School Board Approves Two Employee Settlements

At its meeting on June 2, the Leon County School Board voted to approve settlements for two lawsuits filed by LCS employees.

The first is a $13,000 settlement between Shannon Haire and Leon County Schools.

“Ms. Haire is a school board employee who alleges that she was subjected to sexual harassment and assault by her supervisor while employed at John G. Riley Elementary School and retaliation for reporting the same,” staff reports.

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The summons and complaint were served in June 2019, and the Board filed its answer denying the allegations in July 2019.

Following mediation, a settlement of $35,000 plus payment of mediation costs was reached. Staff reports that the Board is responsible for $13,000 of the settlement. The remainder will be paid by AIG, the school district’s insurance company.

The second is a $17,500 settlement between Debra Clayton and Leon County Schools.

“Ms. Clayton is a 61-year-old African-American female who was employed with the School Board as a paraprofessional,” staff reports. “She resigned her position at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. She claimed that while an employee she was subjected to discriminatory treatment in the form of reduction of her work hours on the basis of her age.”

Clayton also alleges that she was subjected to retaliation after she submitted written complaints to the superintendent, deputy superintendent, and assistant superintendent at the time.

Clayton’s complaint was filed in July 2018, and the answer was filed in October 2018. Following mediation, a $17,500 settlement was reached.

Staff reports that both settlements cost significantly less than moving forward with litigation.

Lexie Pitzen

Lexie Pitzen is a student at Florida State University majoring in Information, Communication and Technology. She has contributed to Cat Family Records' T.ART Zine, The Tally Wire and the FSView and Florida Flambeau. In her home state of Minnesota, she also wrote for several local newspapers.

View all posts by Lexie Pitzen →

5 Comments

  1. WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot
    WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

    So, by this Board logic, if someone files a lawsuit in an amount that falls below the cost of defending the Board against it, the Board will settle it with a check. I’m suing for $25,000, but I’ll settle for $15,000 and my lawyers fee.

    1. Mimi
      Mimi

      It depends if you have political pull. They spend hundreds of thousands fighting lawsuits every year. Basically Rocky and the school board attorney decide.

  2. TONY
    TONY

    What kind of sexual harassment and assault by her supervisor was it?

  3. News Maven
    News Maven

    Rocky just quit the FEA's task force on reopening K-12 screwels:
    https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2020/06/02/rocky-hanna-withdraws-fea-task-force-reopening-schools/3122523001/
    Story doesn't say exactly why, other than his spox saying it was a time issue.
    Really?
    SCREWEL IS NOT EVEN IN SESSION!
    Can't believe there was no reporter pushback on such a BS excuse.
    Reminds me of Alan Williams' response when asked for his home address - an all-time epic fail.
    And there better be a significant drop in the screwel portion of our property tax bills this fall, and NO administrative raises!
    Or I will encourage everyone to pack the Howell in Sept. with tiki torches, HAH1, HAH2, HAH3!

  4. Mark
    Mark

    What was the settlement that was given to the teacher that Rocky as a high school principal and the immediate supervisor of the teacher dated and later bullied her?

    Rocky must have flashbacks during these kinds of settlements, my oh my how lucky he was that nobody else dared to come forward because they knew the wrath of Rocky and his brother would take them down.

💬

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