LOS ANGELES – A former Green Dot Public Schools California teacher has settled her lawsuit in which she alleged she was forced to quit in 2022 from her job as a biology and environmental science teacher because of anxiety she suffered after learning that a disruptive student allegedly wanted to kill the plaintiff’s husband.
North Hollywood resident Marney Thomas began working at Green Dot’s Animo City of Champions Charter High School as a biology and AP environmental science teacher in July 2021, according to her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit.
In March 2022, one of Thomas’ students at the Inglewood school allegedly told another student, “I hate that (obscenity) so much, I’m going to find out where she lives and kills her husband.”
“Thomas was shocked, scared, stressed, humiliated and anxious upon learning of the death threat,” according to the suit, which further states that the plaintiff made a report with Inglewood police.
Thomas alleges Green Dot denied the student made the threat and did not do enough to address the issue, prompting her to quit in June 2022 because she could no longer deal with her anxiety stemming from the alleged student threat.
On Wednesday, Thomas’ attorneys filed a notice of settlement with Judge Steve Cochran, but no terms were divulged. The judge vacated the scheduled Sept. 16 jury trial.
In their court papers, Green Dot attorneys denied Thomas’ allegation and cited multiple defenses, including that she was obligated to have her claims decided by an arbitrator rather than a jury.
In her lawsuit filed in March 2023 alleging wrongful termination, retaliation and state Labor Code violations, Thomas says the troublesome student had previous behavioral issues in the plaintiff’s classroom as well as those of other teachers, and that he used the “N” word despite Thomas’ admonishments. Thomas also had reprimanded him for not wearing a coronavirus mask, the suit states.
“Green Dot had not dealt appropriately with the student in the past, nor other students bullying her in her classroom,” the suit states.
Thomas, 60, also alleges Green Dot did not pay her all the wages she was owed.
