednesday.
The lawsuit states the girl and her father filed a charge of discrimination with the Missouri Commission of Human Rights on Dec. 20, 2021. It also states the MCHR issued its notice of right to sue on Aug. 23.
Court documents state that the student began attending Oakland Middle School in August 2021. The lawsuit says the girl is of Ukranian descent and has a “noticeable accent,” making her a protected class under the Missouri Human Rights Act.
The lawsuit claims the girl’s father made several complaints to the school to stop bullying, racial discrimination and harassment towards the girl. Court documents claim the girl was assaulted, called racial slurs, falsely accused of stealing, stalked and wrongly blamed for playing provocative music.
Court documents claimed the school district retaliated by not disciplining students for using slurs, allowed the alleged bullying to continue, failed to offer an accommodation and put the girl in an in-school suspension.
The lawsuit claims the girl’s father made a complaint on Nov. 17, 2021, and followed up on Dec. 10, 2021. It also claims that Mielke called the father on Dec. 12, 2021, but did not have a plan to end the bullying. The lawsuit claims the student was “constructively expelled from Oakland Middle School” on Dec. 20, 2021.
CPS spokesperson told ABC 17 News that they could not comment on litigation. ABC 17 News has reached out to the lawyer of student.
