A Cook County man has filed suit against his former employer, a Roman Catholic high school, alleging that the school discriminated against him for being gay, among other factors.
Gordon Tech High School officials alleged that Anthony Millspaugh, 48, hit a student in his class and fired Millspaugh shortly thereafter in January of last year. Millspaugh contends, however, that he lightly tapped the back of the student's head, according to his attorney, Jacob Meister.
When Millspaugh was given a hearing over the matter in May of last year, the school's principal, Carl Hagman, allegedly told Millsbaugh that they were trying to avoid turning the episode into "another Ohio State and Jerry Sandusky," though Millspaugh's alleged disciplinary violation had nothing to do with sexual misconduct involving students.
The complaint called the May proceedings "a sham hearing that was conducted without, among other things, ( a ) affording Millspaugh with due process, ( b ) a right to call and examine witnesses, and ( c ) undue influence over the hearing process."
Millspaugh maintains that other teachers who have been accused of similar violations did not receive similar disciplinary action and seeks damages for discrimination and wrongful firing based on age, sexual orientation, disability, retaliation and breach of contract. According to the lawsuit and Courthouse News, his dismissal shortly followed another discrimination complaint.
Hagman no longer works at Gordon Tech and is not a party to the lawsuit.
Millspaugh had worked at the school for 26 years and had tenure. He is HIV-positive and suffers from depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and hypertension, but none of those impacted his teaching, according to the lawsuit and Courthouse News.
He "went through a horrible period of debilitating depression" from what transpired last year, said Meister. "He was completely ripped apart by this principal."
When reached for comment, Gordon Tech President Kelly Jones said she could not comment on pending litigation.
