Croswell-Lexington Schools, following a Monday night discussion whether to settle or go to trial, issued their answer Tuesday to the complaint detailing alleged yearslong racial discrimination against a Black student.
The federal lawsuit, filed May 23 of this year, arises from a civil rights complaint made by Rob and April Malick on behalf of their teenage daughter. As of Tuesday, the Malick’s lawyer said they could not yet comment on Monday night’s decision; however, that same day, the school district and board, through their lawyers, filed their answer to the lawsuit’s complaint, saying that the district “denies the allegation in part to any ‘problem’,” at Cros-Lex schools, further insisting that they have and do provide equity training for all district employees.
The district also received a second civil rights complaint on Tuesday, this time alleging inaction by the district to stop the extreme bullying of a student over her sexual orientation. The student’s mother, Janine Littleton, said that she reached out to the Malicks and Kevin Watkins from Port Huron’s NAACP chapter for help handling the complaint, April Malick noting that “90% of the same kids that had a problem with my daughter being Black didn’t like [the second student] because she was gay.”
Though a civil rights complaint is not a lawsuit, Interim Superintendent Moody said that the district is reviewing the complaint with their counsel, saying in a statement that, “At Croswell-Lexington Community Schools, we provide a world-class education to our diverse student body. In unusual situations such as this, where a notice is received, we will work with all parties to move through the process.”
While this civil rights investigation is still ongoing, it was learned that a third civil rights complaint had been filed in November 2021, but was dropped after the state was unable to get in touch with the complainant.
Also at Monday’s meeting, major changes are ahead for two of the staff named in the suit, both in their official capacity and as individuals. Now former superintendent, Daniel Gilbertson, who is leaving the district for Brandon Schools, officially said his goodbyes, his resignation approved in the meeting. Meanwhile, it was announced and approved that high school principal Kyle Woods will be beginning as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Human Resources at Cros-Lex Schools in the fall.
This is a developing story. Updates to follow.
