News

February 2, 2010

Ex-GNA teacher charges job bias

Other teachers whose certificates lapsed kept their jobs, Cathy Sadowski says.

A former teacher in the Greater Nanticoke Area School District has sued the district in federal court for terminating her for what she characterizes as discriminatory reasons, according to the lawsuit.

Cathy Sadowski of Pine Street in Nanticoke was employed by the district from 1982 until April 2008, when she was forced to take an unpaid leave of absence or pay a fine for allowing her teaching certification to lapse without first completing another level, the lawsuit states.

She chose the unpaid leave and was told she could get her job back as a business teacher for the 2008-09 school year if she received the next certification level before the year began, according to the lawsuit.

In June, she received a letter that changed her unpaid leave to a termination, but told her to resubmit her resume after receiving the certification.

She did so, but the position was awarded to Sue Walton, who was at least a decade younger than Sadowski, the lawsuit states.

Sadowski states she was better qualified than Walton because she had 26 years of teaching experience, had the position for nine previous years, had her second-level certification, had satisfactory evaluations and was a student favorite.

During that time period, the suit alleges, two male teachers who are also younger than Sadowski were allowed to continue teaching even though they, too, had allowed their certifications to lapse without first completing the next level.

The men, the suit alleges, still have not received that certification.

Sadowski alleges she was discriminated against by the district for her sex and age because Walton was hired despite her lesser qualifications and the younger male teachers didn’t receive the same punishment for the same offense.

She is seeking $150,000 and any damages the court deems appropriate.

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