A Long Island school board has voted to fire a black administrator who says the district racially discriminated against him.
Newsday reports the Amityville school board unanimously voted Wednesday to fire 53-year-old Rodney Wilkins, effective Sept. 3.
Wilkins wasn't at the meeting. His attorney, Frederick Brewington, says Wilkins wouldn't comment and will "respond appropriately." He says Wilkins will focus on the discrimination complaint he filed against the district last month with the state Division of Human Rights.
He says in his complaint that he was recruited to become the associate principal at Amityville Memorial High School to address racial issues at the school, but was blocked several times by white administrators. He says he was undermined shortly after he started in 2014 by Superintendent Mary Kelly.
According to Wilkins, this past March, he was ordered to spend his days in a school kitchen, away from his staff, with no specific duties. He remained there for two months.
Kelly says the board is legally forbidden from discussing the complaint.
The Division of Human Rights will now investigate Wilkins' claims, leading to a possible lawsuit against the school district.
