Discrimination claim surfaces against District 15

The Illinois Department of Human Rights will investigate a former bus driver's claim he faced discrimination while employed by Palatine Township Elementary District 15.

Phil DeLap, a 30-year-old Palatine resident, said his supervisors and co-workers harassed and discriminated against him because he is gay for about two years until he quit in January.

In his six-page complaint, DeLap lists several incidents that created a "hostile, degrading, offensive and intimidating work environment." For example, it states DeLap's supervisor made sexual comments to him nearly daily, someone wrote a gay slur on his car windshield and a former assistant superintendent told him, "I would have to quit if I did not like how I was being treated ..."

John Fenton, District 15 director of personnel, said it's premature to comment because the process has just started. He said the district will be "ready to respond through attorneys when the time comes."

DeLap's attorney, Justin Randolph of Chicago, said in a month or two, his client and District 15 representatives will sit down with an IDHR investigator. Should substantial evidence of discrimination be found, he said the Illinois Human Rights Commission would take over the case.