A Maryland teacher accused of making “racist” comments about classroom seating was awarded $518,000 by a jury, reports The College Fix.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School’s Daniel Engler supposedly told two black students he wouldn’t “be able to tell them apart” if they weren’t seated in their assigned seats.
As The Fix reports,
Engler denied making “any type of racial comment” and had disputed the students’ version of events.” But Principal Shelton Mooney sent out a “communitywide letter” labeling the interaction as a “hate-bias incident.”
Engler ended up suing Mooney and the Montgomery County Public Schools Board, claiming among other things the principal did not give him an opportunity to defend himself, and that he “made up” the comment about Engler not being to distinguish between the two students.
During the trial, Mooney admitted he fabricated “a partial quote” in his community message, but claimed it “expressed the sentiments of students who witnessed an incident.”
Engler’s attorney David Wachen called the situation “a case of ‘shoot first and ask questions later.’”
Late last month, a jury sided with Engler after a week-long trial, ruling the Montgomery County Public Schools Board must pay Engler $518,000 in damages.
As a Bethesda magazine reports, Engler called the verdict
“a tremendous relief.” “[Teachers are] human and are not mistake-free and have good hearts and they should be treated that way,” he said. “I believe this verdict is an illustration that what I’m saying is true … so that means a great deal to me.”
School board spokesperson Christie Scott said Thursday afternoon that the board wasn’t able to comment on the verdict. Mooney and his attorney, David Kaminow, declined to comment after the verdict was released.
The trial included testimony from Mooney, Engler and several other B-CC community members, including students who were in the class at the time.
Engler sought less than $80,000, but the jury awarded over six times that amount. Curiously, the jury found that while the school board had defamed Engler, Principal Mooney had not.
