$100 million racial discrimination lawsuit filed against HCC

Interesting lawsuit filed by former mayoral candidate Ben Hall.  We have copied/pasted the press release below from Ben Hall's office- Certain facts in the allegations raised seem to mirror complaints in some of the lawsuits filed against TSU recently.  

Houston Community College Hit With $100 Million Dollar Racial Discrimination Class Action Suit Filed On Behalf of Black Employees on Juneteenth

HOUSTON, TEXAS.  A $100 million dollar racial discrimination lawsuit has been filed in a Houston, Texas state district court on behalf of hundreds of Black former and present employees of Houston Community College (“HCC”).  The suit was filed Friday, June 19, 2020–“Juneteenth—the anniversary date that Black slaves in Texas learned they had been freed from slavery two years earlier by President Abraham Lincoln.  The lawsuit details a damning list of allegations about what is going on at Houston Community College under the leadership of Chancellor Cesar Maldonado and the Human Resources Director, Ms. Janet May.  According to the lawsuit, Maldonado accepted his position in 2014 with a Hispanic “preferential treatment” agenda.  The suit contains an actual email chain created shortly after Maldonado’s appointment stating “Now we [Hispanics] are going to receive preferential treatment.”  The suit alleges that since Maldonado’s arrival 90% of the long time Black professionals at HCC have either been terminated or demoted, while there has been a 50% increase in Hispanic hires and promotions.  Shockingly, the suit claims, while 90% of tenured and experienced Black employees have been displaced only 10% of similarly tenured Whites have been displaced.

The lawsuit continues with a disturbing list of tactics used by Maldonado and May to get rid of Blacks, such as telling a Black male that a white woman’s word was more truthful than his word; that if a White person complains believe them, but if a Black person complains doubt them unless corroborated; “padding” Black employee personnel files with false complaints to be used later as pretexts for firing them; if a Black person is accused of sexual harassment, believe the complainant—but if the complaint is made by a Black person corroborate; using the term “transformation” as a cover for getting rid of Black employees; and forcing Black employees to take leaves of absence without cause to later use as grounds to terminate the Black employee.  If these allegations are proven in court, HCC is in for a bad day at the courthouse. 

The named plaintiff in the lawsuit is a 55-year old Black female, Zelia Brown, who was forced to take a leave of absence when she complained about missing grant money at the College.  She reported to the federal government, the suit alleges, that the grant funds had been misused or taken.  After the federal investigators notified HCC officials they were going to investigate Ms. Brown’s allegations, she was immediately told not to return to work and to stay on leave of absence.  Her locked grant office is said to have been rummaged through while she was on leave of absence.  Although HCC is said to have later asked her back the return was conditioned on her accepting a false complaint that she had created a hostile work environment and presumably remain silent about the missing grant dollars.  She refused to remain silent and brought the suit. 

Ms. Brown is asking the court to approve a class action against HCC on behalf of all Black employees who have been terminated or demoted since Maldonado became chancellor in 2014.  It is estimated the number of class members will be in the hundreds with each member seeking individual damages in the case.  Ms. Brown is represented in the lawsuit by Benjamin L. Hall, III, the former Houston City Attorney under Mayor Bob Lanier and former mayoral candidate.  Hall stated, “Ms. Brown is one of the more recent casualties of what appears to be a modern-day Jim Crow environment at Houston Community College for Black executives.  She is a brave lady to stand up to power and speak the truth.  We feel confident there are more victims of HCC’s discriminatory policies who will come forward to tell their stories as well.”

To see a copy of the petition, please follow this link: https://efile.txcourts.gov/ViewDocuments.aspx?FID=7f5b37f2-5cee-40ba-89b5-e56a3c45672b