Ex-North Thurston school teacher sues district

A former North Thurston teacher has filed a lawsuit against the school district, alleging North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) retaliated against her for her role in helping with a student protest against discrimination.  

The lawsuit was filed under the Washington Law Against Discrimination, or RCW 49.60, which is meant to protect people from discriminatory practices in employment.

Former River Ridge High School teacher Christie Tran worked for North Thurston Public Schools for almost a decade, until resigning after a series of events spurred by a 2022 student protest that Tran helped advise.  

The lawsuit alleges that the district demoted her, and that NTPS wrongly accused Tran of misusing sick leave, misconduct, and has caused difficulty in her finding other employment by ruining her reputation.  

 Students walked out of school from Jan. 31, 2022, through Feb. 9, 2022, to protest racial and sex discrimination being unaddressed at North Thurston Public Schools.  

Tran, who faced her own discrimination growing up as a young minority in Utah, decided to take an active role in helping students fight discrimination at River Ridge High School (RRHS). 

According to the lawsuit, “She provided the striking students with appropriate, professional coaching designed to increase student safety and encourage students to oppose discrimination in a constructive manner.”  

 Tran alleges that NTPS accused her of manipulating students and wanted to silence her for being the public face of the student-led protest. The lawsuit states that coaching and supporting students opposing discrimination is the type of activity protected by the Washington Law Against Discrimination.  

 Tran took personal and medical leave through the dates of the protest to observe and attend.  

The lawsuit states, “She obtained a note from a medical provider supporting her medical leave during the strike. The medical provider determined that, because of past trauma in Ms. Tran’s  life and Ms. Tran’s concerns about her students’ safety affecting her mental health, it was necessary for her to be at the protests to support her students and help ensure their safety.” 

 Tran sent emails to staff regarding the protests and discrimination in the schools, and her access to email was cut off the same day, the lawsuit states. Later that day, the district notified Tran it would be investigating her for misconduct, including “civility and other concerns related to directions given to students.”  

Then-interim RRHS Principal Angela Lee-Pope told Tran while on leave that she must supervise the students during the protest and that she was responsible if anything happened to them, the lawsuit states, but then Tran was told by human resources that she could not be on campus during leave under the union contract.

Tran objected, saying that was false, and continued to counsel students through the protest. She was accused of potential misappropriation of Associated Student Body funds, which was later dropped.  

 On Feb. 11, 2022, Tran was placed on administrative leave while the district investigated misconduct. In November 2022, NTPS found that Tran was guilty of misconduct, alleging that she violated the administrative leave letter terms by having contact with students while on leave, citing her attendance of post-strike meetings about implementing additional anti-discrimination measures, the lawsuit states.  

However, Tran’s lawsuit states, “the district’s administrative leave letter barred Ms. Tran from discussing NTPS’s investigation of her with anyone. It did not bar her from meeting with students regarding other topics. NTPS’s discipline unlawfully punished Ms. Tran for engaging in protected activity by meeting with students and parents to support their advocacy against discrimination.” 

 The district also alleged that Tran committed “boundary violations” by having students and parents over to her home for dinners and a Super Bowl gathering, however Tran’s lawsuit states that then-Human Resources Director Charlie Burleigh approved Tran to host this gathering. NTPS additionally claimed that Tran misused mental health leave, though Tran says she provided the district with a doctor’s note stating that her leave was legitimate.  

In November 2022, Tran was transferred to a Reading Room position at an elementary school in the district.  

“Ms. Tran did her best to make it work, even though it constituted a significant reduction in responsibilities, did not involve day-to-day teaching responsibilities, and was inconsistent with her career goals,” the lawsuit states.  

It harmed her career achievement, the lawsuit states, and in May 2023 she resigned due to the district’s retaliation.  

“The damage to her reputation has stunted her career growth and has closed off other career development opportunities,” states the lawsuit.

“She is shunned and ridiculed because of the controversy NTPS caused through its false allegations. Ms. Tran is still working to unpack the aftermath of a life experience that left her raw and humiliated.” 

 Tran added, “The district's retaliation has severely damaged my reputation, and I believe it has prevented me from attaining opportunities in other districts."  

The lawsuit alleges that Tran suffered lost wages and benefits, future lost earnings and emotional harm. The Washington Law Against Discrimination protects Tran for opposing what she reasonably believed to be discrimination by reporting concerns about discrimination and supporting students that were opposing discrimination, according to the lawsuit.  

 Jay Free, Tran’s attorney, said it specifically violates RCW 49.60.210, which states (1) It is an unfair practice for any employer, employment agency, labor union, or other person to discharge, expel, or otherwise discriminate against any person because he or she has opposed any practices forbidden by this chapter, or because he or she has filed a charge, testified, or assisted in any proceeding under this chapter. (2) It is an unfair practice for a government agency or government manager or supervisor to retaliate against a whistleblower as defined in chapter 42.40 RCW. (3) It is an unfair practice for any employer, employment agency, labor union, government agency, government manager, or government supervisor to discharge, expel, discriminate, or otherwise retaliate against an individual assisting with an office of fraud and accountability investigation under RCW 74.04.012, unless the individual has willfully disregarded the truth in providing information to the office. 

It also states that under the Washington Minimum Wage Act, an employer must not retaliate against an employee for exercising their right to sick leave, including mental health leave, and alleges that NTPS violated that law.  

Tran is hoping to achieve appropriate injunctive relief, including elimination of any retaliation from her personnel file at NTPS, return of lost wages, including front and back pay and other lost benefits of employment, compensatory damages for non-economic harm in an amount to be proven at trial, reasonable attorneys’ fees, expert witness fees and costs, pre- and post-judgment interest at the maximum rate allowed by law, damages to make up for any adverse tax consequences, and such other relief the court may deem appropriate. 

 “This lawsuit isn't just about me. We want accountability from NTPS for failing to protect students and punishing educators who speak out. We want meaningful changes that ensure future students and staff do not have to face the same mistreatment we did,” Tran said.

“It is important that the district protect students and empower students and teachers to speak up when they see something wrong.” 

North Thurston Public Schools does not comment on active litigation, said Amy Blondin, Executive Director of Communications for NTPS, and to her knowledge the district has not yet received the lawsuit.