Alabama 'Reverse Discrimination' Verdict Goes to Fired Teacher
by Jim Brown
June 20, 2005
(AgapePress) - An Alabama community college has been found guilty of reverse discrimination after firing a white teacher because of her race.A federal jury in Mobile has determined a decision by Bishop State Community College to fire history instructor Sarah Taylor was racially motivated, and the school's justification for her termination was unacceptable. Bishop State administrators dismissed Taylor in 2001 so they could give her job to a black teacher. The jury awarded Taylor $300,000 in damages for back pay and emotional distress and anguish.
Taylor's attorney, Steven Terry of Mobile, says the verdict is a big victory for his client.
"She went through a lot of anguish over this," he shares. "I think at one point she became very discouraged. It took four years to get this to a jury verdict, and I think over the years first the termination and then the difficulties with the litigation began to wear on her. I think she began to wonder if she was ever going to get justice."
Although the circumstances of the case were unique, Terry says he did not approach the trial differently than any other discrimination complaint, applying the "burden of proof" test.
"The same elements are applicable ... so as far as my client and I are concerned, it was just a discrimination case," Terry says. "In this case it happened to be a reverse [case of discrimination], but the burden of proof was the same -- and that's the way we presented it to the jury."
The attorney notes that at the time of Taylor's firing, she had been at Bishop State for two-and-a-half years and had nothing but excellent evaluations.
Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
