Former PG Teacher Wins $350K in Bias Lawsuit

A former Prince George’s County English teacher who said he faced years of harassment from a black school principal because he is white won $350,000 in damages from a jury.

Jon Everhart, 65, began teaching English at Largo High School in Upper Marlboro in 2003, according to The Washington Post. Everhart filed a lawsuit in 2010 when he was fired and had his teaching certificate revoked. He believed the reason he lost his job was because he was white. He had sought $5 million in damages.

Everhart told the Post he had faced years of harassment from Largo High School Principal Angelique Simpson-Marcus, a black woman.

“She called me ‘poor white trash’ and (an expletive),” Everhart told the Post.

The $350,000 award is for compensatory damages, the Post reports. Everhart claims he suffered high blood pressure and heart problems because of his treatment at the high school.

Simpson-Marcus denied Everharts claims.

“I never said any of those things,” Simpson-Marcus told the Post. “I don’t use that kind of language.”

The principal declined to give the reason for Everhart’s termination.

U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte will decide how much Everhart will receive for back pay and benefits, the Post reports. Prince George’s County school system has 30 days to show Judge Messitte why Everhart should not receive these retirement and health benefits, and explain why Everhart’s teaching certificate should not be restored.

>>> Read the full story at The Washington Post.

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