Prison chaplain claims sex discrimination in federal lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois prison chaplain has filed a federal lawsuit alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation for complaining about it.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that Colleen Bennett-Houston claims she suffered lost income and emotional trauma when she was fired from the Lincoln Correctional Center. An arbitrator later ordered the 63-year-old Bennett-Houston be rehired. She contends the Illinois Department of Corrections delayed her rehiring and payment of back wages.

The agency declined comment. The lawsuit seeks back pay and damages.

Bennett-Houston was first hired as a chaplain in 2012. She says superiors made unwanted comments, kept inmates from attending her classes and were slow to respond when she needed security assistance.

She says her firing in June 2016 came after she gave notification of her intent to file a discrimination charge.