LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) – A class action lawsuit was filed against various Jefferson County Public School staff at C.B. Young Jr. Service Center for allowing repeated discrimination against African American employees.
The six individuals are made up of technicians, custodians, transportation coordinators and others filed their suit Thursday.
"We're here, we're not going anywhere," Rev. Troy Duncan said.
Duncan is one of the lawsuit's plaintiffs and was joined Thursday by other plaintiffs, supporters, and their attorneys to share their personal experiences.
"It'll happen today, it'll happen next school year in August. It'll continue to happen until we intervene," Teddy Gordon said.
Gordon is one of the attorneys representing the group in the class action lawsuit.
The individuals claim they were passed up for positions or promotions because of their race. The suit states some JCPS staff in their Operations Services Division “has systemically oppressed and continues to oppress the African-American men and woman who toil in that division.”
Some of the employees said they've faced racial discrimination for up to five years, but are now speaking out against JCPS.
The lawsuit alleges there's a "systemic pattern or practice of discrimination that infiltrates JCPS's Operations Services Department to it's core."
"Not only the district, it's throughout the culture," Kevan Sheppard, a JCPS custodian said. "For me it has been an ongoing continuous effort to get some justice."
Sheppard also said his supervisor looked for reasons to fire or isolate him.
“I put up with all of that,” Sheppard said. “In doing so, they transferred me to CBO. They put me in isolation. I was a deliberately hidden color.”
Rev. Troy Duncan, one of the plaintiffs, said he's the first African-American locksmith working for JCPS. He describes the hiring process as a "good ol' boy system." He said that is how many African-Americans get passed over for job opportunities or promotions.
"We know we're educated enough, experienced enough, and have the skills to do those jobs," he said.
"I have two masters, still couldn't get another job so basically what I did was retire because I was tired of going through the same thing over and over again," Lillie Perry, a retired JCPS employee, said.
The lawsuit documented one of Duncan's co-workers using racial slurs at work and then attempts by management to "cover-up."
"Enough is enough," Duncan said Thursday.
Many of the plaintiffs said they told upper management about their concerns, but no changes were made. Thursday, the group said it mainly wants to see change come as a result of the lawsuit.
"They have to be held accountable from the top all the way down to the bottom," Sheppard said.
Per policy, JCPS said it does not comment on pending litigation.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.