Chicago Public Schools Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit

CHICAGO, IL - The Chicago Board of Education signed a tentative agreement Wednesday to settle a lawsuit between Chicago Public Schools and eight teachers who say they were fired when they became pregnant or returned to work from their pregnancies.

The eight teachers are set to split $280,000 in damages and back pay to settle the civil rights lawsuit, reported the Chicago Tribune.

The lawsuit argued that the eight teachers, each employed at Scammon Elementary School, were discriminated against because of their pregnancies. From 2009 to 2012, Principal Mary Weaver gave the teachers lower performance ratings and targeted them for firing, said the lawsuit.

“There existed a regular, purposeful, and less-favorable treatment of teachers because of their sex (pregnancies),” according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago,” alleged the lawsuit.

The Chicago Board of Education will have to report “every complaint of discrimination or harassment related to pregnancy, and every related complaint of retaliation” quarterly, reported the Tribune. The reports are part of the agreement.

Another part of the agreement — the school district does not admit wrongdoing.

Along with paying damages, the school district will conduct training sessions for school officials and review and update its nondiscrimination policy.

”Chicago Public Schools is fully committed to promoting inclusive work environments free of discrimination or mistreatment,” CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said in a statement. “We are taking steps to bolster training and policy awareness to ensure every school and office in CPS is a welcoming environment.”