Administrator Fired By Sewickley Academy Filing Federal Lawsuit Over Dismissal

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - One of the administrators fired by Sewickley Academy is now filing a lawsuit against the school.

Douglas Leek was the director of admissions and financial aid.

Leek has filed a federal lawsuit that alleges his firing, and the firing of three other administrators violated their civil rights.

"The suit alleges that that violates the Civil Rights Acts of 1866, which makes it illegal to discharge someone because of their race," said Samuel Cordes, his attorney. "What we're looking for is both reinstatement and damages, because they violated federal law."

Earlier this year, the school adopted a policy for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Some parents alleged the policy was the school's way of teaching critical race theory, which is a graduate-level collegiate subject, not taught in elementary, middle, or high schools.

The school says the dismissals were research-driven and not tied to the teaching of racial history.