Buford City Schools, the district's superintendent and the district's deputy superintendent have been named in a lawsuit by an employee who claims she experienced retaliation after raising concerns about services for special needs students.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Dana Maxwell was seeking a jury trial in the suit. Maxwell claimed she was demoted from director of student services to a student services specialist as a result of her concerns. She has asked for her old job back along with payment for other damages and legal fees.
The school district denied Maxwell's allegations in a statement. The AJC reports the district did, however, say that they transferred Maxwell to a different job. However, they said the move was justified and did not involve a pay cut.
Maxwell reportedly led student services for about nine years. She claimed she faced opposition to advocacy efforts from school administrators.
Superintendent Melanie Beard Reed was named in the suit, and was accused of failing to support the district's special needs students as per federal law and state regulations.
The AJC reported court documents claimed a principal tried to assign 75 students with individualized education programs to a single case manager. The Georgia Department of Education only allows case managers to handle up to 26 students. Maxwell claimed she tried to intervene, but school officials sided against her until the district's attorney stepped in.
Maxwell claimed her job was threatened after Reed became superintendent in January. She also alleged administrators would speak negatively about her to other employees in the district.
The AJC reported the complaint was filed late in August, and court records did not show a future hearing scheduled.
