A Florida principal has sued the school district where she worked after it refused to rehire her because of her ‘alcohol addiction.’
Dr. Mary Williams is seeking damages of $30,000, claiming the Seminole County school board discriminated against her ‘based on a handicap or disability,’ the lawsuit obtained by Daily Mail shows.
Williams, who held the top job at Hagerty High School, was named Seminole’s principal of the year in 2018, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
She had worked for the school district for more than 36 years, serving as principal for 13 of them ‘until she was notified that her contract would not be renewed’ in 2019, the lawsuit reads.
Former Hagerty High School principal Mary Williams has sued the Seminole County school district
The lawsuit claims that Williams ‘had good performance evaluations and was never subject to disciplinary action.’
‘In December of 2018, Dr. Williams had discussions with School Board administrators about her alcohol dependency problem,’ the lawsuit reads.
Williams ‘discussed her alcohol addiction openly’ with the school district’s superintendent and human resources director.
She later attended a substance abuse facility in Umatilla, Florida where she was treated for her ‘substance abuse’ from February 12-18, 2019.
Williams has filed a lawsuit in a Florida federal court claiming School Board administrators ‘discriminated’ against her for ‘alcohol dependency’
‘Dr. Williams opened up to [Human Resources Director Boyd] Karns and trusted him as a friend,’ the lawsuit reads. ‘She provided Karns with confidential information about her medical condition.’
After completion of the program, Williams returned to work and attended a meeting with other school leaders – but was directed to leave by school officials and was placed on administrative leave the next day, according to the lawsuit.
Williams ‘was never tested to see if any drugs or alcohol was present in her blood’ but was told that in order to return to work she would have to meet with a psychiatrist chosen by the school board to determine her fitness to return to work.
Williams is seeking $30,000 in damages
The psychiatrist, Dr. Naomi Jones, reportedly said she was unable to determine whether Williams was fit for duty, according to the document.
School officials determined that Williams would need to complete a specific treatment program with Jones – which the lawsuit alleges was contrary to treatment she was already receiving from her own doctors.
Jones’ treatment plan ‘insisted that Dr. Williams sign a contract stating that she would be given monthly injections of Vivitrol for one year,’ according to the document.
Williams’ doctors, however, did not believe that the injections would be necessary and ‘all opposed the Vivitrol injections for her treatment.’
Vivitrol, also known as naltrexone, is a an injection used to treat dependency on alcohol and opioids.
The principal was later taken off administrative leave and put on medical leave, before being notified just days later on April 8, 2019 that her contract would not be renewed.
‘Dr. Williams’ emotional distress includes but is not limited to severe depression and anxiety, significant weight loss, upset stomach, misery and hopelessness,’ according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also claims that the school district failed to abide by the federal Family Medical Leave Act.
The high school’s student newspaper reported on April 29, just a few weeks later, that a new principal had been named.
Robert Frasca was ‘selected from a field of candidates aiming to fill the vacancy left by former principal Dr. Mary Williams,’ according to the student newspaper.
Williams is represented by Alfred Truesdell of Truesdell law. The lawsuit, first filed in September in Seminole Circuit Court, was moved earlier in January to Florida’s Middle District federal court at the school district’s request.
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