The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld summary judgment for an employer in a race discrimination matter. Floyd v. Amite County Sch. Dist., No. 08-60799 (5th Cir. Aug. 27, 2009), available at http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cpub%5C08/08-60799-CV0.wpd.pdf. Charles Floyd, an African-American, worked as a track coach and principal at a school with a predominantly black population. He also ran a summer track program at the school, and he invited white private school students to participate in this program. School officials allegedly disliked Floyd’s attempt to bring African-American and Caucasian students together. The school district terminated Floyd’s employment; Floyd alleged it was because of his race. The district court granted summary judgment for the school district, and Floyd appealed.
The Fifth Circuit found that no grounds for racial discrimination existed because the school district did not take an adverse action against Floyd “because of” his race. The Court recognized that an employer may not discriminate against an employee because the employee associates with people of another race. Here, however, any animus by the school district was not directed at Floyd because of his relationship with the white students, but was instead directed solely towards the white students.
To discuss an employment discrimination matter with an employment law attorney, please contact the employment lawyers at Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP at [email protected].
