Two employees of Jefferson City Public Schools each have filed a lawsuit against the district.
Tammy Ferry's suit was filed in the Cole County Circuit Court on Monday. Gretchen Guitard's suit was filed March 31.
Ferry works as tech support for the district. Guitard is the director of Curriculum and Staff Services.
The News Tribune was not able to obtain the court documents for either suit Tuesday evening, so it wasn't immediately clear what the specific allegations are raised by the two employees.
However, on March 23, the district filed separate lawsuits against Ferry and Guitard, and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, naming as petitioners Superintendent Larry Linthacum, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Jason Hoffman, Chief Administrative Officer and District Counsel Penney Rector and Director of Technology Joe Martin.
Those two suits argued the commission did not have the authority to issue right-to-sue letters to Ferry and Guitard because it had not completed the necessary administrative work to support those letters, and had not waited the state law-required 180 days from the date of receipt of a complaint.
As described in those suits, both women late last year asked the state human rights commission and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate complaints of discrimination and retaliation, based on their gender. Guitard's complaint also alleged age discrimination.
On March 31, Linthacum told the News Tribune he would not comment on pending litigation, and Tuesday said he still can't provide comment on personnel legal matters.
Ferry and Guitard's attorney, Dennis E. Egan, of Kansas City, did not respond to a request for comment on March 31, and was not immediately reachable Tuesday night. Egan specializes in employment law.
The district's suits from March were filed by attorney Ryan Bertels of the Schreimann, Rackers and Francka law firm, which has represented the district in other cases. District officials told the News Tribune the firm was retained by the district's insurance company, and taxpayers are not paying for the lawyers' services.
Linthacum said Tuesday evening the law firm's Christopher Rackers would provide a statement today.
Rackers, a Jefferson City native and a partner in the law firm, specializes in civil litigation.
As of Tuesday night, no hearings had been scheduled for Ferry or Guitard's suits, or the district's March 23 suits. All the suits have been assigned to Circuit Judge Jon Beetem.
The district faced two discrimination lawsuits last year. In May, former journalism teacher Karen Ray won $235,000 in damages, plus attorneys' fees following a jury trial.
In September, former English teacher Laura Cooper won a $255,000 settlement, with the district's insurance company, Continental Western Insurance Company, paying an additional $195,000 in legal fees.
Those lawsuits stemmed from age and gender discrimination on the part of former Principal Myron Graber and former Assistant Principal Jeff Dodson. Ferry provided testimony in those suits.