Following a plea to the jurisdiction win for the district, the case is now before the Ninth Court of Appeals and set for submission on briefs on April 25.
Cynthia Jackson filed her suit March 15, 2013 in Jefferson County District Court. She filed her appeal last June.
According to the lawsuit, Jackson, a black female, was initially assigned as Washington principal for the 2010-2011 school year until being reassigned to become one of the first assistant principals at Memorial High School.
The reason given by Brown for the demotion was that she “couldn’t accept change,” the suit states.
“The real reason behind plaintiff’s demotion were her comments to Brown and his wife,” the suit alleges.
“Plaintiff wrote to Brown on February 1, 2013 informing him that her students had been denied services and complaining to Brown about the assignment to BTW of a woman who she had neither needed or requested. The supernumerary female was a reportedly intimate friend of Brown’s who had used in a created position of ‘Assistant to the Superintendent.’”
A month later, she was reassigned.
Court records show the district and Brown challenged Jackson’s amended pleadings, arguing her claims were barred by governmental immunity and the court lacked jurisdiction in the case.
On March 27, 2015, Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court, found that Brown was entitled to qualified immunity regarding Jackson’s allegations of tortious interference with employment relationship.
Also, the court found that PAISD was immune from suit because it is a political subdivision of the state of Texas and Jackson failed to aver any waiver of PAISD’s governmental immunity, appellate briefs state.
The Ninth Court will decide whether the judge erred.
Jackson alleges the defendants violated her Texas Constitutional rights. She is suing for compensatory damages.
Missouri City attorney Larry Watts represents her.
PAISD and Brown are represented by Melody Chappell, attorney for the Beaumont law firm Wells, Peyton, Greenberg & Hunt.
Case No. E194-159