This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Christie Tran, a former teacher at North Thurston Public Schools, is suing the district for retaliation after reportedly supporting students during protests against racism and sexual harassment in 2022.
Tran says the district violated Washington’s anti-discrimination law by demoting her and falsely accusing her of misconduct. She filed the lawsuit this month in Thurston County Superior Court, according to the Seattle Times.
Tran had previously filed a complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission, which found in October that the district unlawfully retaliated against her. She said the lawsuit is about holding the district accountable for its failure to protect students.
“It shouldn’t just be my job to protect students; this is what the district and the administration should be doing also,” Tran said in an interview. “This lawsuit is about bringing about those changes.”
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Tran worked as a visual arts teacher at River Ridge High School, where she became concerned about the district’s handling of harassment and racism issues. The lawsuit claims the district ignored sexual harassment reports and failed to protect students of color from racist incidents.
In early 2022, Tran supported students during a nine-day protest against the district’s handling of these issues. After the protests, she was placed on administrative leave for eight months during an investigation into alleged misconduct, including misappropriation of funds. The district later dropped the funds allegation but concluded she violated school policies related to accepting donations. Tran denies the claims, arguing it was just a way to silence her.
Tran was reassigned to a different school and demoted. She resigned in May 2023 after taking medical leave.
Tran is asking the court to remove the retaliation from her personnel file, and provide back pay, future lost wages, and damages for non-economic harm.
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