NORFOLK, Va. — A discrimination lawsuit filed against Norfolk Academy by a former teacher was dismissed by a federal judge Monday before a jury could consider the claims, court documents obtained by 13News Now show.
Judge Arenda Wright Allen granted a motion by Norfolk Academy for judgment on the claims made by Joan Allison, who alleged that she was demoted in 2019 because of her race.
Allison claimed that the private school's headmaster, Dennis Manning, told her that she would be transferred from teaching in the classroom to working in the school’s after-care.
Wright Allen's order came during the retrial of the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Norfolk. The first trial happened in November 2022, but it ended with a hung jury.
In her order, Wright Allen wrote that Allison failed to establish a discrimination case on first impression, and even if she did, the school laid out "a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason" for her reassignment.
She cited the school's argument that Allison's performance as a teacher wasn't satisfactory, specifically complaints about her treatment of children and teaching methods.
Wright Allen also referred to Allison's reassignment, which the school argued came with the same benefits as her previous role, along with a 2% pay increase.
She noted Allison's testimony that the reassignment was a "dream job" and she had accepted the role in writing before resigning.
"For all these reasons, the Court concludes that Plaintiff has failed to present evidence from which a reasonable jury could conclude that she suffered an adverse employment action," Wright Allen wrote.
In concluding the motion, the judge said Allison didn't provide evidence of a general pattern of racial discrimination by the school or Manning.
"To the contrary, the evidence at trial demonstrated Norfolk Academy and Mr. Manning’s commitment to diversity, equity, and social justice," Wright Allen wrote.
In an e-mail sent to the parents of Norfolk Academy students, Manning thanked the teachers and parents who testified on behalf of the school, as well as the school's legal team and members of the community that supported the school.
"We are thankful to bring this chapter to a close," Manning said.
The attorneys for Norfolk Academy released the following statement on the judge's decision, saying that they are pleased to have been "completely vindicated in this case."
"On behalf of Norfolk Academy and Dennis Manning, we are pleased that the Court today dismissed Joan Allison’s lawsuit as a matter of law, and found that Ms. Allison had failed to prove that there was any discrimination against her..." the statement reads.
"As Ms. Allison‘s own stipulations confirm, Norfolk Academy is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice."