Recovery School District employee files disability discrimination

An employee of the Recovery School District has filed a disability discrimination lawsuit claiming that she was fired because she was undergoing medical treatment for job-related injuries.

Celestine Hopkins filed suit against Orleans Parish School Board, Recovery School District, United Teacher of New Orleans, Paul Valls as superintendent of Recovery School District, Sametta Brown as executive director of human resources, Larry Samuel as attorney for United Teacher of New Orleans and Larry Carter as president of United Teacher of New Orleans.

Hopkins was a tenured employee working as a licensed health professional/child specific for the Recovery School District. She was terminated on July 30, 2010 for being unable to perform her job duties, the lawsuit claims. She claims she could not challenge the decision as she was undergoing medical treatment for her job-related injuries.

Hopkins claims that the defendant violated her due process rights and rights under the equal protection clause and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:11-cv-01836