Former Academy School District 20 Superintendent alleges she was fired due to retaliation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The former Superintendent for Academy School District 20 (ASD20) alleges she was fired for retaliatory and discriminatory reasons. Jinger Haberer alleges the district terminated her, in part, for refusing to screen candidates for promotion based on factors such as political ideology.
According to Haberer, she filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after she was fired over the summer. Haberer says she was terminated after she had strong performance reviews throughout her tenure.
District 20 says Haberer was terminated for insubordination and for inviting an unauthorized person to a special school board meeting.
In a response to the district's reasoning for her termination, she denies inviting an unauthorized person to a special school board meeting, saying she made the candidate for promotion available, but the board declined to meet with her.
Instead, she says she was fired in retaliation and because of discrimination. Specifically, she alleges the district fired her for refusing to screen potential candidates based on things like their political affiliations or sexual orientation.
She also recalls this exchange with former D20 school board president Amy Shandy.
"You're not aligned with the board's values. And I said, please tell me more about, you know, why you're thinking that? And she said specifically to me because you allowed a lesbian administrator to become a principal. And I told her that, that that was not right, and that that type of statement and action is illegal. It's horrific."
Haberer says the district accused her of hiring too many left-leaning candidates, and she was accused of being "Woke."
"I did tell them at that time that I could not hire I couldn't just hire right wing heterosexual candidates, that we have to consider all candidates, that I can't discriminate," she said.
She believes she was fired over her stance. Her attorney, Crist Whitney, says this is not a political issue.
"This isn't about Jinger's political beliefs. This isn't about the board's conservative beliefs. This is America. They can believe whatever they want to believe," Whitney said. "But there's a legal difference between having your political beliefs and pushing forward educational policies that fit your political beliefs."
"I will always follow the law," Haberer said. "With all the political pressures and stuff that are out there, you just can't compromise on that."
KRDO13 reached out to District 20 about these allegations and asked whether Haberer had faced any disciplinary action in the past.
They told us, "The allegations outlined in your inquiry are completely unfounded…." And declined to comment further.
The next step is for the CCRD and the EEOC to review the complaint.
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