Botched Job Posting Not Grounds For Retaliation Suit

September 3, 2013

In 2004, Crutcher filed a lawsuit against the Dallas Independent School District (“DISD”) alleging discrimination and retaliation.  The 2004 lawsuit was settled out of court.  In the summer of 2009, Crutcher interviewed for a position with the DISD, but did not get the job.  Following this adverse employment decision, Crutcher sued DISD.  The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of DISD, and Crutcher appealed.  The Court of Appeals held that Crutcher failed to establish a causal connection between Crutcher’s filing of the 2004 lawsuit and the adverse employment decision so as to establish a prima facie case of retaliation.  The Court further held that DISD provided substantial evidence to show legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for its decision to not hire Crutcher.

Crutcher v. Dallas Indep.Sch. Dist., No. 05-11-01112-CV