advertisement

Maine West teacher sues District 207 over firing

A former Maine West High School orchestra teacher has filed a federal lawsuit against Maine Township High School District 207 school board claiming that he was fired because of his gender. In the suit filed earlier this year, Andrew Ladendorf also alleges that District 207 employees hurt his chances of getting a job with another school district after he was fired from District 207 in 2011. Ladendorf was hired by District 207 in June 2008 to work in the Des Plaines school’s Fine Arts and Music Department. The charges in the suit don’t offer details of specific actions taken against Ladendorf by the school’s administration or district leaders. The suit alleges that starting in February 2011 the district “engaged in a pattern and practice of sex discrimination against Ladendorf and other male employees” and that the gender discrimination was apparent in the performance reviews Ladendorf received since that time. In July 2011, Ladendorf filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the suit. District 207 spokesman Dave Beery said Wednesday that the district would not comment on pending litigation. Ladendorf is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.