“Slam Dunk”

A former elementary school principal’s case against a Midlands school district is a “slam dunk” according to a legal expert who spoke with FITS on condition of anonymity.

As reported on FITS earlier this week, former River Springs (S.C.) Elementary School principal Melissa Cole filed a lawsuit against Lexington-Richland School District Five saying she was “forced to resign” from her position after having an alleged affair with the district’s Superintendent.

The attorney – who is not a party to the case – says that the district’s actions “clearly constitute gender discrimination,” which would “violate (Cole’s) civil rights.”

News of the alleged affair broke during a FITS investigation into the district’s manipulation of student population estimates.

Cole’s lawsuit alleges that she did not receive the same consideration upon her forced departure that was given to former Superintendent Scott Andersen, who resigned three weeks before Cole did.

According to a copy of Andersen’s settlement agreement, he received a lump sum payment of $10,000 upon his resignation, along with nearly a month’s pay.

The district also agreed not to reference any of the circumstances surrounding his resignation.

Cole, on the other hand, was “was not given nor offered a severance package,” according to her lawsuit.

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