NEW ORLEANS -- A former principal is suing her school board because of alleged discrimination and insufficient staffing.
Iris Breaux filed a federal complaint on July 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Assumption Parish School Board and Jeremy Couvillion for violation of the Louisiana Employment Discrimination Law, breach of contract and constructive discharge.
According to the complaint, Breaux began working as the principal of Belle Rose Middle School on July 1, 2015. During her time as principal, Breaux alleges that for the 2018-2019 school year, Breaux had an assistant principal serving the school only 50% of the time.
The assistant vice principal assigned to the school, Nicole Pipsair, served both Belle Rose Middle School and Belle Rose Primary School, leaving Breaux with support only half of the time.
Belle Rose Middle School had a janitor that could not perform her full duties part of the year because she was on leave. Breaux, her husband and her child were forced to go to the school on weekends and evenings to clean the school, she says.
Breaux also alleges that the school was inadequately staffed. Breaux alleges an extreme situation in which the assistant principal used racist, derogatory comments towards students. Breaux alleges other examples of being racially discriminated against, and undermined, leaving her unable to do her job properly.
Breaux seeks damages for back pay, front pay, lost benefits, compensation for emotional distress, humiliation and anxiety, compensation for her monetary losses, liquidated/punitive damages, damages pursuant to breach of contract, damages pursuant to intentional interference with business/contractual relations, attorney fees and cost of suit. Breaux is represented by Douglas R. Kraus of Brener and Kraus, LLC.
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:21-cv-01405-BWA-DMD