*Beverly Buck Brennan, daughter of the renowned St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck, filed a lawsuit against Harris-Stowe for racial and gender discrimination, and she emerged victorious.
In a decision favoring Brennan, a former professor at Harris-Stowe State University, a St. Louis jury concluded that she had suffered from a hostile work environment and awarded her $750,000 in compensatory damages, Riverfront Times reports.
Brennan, a white woman, taught speech and theater classes at the historically Black university from 1993 until 2017. But her dream job seemingly became a nightmare in 2010, when Lateef Adelani became the dean of the College of Arts and Science and Dwayne Smith the provost for academic affairs.
In the legal complaint, Brennan alleged that her department’s budget was redirected to other units, and her classes were scheduled less frequently and at less favorable times. Additionally, she was prohibited from teaching theater classes at the school’s theater.
A St. Louis jury has ruled in favor of the white professor who sued historically Black Harris-Stowe State University alleging racial and sex discrimination. Beverly Buck Brennan was awarded $750K https://t.co/qUnAxIt9lr
— Riverfront Times (@RiverfrontTimes) March 22, 2024
Brennan asserted that she faced discrimination based on race and gender. She further alleged retaliation after raising concerns about her treatment.
Here’s more from the March 22 Riverfront Times report:
In opening arguments, which happened Tuesday, Brennan’s attorney said that school leadership tried to turn her colleagues against her by asking them, “Are you with them or with us?” The colleagues asked who “them” referred to. “White teachers,” they were told.
Closing arguments began late this morning and the jury came back with their decision this afternoon. Brennan was awarded the sizable verdict on her claims of a hostile work environment.
Adelani and Smith were implicated as defendants in the lawsuit and the school itself.
“Beverly Brennan is truly one of the kindest, most selfless clients that I’ve had the pleasure of representing at trial,” attorney Jeremy Hollingshead told the RFT. “In the hope that their behavior will change, Bev views this as more of a verdict for all of Harris-Stowe’s current employees than herself.”
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