An employee of the Pine Bluff School District has claimed in a lawsuit that he is being discriminated against because of his race and because he complained about what were described as violations of policy.
Dexter Lee, who is an assistant principal at Pine Bluff High School alleged he was denied promotions and is seeking lost wages and benefits, compensatory damages for mental, emotional and physical suffering, punitive damages, a public written apology and press release.
The lawsuit names the Pine Bluff School District, former State Education Commissioner Johnny Key, former superintends Jeremy Owoh and Barbara Warren, current Superintendent Jennifer Barbaree, and Monica McMurray in their individual and professional capacities and was filed in Federal District Court.
It alleges that Lee worked as an assistant principal and then Human Capitol Officer for the district and discovered policy violations including discrimination and favoritism regarding jobs within the district. It alleges he complained about these activities, but nothing was done and he posted on the internet about those violations.
In March 2019 he was removed from his position as Human Capitol Officer and his pay was cut and since then, assistant superintendent positions have opened within the district for which he applied, but was not selected.
The lawsuit went on to say that Lee was assigned to Pine Bluff High School and the district retaliated against him by removing his secretary, greatly increasing his workload. Another assistant principal was designated as Interim Principal and despite what Lee claimed that that person was not doing their job, that person was promoted to interim principal over Lee.
Two assistant superintendents also allegedly investigated Lee for what the lawsuit said were unwarranted investigations based on “student concerns” that, the lawsuit said, “were clear violations of policy based on video and numerous witnesses to their conduct.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Barbaree, who is the current superintendent, “has stated that she is, unilaterally, without posting positions, going to decide where personnel will go without posting the jobs. Accordingly, the current Interim Principal, who is not doing their job, is now getting the Principal position without applying for it.”
Little Rock attorneys Luther Oneal Sutter and Lucien R. Gillham filed the lawsuit and are demanding a jury trial for their client
