A former elementary school principal was awarded over $470,000 in a lawsuit against the school district she used to work for.
Kacey Crum was awarded $472,467 by a jury in Jackson County Circuit Court on Nov. 12 in her lawsuit against Blue Spring R-IV School District. The trial was presided over by Judge Cory Atkins. The verdict included $72,467 for backpay and $400,000 in future economic losses.
According to the suit, Crum brought the case forward after experiencing “repeated sex-discrimination” including unequal pay and treatment comparted to her male colleagues. Crum had worked as an educator and administrator in the district for nearly two decades.
The case outlined Crum’s experience as co-principal at an elementary school in the district, where she was tasked with “steering the ship” while her male counterpart as able to “take a back seat” but still received higher pay, despite being described as having “significant leadership deficiencies.”
In 2022, Crum was demoted by cause and destructively discharged from the district.
The plaintiff’s lead attorney, Jonathan M. Soper of Humphrey, Farrington & McClain said his client was satisfied with the outcome of the case.
“The client was over the moon, we think it’s a good outcome,” Soper said. “We thought we were trying a good case … We were glad that the evidence was clear enough.”
Soper added that he “knew the school district can do better” by its female employees.
The defendant’s lead attorney, Steven F. Coronado of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler and Smith in Kansas City, declined to offer comment, other than that the school district “plans to pursue all post-trial remedies.”
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- Amount of verdict, judgment or settlement: $472,467
- Breakdown and distribution of total value: $72,467 for backpay and $400,000 in future economic losses
- Type of action: Employment
- Type of action description: Sex discrimination
- Case Number/Date: 2316-CV17342, 11/12/2024
- Plaintiffs’ experts: None
- Defendants’ experts: None
- Caption: Kacey Crum v. Blue Springs R-IV School District
- Plaintiff’s attorneys: Jonathan M. Soper, Colin W. McClain, Chelsea McClain Pierce and Kenneth B. McClain of Humphrey, Farrington & McClain
- Defendant’s attorneys: Steven F. Coronado and Mark D. Katz of Fisher, Patterson, Sayler and Smith.
This article credit to MOLawyersMedia