A white elementary school principal is suing the Ann Arbor Public Schools, alleging racial discrimination and a conspiracy by school officials to keep her out of the job to favor black administrators.

Blick (Photo: Ann Arbor Public Schools)

Since September 2013, Shannon M. Blick served as principal at Lawton Elementary School, according to a complaint filed Saturday in U.S. District Court.

Then in April, Blick, 39, alleges the district “constructively terminated” her due to her “Caucasian race and because an African American coveted” Blick’s position as principal.

According to Detroit Free Press, Blick’s attorneys allege the Ann Arbor school district and its school board have a history of “harboring, and acting on, racial animus towards Caucasians and non-minority individuals” and have “notoriety” for stepping on the civil rights of Caucasian and non-minority administrators when African American and minority administrators “covet” Caucasian and non-minority administrators’ “legitimately earned” positions.

The lawsuit says Blick was placed on paid administrative leave in April but has been prohibited from attending school board meetings and special events at Lawton, where her three children attend, including a fifth-grade graduation ceremony where her son was a singer, Detroit News reported.

White people have rights,” said William Tishkoff, Lawton’s lawyer. “So yeah, this is a reverse (discrimination) case. Right now, it’s very timely in terms of what’s happening in our country.”

According to Click on Detroit, it goes on to say the conduct is consistent with the district’s and the board of education’s “notoriety for inhibiting and stepping on the civil rights of Caucasian and non-minority administrators when African American and minority administrators covet Caucasian and non-minority administrators’ legitimately earned and obtained positions, seniority, pay, jobs or duties.”

School district spokesman Andrew Cluley said the district had not yet been served with the complaint and “does not comment on pending litigation or personnel matters.”

While many school districts in Michigan have struggled to diversify their staffing ranks, demographic data the district submitted to the Michigan Center for Educational Performance Information shows that in 2016, Ann Arbor schools had 75 administrators, 24 of them black.

Lawton Elementary School in Ann Arbor, Tuesday, July 23, 2019. (Photo: Junfu Han)

That makes 32% of the administrators African American in a district in which the black student population is 14%. The district touts its diversity, noting on its website: “In the Ann Arbor Public Schools we respect diversity, celebrate and benefit from a rich, diverse learning and work environment, and understand that diversity strengthens the organization.”

But Tishkoff said the district has treated white administrators unfairly by subjecting them to hostility in the workplace and passing them over for advancement so that African Americans can get ahead.

“I’ve had a lot of people come up to me and say, ‘It’s about time, ‘” Tishkoff said of the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Blick had been principal at Lawton since 2013, when her assistant principal was promoted to principal in another building. Filling the empty assistant principal spot typically involved interviews and community meetings, including parents, but the district immediately installed Taneia Giles, an assistant principal from another school.

Giles had reported seeing acts of discrimination against blacks while in her previous assignment and she was given the spot at Lawton because the district and the board of education “were afraid they might lose a minority administrator,” the lawsuit claims.

The suit also claims that in April, Blick was handed a letter by Shonta A. Langford, executive director of human resources and employee relations for the district, that said:

“You are being placed on an administrative paid leave of absence effective immediately. … In the meantime, you are directed not to contact any students, parents, or staff regarding this matter.”

Another principal told Blick the district was investigating her because a custodian at Lawton had stolen $25,000 from the school over a four-year period and Blick was being held responsible. She was urged to resign before the end of the school year June 30, the lawsuit said.

In May, a group of Lawton parents were preparing to attend the school board meeting to defend Blick, but Dawn Linden, executive director of elementary education for the district, told Blick to convince them to remain silent, according to the lawsuit.

“Ms. Blick has also been prohibited, under threat of discharge, from attending: public school board meetings; teacher training; committee meetings, which she would normally attend; meetings with parents of Lawton students; special events involving Lawton students; and multiple other events and doings,” according to the suit.

Blick, who alleges she was rated “highly effective” as principal while at Lawson, remains listed on the school’s website as its principal along with a photograph, biography and education philosophy.

Blick is suing for deprivation her federal employment rights and for racial discrimination in violation of the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act. She also alleges she was denied her freedoms of speech, petition and association.

Blick’s attorney, William G. Tishkoff, referred to the lawsuit when asked questions seeking comment on Monday and said the 35-page lawsuit was an “extensively researched complaint.”

Blick is seeking a judgment for $5 million for lost wages and emotional and mental distress.