Lawsuit: White Fla. Teacher Fired for Having Black Boyfriend

[steve2470]

Last edited Tue Sep 1, 2015, 01:30 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2015/08/lawsuit_white_florida_teacher_fired_for_having_black_boyfriend.html



A former Orange County, Fla., schoolteacher says her choice in mate, music and friends is the reason she was fired from her job, and she has filed a lawsuit seeking justice.

According to WESH, Audrey Dudek, a former math teacher at Edgewater High School, claims she was fired in 2013 after school officials learned that her then-boyfriend, now husband, is black.

"This isn't about sending a message," Suzanne Tzuanos, an Orlando attorney whose firm is handling Dudek's case, told the news station. "This is about getting justice for a teacher who was terminated unlawfully."

According to the lawsuit viewed by WESH, school officials were "shocked and offended" after learning that Dudek's husband, Stacey Cobb, is black, and that she associated with black faculty members. The lawsuit also alleges that some faculty didn't like Dudek because she played "black music" in her classroom and some students had dubbed her classroom, "Club Audrey."

eta: Former Orange County teacher sues for discrimination

http://www.wesh.com/news/former-orange-county-teacher-sues-for-discrimination/34955048

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —A former Orange County school teacher is suing the school district. She claims she was discriminated against, and the evidence in the case is causing one state group to believe she has a case.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the former Edgewater High School math teacher, Audrey Dudek, is suing the school district, claiming she was discriminated against, when administrators learned her boyfriend was black.

"This isn't about sending a message. This is about getting justice for a teacher that was terminated unlawfully," said Suzanne Tzuanos, Orlando attorney.

Click here to view the investigation

Tzuanos' firm is representing Audrey Dudek, the teacher who was let go in 2013. According to the lawsuit, the school's principal at the time and assistant principal treated her differently "because she closely associated with non-whites," according to a report. The lawsuit alleged that school officials were "shocked and offended" when they learned her now husband, Stacey, was black and that her classroom was called "Club Audrey" because she played "black music" and associated with non-white faculty members.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Snip from the article

The Florida Commission on Human Rights investigated Dudek's claims and found there is reason to believe that Dudek was "treated differently based on her gender and race association," according to the station.

[steve2470]

2. This is in my own backyard (Orlando) and my old high school even

I hope she gets justice soon!

[JustAnotherGen]

6. That's got to make you feel yucky

I remember about two years after graduating high school . . . A teacher getting arrested, tried, and convicted for sexually assaulting three different male students. One was the younger brother of a friend of mine.

Just a yucky feeling that this was " my place".

[steve2470]

9. yes it does

I'm ashamed of my hometown and my old high school for allowing this to happen.

[steve2470]

12. I added more to the OP, have a look nt

[randys1]

4. I want every penny that school district has to be in her pocket, ANYTHING less is both injustice

and wont send the right message.

EVERY PENNY

[LWolf]

8. I'd rather see the school board and superintendent replaced.

Whatever pennies that school district has, is, outside of any private grants, taxpayers' money to be spent on the students in that district.

Of course, districts routinely carry insurance to deal with lawsuits, so the likely outcome is that the insurance company will pay out.

I still want those at the top to be replaced.

[drm604]

3. Reprehensible behavior

There's so much stupidity and hatred in this country.

[dsc]

5. The club Audrey thing could be a problem

as it indicates an over familiarity with the students. The rest of the stuff should be grounds for a lawsuit to say the least.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

7. "Club Audrey"

Yeah, I think more than a few parents would be wondering what's going on in that classroom! LOL

[KamaAina]

10. I'd swear this was a post from 1955

but there weren't any intertubes back then!

[steve2470]

11. really sad, isn't it ?

As for the Club Audrey thing, high school students get it wrong frequently. As long as she and her students were getting their work done on time, who really cares ? I'm pretty confident that if the principal had told her to turn off the music, she would have.