Principal files discrimination complaint

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December 22, 2011

KIM SMITH DEDAM Press-Republican The Press Republican Thu Dec 22, 2011, 04:22 PM EST

LAKE PLACID — Lake Placid School Superintendent Dr. Randy Richards is facing an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint filed by one of his principals.

Middle School Principal Katherine Mulderig filed a gender-discrimination complaint last March, stemming from comments Richards made to her in proposing a job change in February.

Mulderig confirmed in a phone interview Thursday that she is taking legal action against the superintendent and the School District.

“I filed a complaint under Title VII discrimination for gender bias, sex discrimination and harassment in the place of employment with the EEOC.”

LAWSUIT PLANNED

“I can’t comment further because I will probably be filing a lawsuit under Title VII in the end of January,” Mulderig said. “It’s a federal lawsuit. The Justice Department handles education lawsuits.

“And that’s all I can say, sorry.”

Richards said the matter is a personnel issue and would not provide details.

The Press-Republican is seeking hearing documents under the Freedom of Information Law Act from the Equal Opportunity Commission office in Buffalo.

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported that Richards told Mulderig he wanted her to switch to elementary-school principal because he needed someone “bitchier to govern the bitchy” female teachers in the elementary school.

APOLOGY EMAIL

Parents, former teachers and students have responded to the allegations with furor, going so far as to demand Richards’s resignation.

Lake Placid resident and former Lake Placid Elementary School teacher Theresa Goddeau spoke to the issue after attending a School Board meeting this week.

She said that after the incident earlier this year, Richards “did issue a letter of apology to the staff. The letter was sent via email, and not everyone got the letter. In my opinion, when you apologize to someone, you do it face to face.”

Goddeau taught at the school for 20 years and for five years before that in Tupper Lake.

She remains in close association with many teachers who still work in Lake Placid schools.

She considers the words “bitchy” and “bitchier” references to female teachers, suggesting it is an issue of gender discrimination.

“There are only three male teachers and a principal who’s male at Lake Placid Elementary School. Yes, I would say the comment is directed at women.”

SEEN AS UNPROFESSIONAL

Beyond gender, the comment, she said, is unprofessional and inappropriate in any administrative context.

“I could not believe that an administrator would say something like that about people he didn’t even know. He said this in February and had only been there since July.

“The teachers give their heart and soul to the children at the Elementary School. They are professionals. I think the thing that’s really bothering me, as a former teacher, is the fact that he’s saying he sent a formal letter of apology. He did not send a letter of apology; he sent an email.”

Even a letter would not heal the damage done, Goddeau said.

“As someone said at the meeting, it’s too little, too late. It happened last February, and the only reason he sent the email is because it came out in the pubic.”

Goddeau feels that many people in the community are unhappy with the situation and would like to see Richards resign or for the School Board to take some action.

“I think it’s an important issue. I worked with those people for 20 years. They don’t deserve that.”

STUDENTS WALK OUT

Lake Placid Education Association President Thomas Dodd, who works at Lake Placid Elementary School, said students, parents and taxpayers have a right to weigh in on this concern. Dodd said students demonstrated during school Wednesday, when about 40 students walked out of school and went to the administration building for 15 minutes.

“High School administrators came outside and asked them respectfully to return to their classrooms, which they did.

“The Lake Placid Education Association supports the rights of our students to speak out on important issues in the school and community. We also support the right of students, parents, taxpayers and all community members to be able to speak freely and honestly about their concerns and to be able to address the Board of Education.”

Students were asking for the superintendent’s resignation.

Asked Thursday by the Press-Republican if he would release hearing documents, School Board President Phil Baumbach said, “At this point, no, because it’s a personnel issue.”

The next Lake Placid School Board meeting is at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. It is open to the public.

Email Kim Smith Dedam at:

kdedam@pressrepublican.com