What more could Jefferson City Public Schools offer its students with $250,000?
Granted, in the scope of the district's budget, it might not be considered a huge chunk of money. However, it's enough to make a difference.
It's enough, for instance, to equip more than 700 students with new Chromebooks. However, it's also money down the drain, from the perspective of taxpayers. Because that's how much the district is paying to settle another discrimination lawsuit. (The total settlement is for $400,000. The district is paying $250,000 and its insurance company is paying $150,000.)
Gretchen Guitard, who was the district's director of curriculum and staff services, had alleged in a suit that the district and some of its officials discriminated against her based on retaliation and gender, which created a hostile work environment that prevented her from performing her duties, and left her feeling unwelcome, singled-out and intimidated.
A similar lawsuit is pending by Tammy Ferry.
The news of the $400,000 payout came out Friday evening, which is considered the best time for bad news to come out, if it's your bad news. The theory is that on the weekend, particularly on Saturdays, people are busy with personal/family activities and don't pay close attention to the news.
Unfortunately for the district, the next day's news cycle was no better. The banner headline of our Sunday edition read: "JCPS named in gender discrimination suit."
It detailed yet another lawsuit, this one filed in federal court by Robert Jones, who claims as an E2020 supervisor (E2020 is a computer-based academic credit recovery program for students) at the Jefferson City High School, his job responsibilities were the same as female counterparts, but he was paid less.
He's seeking at least $300,000, plus legal fees and punitive damages.
It's yet to be determined whether the lawsuits by Ferry and Jones have merit. However, past lawsuits have resulted in settlements or jury awards. Karen Ray was awarded about $250,000 in 2016 from a discrimination lawsuit. That same year, Laura Cooper settled with the district for $450,000 in her discrimination suit.
At the time, JCHS Principal Robert James said through collaboration, the district was slowly changing the climate there. We can only hope that pace quickens.