A Hansen Elementary School principal often denigrated a teacher’s American Indian religious beliefs and retaliated against her when she tried to protect black students being victimized at the school, a federal lawsuit says.
Teri Kathryn Wilke, who is half Apache and half Caucasian, has sued the school and Adams County School District 14 in Denver U.S. District Court claiming religious discrimination.
The lawsuit, filed in late December by Denver attorney Patricia Bangert, says after demoting Wilke to be a teacher’s aide and promising to fire her, the district is liable for actual and punitive damages.
School district officials did not return a phone call requesting comment on the lawsuit.
Wilke, a licensed social worker, began working at Hansen Elementary, 5291 E. 60th Ave., in August of 2016, helping special education students.
Principal Elizabeth Balderas, who is Hispanic at a school where most of the staff and students are also Hispanic, made numerous disparaging comments about Wilke’s mixed heritage. She often stereotyped Wilke and white employees, telling them they had no credibility, the lawsuit says.
Balderas would chide Wilke with comments about her “medicine bag” or call her “pale face” or “white girl” in the teachers’ lounge. Balderas would tell Wilke that she was under attack by Satanists in the community because of her spirituality and say the “spirits know you are here and don’t like you and what you do here.”
The principal asked Wilke to smudge the school to do blessings and clear out evil spirits. Even after Wilke asked Balderas to stop, the principal wrote texts asking whether she spoke to dark spirits, the lawsuit says. Balderas would use physical gestures like she was going to throw a ball at her or slap her, the suit says.
In the fall of 2016, Wilke reported discriminatory actions by Balderas and school administrators to district officials and the U.S. Department of Education. Wilke claimed district officials refused to take action in cases of sexual assault and harassment, allowing constant bullying of black students and discriminatory disciplinary actions against black students.
The district and Balderas retaliated, the lawsuit says.
Balderas falsely accused Wilke of illegally restraining a special education student even though Wilke had not touched the student. Other special education team members, both Hispanic, had done the restraint and were not disciplined, the lawsuit says.
“Balderas accused Ms. Wilke of failure to report child abuse” in January, it says. Between January and March of 2017, the district had her work in the administrative office, mostly making copies.
Balderas didn’t allow Wilke to take breaks including for lunch and forced her to keep three walkie-talkies in case of behavior calls. The principal did not require these conditions for any other teacher or employee at the school including two Hispanic teachers Wilke worked with, the lawsuit says.
Wilke experienced anxiety, depression symptoms, stomach issues, inability to sleep and loss of self-esteem and reputation, making her work environment intolerable. She resigned on March 15, the lawsuit says.
