District 91 Settles Age, Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

A former employee settled a suit with Forest Park Elementary District 91 over claims that she was fired age and racial discrimination.

The Forest Park Review reports that Jamie Alonzo, age 58 at the time of the lawsuit, also alleged in U.S. District Court that the board fired her in 2010 after notifying the state that the district took away retirement benefits and sick days.

Alonzo, who was hired by the school district in 1994 and worked in the lunch room at Forest Park Middle School, alleged that her complaint triggered a "compliance review" of D91 and that the district reinstated her retirement fund participation and sick days.

However, the suit claims, the school board terminated her in retaliation. The school board denied all charges of retaliation in response to the complaint, according to the Review.

Alonzo also claimed that she was terminated because of her age and because she was white, and that no other employees of similar age or race were let go. They were allegations the district denied, according to the Review.

As part of the settlement, Alonzo agreed not to seek employment or re-employment with the district nor to volunteer or set foot on District 91 property without permission from the superintendent, the Review reports.

According to the agreement, both Alonzo and the board promised that if asked about the settlement, they will simply say the dispute was "amicably resolved," according to the Review.

Alonzo is the wife of park district board commissioner Sam Alonzo.