Beaumont schools administrator named in retaliation suit by press officer

A school district employee is suing, claiming a conspiracy is trying to get rid of him following his participation in an investigation.

Ronald Reynolds filed suit June 19 in Jefferson County District Court against Beaumont Independent School District and Superintendent Timothy Chargois. 

Reynolds is an employee of the defendant school district as a school business volunteer supervisor. He also serves as the district's press officer. During a school board meeting June 17, Chargois recommended the elimination of three employee positions, two of which are currently vacant with the third occupied by Reynolds. The plaintiff is accusing Chargois of making the recommendation as part of a conspiracy to remove Reynolds from employment with the school district following a journalistic investigation into the district's administration in November 2013, which Reynolds was lawfully obligated to participate in as the press officer for the district, the suit states.

The defendants are accused of retaliation for refusal to perform an illegal act.

Reynolds is seeking a temporary restraining order, a temporary injunction, a permanent injunction, actual damages, interest and costs. He is represented by Missouri City attorney Laurence Watts of Watts & Co. Lawyers Ltd. 

Jefferson County District Court Case No. A195-812 This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Jefferson County District Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.