Employees File Federal Whistleblower Lawsuit Against Coatesville Area School District
By Jim Melwert
COATESVILLE, P.A., (CBS) -- Two employees at the heart of Coatesville Area School District's racist-text-message-scandal, have filed a federal Whistleblower lawsuit against the district.
The suit claims district employees Abdallah Hawa and Teresa Powell were unfairly targeted once they brought the racist messages between Superintendent Richard Como and former Athletic Director Jim Donato.
Hawa was the district's director of technology when he found the texts on school issued cell phones.
The lawsuit outlines several attempts by the district at what the complaint alleges was an attempted cover-up of the text messages, including an offered promotion and raise which the suit alleges was an attempt to quiet Powell, or discussions of how to get around Right to Know requests from media outlets.
The suit claims Hawa and Powell were stripped of job duties, denied raises or promotions, and were the subject of harassment.
They're seeking lost earnings and punitive damages for pain and suffering.