A Franklin Circuit Court jury has returned a verdict in favor of a former Kentucky School for the Deaf teacher, awarding her damages totaling $240,000 in a 2019 whistleblower lawsuit against the Department of Education.
Deanna Glasser, in a lawsuit against former principal Toyah Robey and former Education Commissioner Wayne Lewis, alleged that her contract was not renewed after she spoke out about problems at the residential school in Danville, including possible danger to students.
Under state law, the commissioner is the superintendent at the school and the Kentucky Board of Education. Kentucky’s Whistleblower Act prohibits retaliation or discrimination against an employee who reports in good faith to appropriate authorities about suspected abuse or violations of law.
The lawsuit is among the examples of people who were voicing complaints ranging from student safety to bed bugs to bad food at the public school, which was founded in 1823.
Glasser’s contract was wrongfully not renewed because she reported violations of law, discrimination against students at the school with disabilities, abuse of authority, and actions creating a substantial danger to the health and safety of students, according to the lawsuit.
The jury’s verdict signified they agreed Glasser’s contract wasn’t renewed as an act of retaliation for speaking up about the deprivation of rights of deaf students and staff, Glasser’s attorney JoEllen S. McComb said.
“The jury awarded Mrs. Glasser, a highly...
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