STATENVILLE — The Echols County School District faces a federal lawsuit claiming it fired its only Black teacher in 2018 for racial reasons.

Dr. Lana Foster, a 34-year veteran of Echols schools, filed the lawsuit in mid-May. The defendants are the school system, a former school superintendent, school board members and a former school board member. 

The lawsuit claims the school system has shown a pattern of racist behavior against Foster’s family through the years, with her parents and daughter — all employed by the school system — being either fired or replaced with white personnel.

Foster sued the school board in federal court in December 2009 claiming racial discrimination and retaliation. The case was settled with a $40,000 payment from the school board and an agreement that she would be hired as the Junior Beta Club co-sponsor, the lawsuit says.

In court filings, Foster claims the racist treatment continued after the settlement, with the school board pressuring various professional organizations not to accept her and she claims white colleagues were told they would lose their jobs if they associated with her.

In August 2017, Foster was called into a meeting with school officials who questioned her about Junior Beta Club spending; in October, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission told her she was under investigation for inappropriate use of club funds, the court filing said.

“The School District had reported her to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission without even giving her the professional courtesy of prior notice,” the lawsuit claims.

The former superintendent recommended terminating her contract, the school board agreed and Foster was not rehired for the 2018-19 school year. At the time of her firing, she was the only certified black teacher in the school district, the court filing claims.

In June 2019, the standards commission dismissed the case against Foster with “no probable cause” of an ethics violation, according to the Georgia Association of Educators’ website.

Foster is suing on four counts: retaliation for opposing racially discriminatory employment practices, retaliation for participating in an investigation and proceeding, Civil Rights Act of 1866-disparate treatment and equal protection under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The lawsuit seeks back pay, front pay, court costs and an injunction against the defendants which prohibits future discrimination.

Shannon King, the current school superintendent, said the school system does not comment on ongoing litigation. King is not named in the lawsuit.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.