A Logan Township man claims he was not hired at the Penns Grove School District because he is white.
PENNS GROVE -- A lawsuit claiming the Penns Grove School district did not hire a white man because of his race can continue through the courts a judge ruled earlier this month.
Brian Shields filed suit in April 2014 against the school district, the school board, former board of education President Gregory Wright and 10 "John Does." He alleges the school board was guilty of "reverse racism" because they did not approve his hiring after individuals who attended the Aug. 12, 2013 board meeting complained they were not hiring enough minorities. In the suit Shields stated that former district Superintendent Joseph Massare had called him after the meeting and told him he was rejected because he was "not a minority."
He sued claiming state and federal civil rights violations, saying he has incurred a loss of earnings and future earning capacity, as well as pain and suffering and emotional distress.
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The defendants in the case claim Shields was not approved for hire because they wanted to hire more individuals from within the Penns Grove community and that his race was not taken into consideration.
They also say a white woman was hired for the position he was applying for and that more than 75 percent of the teachers in the district are Caucasian.
"The District has produced legitimate and non-discriminatory reasons for the decision to not hire plaintiff, the attorney for the defendants wrote in a motion appealing to dismiss the case.
Judge Renee Marie Bumb dismissed the case against Wright and the John Doe defendants, but in an opinion filed on March 1, she denied the other defendant's claims for dismissal and will allow the case to continue against the school district.
Rebecca Forand may be reached at rforand@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RebeccaForand. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.