A Tompkins Square Middle School teacher says in a Manhattan Federal Court discrimination suit that Principal Sonhando Estwick "put his career at risk by failing to address racial issues at his school," the
Daily News reports.
Per the
News:
The 34-year-old teacher, who is black and has 10 years of experience, seeks $5 million from the city.
Doe says his relationship with Estwick soured in 2012 when he asked during a meeting whether the school would be celebrating Black History Month.
Estwick, who is also black, replied the school doesn’t celebrate the month because it celebrates diversity year-round, according to court papers.
The teacher alleges that the principal said that "his radical views are not welcome at the school," and that he was "an affirmative action hire."
And then...
In October 2016, a parent complained to Estwick that a teacher cracked a joke about a Muslim student who dresses conservatively, the suit says.
The teacher, who is white, joked about the classroom needing a Muslim ban — but replaced the word “Muslim” with the student’s name, the suit says.
Despite some complaints, that teacher was never reprimanded.
According to the
News, the suit was filed as a John Doe case "to protect a vulnerable student." The John Doe is still employed at the school, on Sixth Street at Avenue B.
