posted October 2, 2008
Joshua Barber, former Brainerd High School assistant principal who was suspended for allegedly using pepper spray to break up a student fight has filed suit against the county schools.
The complaint, lodged in Federal Court by attorney Robin Flores, asks $100,000 compensatory damages and $500,000 punitive damages for Joshuah Barber.
It charges that the school system did not discipline white coaches for more flagrant acts against students.
The suit says Mr. Barber tried to break up an altercation between two Brainerd High students on Sept. 13, 2007. It says students were afterwards questioned about the incident, and he was then accused "of using a chemical agent" against the students.
He was told on Oct. 4 he was being suspended without pay for about eight months. He was demoted to teacher.
The suit says the school system "has allowed white teachers with duties as school coaches to assault students without similar treatment as experienced by plaintiff."
It says a white coach at Ooltewah High was allowed to refer to students by the N word and said the same coach assaulted a student.
The suit claims another Ooltewah coach slammed a student to the floor.
The complaint says Mr. Barber was assaulted by a male Brainerd student on Aug. 24, 2007, and City Police Officer Jeff White, the school resource officer, witnessed the incident and arrested two students.
After Officer White spoke to newsman David Carroll about the incident, Supt. Jim Scales sent a letter of complaint to Police Chief Freeman Cooper, it was stated. The letter concluded, "I look forward to a continued positive working relationship with the Chattanooga Police Department in the future, and trust that will not happen again."
The suit claims Mr. Barber was a victim of racial discrimination.
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