Title VII Violation – Discrimination

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: Gloria D. Terry v. Gary Community School Corporation

Case No.: 18-1270

Officials: FLAUM, RIPPLE, and MANION, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Title VII Violation – Discrimination

For thirty-five years, plaintiff-appellant Gloria D. Terry worked as a teacher and an administrator for defendant-appellee Gary Community School Corporation (the “District”). At the end of the 2013–2014 school year, the District closed the elementary school where Terry served as the Principal because of declining enrollment. In turn, the District reassigned her to serve as the Assistant Principal at another elementary school. From Terry’s perspective, this reassignment was a demotion. Additionally, the District also picked a male employee over Terry for a separate promotion, even though Terry had earned the highest ranking of all the applicants from the interviewers.

These events motivated Terry to bring this lawsuit, alleging sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1), and the Fourteenth Amendment via 42 U.S.C. § 1983; retaliation in violation of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a); unequal pay in violation of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, 29 U.S.C. § 206(d)(1); and a violation of the Indiana Open Door Law, Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5- 1 et seq. Only Terry’s federal claims are at issue on appeal. The parties consented to referral to a magistrate judge who granted summary judgment in favor of the District on Terry’s federal claims. Terry appeals that decision, and we affirm.

Affirmed

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Derek A. Hawkins is a trademark corporate counsel attorney for Harley-Davidson, where he concentrates his practice on brand protection and strategy.