Indian substitute teacher files racial discrimination lawsuit against FISD

SHERMAN - An Asian substitute teacher as filed a discrimination lawsuit claiming he was terminated due to his race and national origin. 

Lakhan Rathee filed suit against Frisco Independent School District on July 1 in the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division.

Rathee is an Asian American male of Indian national origin with an apparent accent. He states that at the time of the incident, he was 76 years of age and had over 25 years of teaching experience. According to the lawsuit, Rathee received an email from the defendant to work as a substitute teacher at Sonntag Elementary School.

He states that when he arrived at the school he was not allowed in and his assignment had been cancelled. The following day, he was issued a Criminal Trespass Warning by the Frisco Police Department. Rathee was then terminated from his position as a substitute teacher at FISD, the suit states.

The defendant is accused of race and national origin discrimination and harassment, according to the suit.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of damages for back pay, front pay, compensatory damages for pecuniary loss, emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and non-pecuniary damages, punitive damages, attorney’s fees and interest.

Rathee is represented by Vincent J. Bhatti and Ditty S. Bhatti of The Bhatti Law Firm in Dallas. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Ron Clark is assigned to the case.

Case No. 4:13-cv-00370