Dallas Lesbian Teacher Wins $100K in Discrimination Case

DALLAS-FORT WORTH, TX — (02-27-20) — Lesbian teacher Stacy Bailey won $100K settlement in her anti-LGBT discrimination lawsuit against the Mansfield Independent School District.

Stacy Bailey sued the district in federal court for sexual orientation discrimination and last October, a judge ruled that the district had violated her constitutional rights.

The Texas school teacher who was suspended after showing a photo of her soon to be wife to students settled with her employer for $100,000.

“The agreements the district and I made in this settlement are a positive first step in making things better for gay employees, gay students and gay families in Mansfield” said Bailey.

Attorney Jason Smith who represented Stacy Bailey said…“This settlement is a win-win for Stacy and the educators and students in Mansfield ISD. The judge’s decision in this case sends a message to school districts all across this country: The Constitution protects gay teachers from discrimination.”

The suburban Mansfield Independent School District agreed to the $100K settlement Monday. Furthermore the settlement requires the district to provide mandatory training to human resources personnel and counselors on LGBTQ issues and optional training on the matter for other staffers and parents, to have the school board vote on adding sexual orientation to its anti discrimination policy, and to expunge the suspension from Bailey’s record.

Many are saying that the Mansfield Independent School District decided to settle the case for fear of the ruling expected to come down the U.S. Supreme Court as it is considering whether existing civil rights law — not the Constitution — bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The court heard cases on LGBTQ civil rights in October of 2019 and are expected to issue a ruling by June 2020. The Mansfield district’s vote will come after the high court rules on the matter.

Bailey, who was twice named the district’s Teacher of the Year, was reinstated in 2018 but was assigned to Lake Ridge High School where she continues to teach today.

The school district continues to deny that the pictures were the reason for the highly aclaimed school teacher’s suspension or that it did anything wrong in her case.

“All parties deny any wrongdoing or liability, but wish to resolve their disputes to avoid the time, expense, stress and other impacts of continuing litigation, which would interfere with the mission of educating the students of MISD,” said district spokesman Donald Williams in a prepared statement

Bailey and her fiance Julie Vasquez said they plan to donate $10,000 of the settlement to a nonprofit dealing with issues affecting LGBTQ students.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

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