Class Actions by Employment Law Clinic End in $9.2 Million Settlement for Black Educators

Chicago Education Board To Pay $9.2M In Race Bias Suits

An Illinois federal judge granted preliminary approval to the Chicago Board of Education's $9.2 million deal to end class claims from hundreds of African American teachers and paraprofessionals who say they were subject to racially discriminatory employment practices and policies that caused some to lose their jobs.

The deal would end two lawsuits — one that is nearly a decade old — that accuse the Board of Education of violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause by targeting schools in the city with large percentages of minority employees for closure.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis gave a preliminary green light to the deal, which was first announced in January. It covers classes of hundreds of African American teachers and paraprofessionals in any city school subjected to reconstitution, or "turnaround," during the 2012, 2013 or 2014 calendar years.

...

The workers are represented by Robin Potter and Patrick Cowlin of Fish Potter Bolanos PC and Randall D. Schmidt.

Read more at Law360