THE GAZETTE
Thursday, August 14, 2014 bo
Page A-7
Teacher fired by school system wins lawsuit alleging retaliation
Getting ready for school
Jury awards in favor of Largo High instructor n
BY JAMIE
ANFENSON-COMEAU STAFF WRITER
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Nobel Kekele (left), 19, of District Heights hands out school supplies Saturday to Temple Hills resident Joseph McMillian (right) for his three boys during Branch Avenue Day in Temple Hills.
Grant could spruce up storefronts Upper Marlboro business district input sought BY
KIRSTEN PETERSEN STAFF WRITER
Upper Marlboro residents could soon see colorful downtown shops, boutiques with big windows and storefronts restored to their historic style if the town receives a $300,000 Community Legacy Grant. The state grant would fund the facade improvement program, an initiative to revitalize the town’s businesses district by encouraging property and business owners to make sustainable and stylistic improvements to their buildings, said Christina Pompa, a planner coordinator with the Maryland-National Capitol Park and Planning Commission. “What we’re really trying to do is encourage property owners to invest in their buildings,” Pompa said. While the town and MNCPPC waits to find out if they will receive the award — a grant application was submitted July 15 — a set of design guidelines was drafted to give property owners ideas for how they could revamp their storefronts. Jose C. Ayala, a senior planner with M-NCPPC, said Upper Marlboro has an eclectic array of architecture, including buildings from the 1800s and 1900s that could be more appealing with some upgrades. “Instead of concentrating
on making the town completely historical, we would embrace what they have maintained and improve [existing buildings] in a creative way,” Ayala said. Ayala said Upper Marlboro has the potential to become a weekend destination for people who work and live in the town. Property and business own-
ers will have an opportunity to comment on the guidelines at a meeting at the Olde Towne Inn from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21. A final version of the guidelines will be available as early as October, Pompa said.
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A former Largo High School English teacher was awarded $350,000 compensatory damages by U.S. District Court in a lawsuit against the Prince George’s County school system for retaliation. According to court documents, Jon Everhart, who is white, attempted to file a race discrimination grievance with the county teacher’s union after the principal, who is black, allegedly used several racial epithets against Everhart in the presence of students, teachers, staff and parents. The principal did not return multiple phone or email messages to request comment for this story. Everhart’s suit alleges the principal promised to fire him in “payback” for black teachers fired by white principals. PGCPS spokesman Max Pugh said neither the school system nor its attorney could comment on the case, due to further litigation pending in district court. Everhart filed multiple complaints, but the school system did not respond to his accusations,
said Bryan Chapman, Everhart’s attorney. Following the complaints by Everhart and others in 2008, Everhart began receiving unsatisfactory performance reviews, according to Chapman, who said that Everhart had previously been named Largo’s 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year. After two years of unsatisfactory performance reviews, his employment was terminated August 2010 and his teaching credentials revoked, according to documents filed with the court on behalf of Everhart. In addition to the $350,000 in damages, Everhart, 65, will also be awarded back pay and retirement benefits, the exact amounts of which have yet to be determined, Chapman said “This has been a huge relief for Mr. Everhart, because now he can get back to having a normal life,” Chapman said, adding that his client, who now lives in Westerville, Ohio, has been unemployed and has suffered health problems, such as high blood pressure, because of the alleged retaliation. The jury found in favor of the school system in Everhart’s claim of hostile work environment, but Chapman said he has filed for a retrial on that charge, adding that the judge did not give the jury mixed motive instructions, which would apply in cases of alleged racial harassment.
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