Spanish teacher forced to resign after complaining about racial discrimination, according to lawsuit

HOUSTON - A Missouri City woman alleges she was the victim of racial discrimination when she taught Spanish in the Fort Bend Independent School District, recent court documents say.

In a lawsuit filed June 27 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas, Marie M. Youngblood explains she was subjected to unlawful discrimination and a hostile work environment because she is black.

FBISD employed Youngblood at Willowridge High School from 2010 to late March 2012.

She claims the purported mistreatment began in September 2011 when several of her students, who are black and Hispanic, made it known to her that they did not want to learn Spanish from her.

The suit further shows the students harassed Youngblood by saying derogatory things to her as well as physically attacking her.

It points out one incident in which a student hit her in the eye with a paperback dictionary.

Youngblood says she unsuccessfully addressed her ordeal as Willowridge officials "failed to take immediate and remedial action to relieve the hostile work environment."

According to the plaintiff, her superiors supposedly told her "she was at fault" and announced the non-renewal of her contract.

She argues the school district coerced her to resign.

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney R. Chris Pittard of Forte & Pittard PLLC in San Antonio is representing the complainant.

Case No. 4:13-CV-1876