NEW ORLEANS - Jefferson Parish and the Department of Juvenile Services have been brought to New Orleans federal court for alleged civil rights violations.
According to a lawsuit filed on March 31, plaintiff Brishawna Silby worked as a juvenile home detention supervisor for the defendant at the Rivarde center from May 2019 until she was demoted in February 2020.
Silby says she was blamed for several incidents at the facility, many of which happened when she was not even present.
She also accuses the defendants of treating her differently because she is an African American female, saying that she was disciplined harshly for trivial events while Caucasian and male employees were lightly reprimanded or not disciplined at all for more serious issues.
Silby was allegedly demoted in retaliation to her voicing her concerns of discrimination.
The defendants, including Director of the Department of Juvenile Services Roy Juncker and Assistant Director Christopher Trosclair, are charged with violating the Civil Rights Act, disparate treatment by gender and race, retaliation, deprivation of a vested property right and discrimination based on gender and race.
Silby is represented by Stephanie Dovalina LSBA of New Orleans.