A former teacher at Manitowoc Lincoln High School is suing the school district for discrimination.
This lawsuit, which can be read in its entirety below, was filed by Nora Robles and follows a previous suit she filed against the Green Bay Area Public School District in 2014.
Robles was employed at Lincoln in August of 2021 as a Hispanic English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, and notes in her complaint that she was the only Hispanic ESL teacher on staff at the time.
Robles claimed that, when she started, she was not provided “necessary support or assistance to obtain a teaching license” specifically noting the school’s HR department’s failure to complete a Department of Public Instruction licensing form.
Robles also claimed the Principal at the time fostered a hostile work environment.
She claimed the principal “instructed staff not to assist…or interact with her” and that he excluded her from “critical staff emails.”
Robles recalled situations when the principal allegedly yelled at her when she “attempted to present her side of situations, causing emotional pain, loss of self-esteem, and loss of self-confidence.”
In a statement to SeehaferNews.com, Robles said, “My experience highlights the importance of fostering an environment where educators feel supported, especially those working with diverse student populations. Teachers should be empowered, not discouraged, when advocating for their students’ well-being.”
Robles did confirm with SeehaferNews.com that she is currently working at the De Pere Public School District, but has yet to obtain her teaching certificate despite efforts through UW Green Bay.
She also previously worked at the Milwaukee Public School District, New London School District, and Green Bay Area Public School District.
In 2014, she also filed a lawsuit against the Green Bay Area Public School District, alleging “her employment was terminated due to discriminatory animus against Hispanics.”
She had been hired to teach bilingual education at Howe Elementary School in 2009 under a conditional contract as she was not a certified teacher.
In the suit, Robles claimed the Principal had been “racially profiling her”, however, Eastern District Judge Wiliam Griesbach granted the defense a “summary judgement” which closed the case.
Judge Griesbach stated that Robles could not make a case for discrimination because “she was not satisfying her employer’s legitimate job expectations.”
A follow-up lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals Seventh District, which affirmed Judge Griesbach’s ruling, stating “The judge was correct to conclude that there is no evidence that the school district’s adverse employment actions against Robles were motivated by her being Hispanic.”
The court also noted that the Green Bay Area School District “relegated (Robles) to a substitute‐teaching position and then fired (her) not because she is Hispanic but because she had failed to meet the school district’s legitimate performance expectations.”
Nora Robles vs Manitowoc Public School District
