Discrimination in Education Lawyer Columbia, MO
If you, your child, or your colleague has faced discrimination at a school, university, or other educational institution, you have legal options under federal and state law.
TGH Litigation represents students, parents, educators, and administrators against Missouri educational institutions that violate civil rights. Our founding partners bring more than 80 years of combined experience in civil rights, employment, and education cases. We remain dedicated to serving clients across Missouri with integrity, experience, and a steadfast commitment to justice. Request a free consultation with our Columbia, MO discrimination in education lawyer to discuss your case.
Why Choose TGH Litigation for Discrimination in Education Cases in Columbia, MO?
Civil Rights Litigators With Missouri Roots
Joanna Trachtenberg represents clients in school and university administrative proceedings, including contract negotiation, Title IX and civil rights investigations, student conduct and disciplinary matters, and tenure and promotion disputes. She earned her J.D. cum laude from NYU School of Law and an M.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Limerick.
Julianne Germinder, a founding partner and recipient of the Women’s Justice Award, handles discrimination, retaliation, and civil rights cases in state and federal court. She earned her J.D. from Washington University School of Law and two undergraduate degrees magna cum laude from the University of Missouri.
J. Andrew Hirth handles civil rights litigation at the trial and appellate levels and is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court Bar and five federal circuit courts. He earned his J.D. cum laude from Mizzou Law. Our civil rights lawyer in Columbia, MO protects students, educators, and families when institutions violate their rights.
Results Against Missouri Schools and Universities
A University of Missouri discrimination lawsuit we brought was dismissed at the trial level and then reinstated by the Missouri Court of Appeals. We’ve litigated race and age discrimination claims against Columbia Public Schools and filed suit after Rolla Public Schools spanked a student with autism. Across civil rights and retaliation cases against Missouri schools, universities, and public bodies, our firm has recovered millions of dollars for our clients.
Experience Across Administrative and Federal Forums
Education discrimination claims move through multiple forums, including Title IX offices, the EEOC, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, federal district court, and the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Education. Our attorneys appear in each of these forums regularly and understand how a decision in one affects outcomes in the others.
Free, No-Pressure Case Review
The first conversation with our firm costs nothing. We’ll review what happened, ask focused questions, and give you an honest assessment of whether the institution’s conduct was unlawful.
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“Joanna is a well informed, professional, who is forthright with all answers to your questions. She makes sure you are prepared for all situations and aware of all circumstances that may arise. She also is realistic and shares that realism with you, even though it may cause you to flinch initially, at negative or weak parts of our case. She tries to meet all possibilities head on with her clients. In this way you are well prepared for all comers.”
— D.C.
Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.
Types of Discrimination in Education Cases We Handle in Columbia
Education discrimination reaches students and school employees, K-12 districts and public universities, admissions offices and tenure committees. Our attorneys represent clients in a variety of cases.
- School discrimination. Unequal treatment of students based on race, sex, disability, religion, or national origin in public or private schools. We pursue federal and state civil rights claims on behalf of families when districts fail to follow their own policies or federal law.
- School harassment. Harassment by peers, teachers, or administrators that a school fails to address. When an institution knows about harassment and does not respond adequately, that inaction can support a civil rights claim separate from the underlying conduct.
- Student protection. Violations of students’ constitutional rights at school, including free speech, due process, and freedom from unreasonable searches or seizures. These cases often arise from disciplinary proceedings, interrogations, or expulsion decisions.
- Student sexual assault. Title IX and civil rights claims against schools and universities that mishandled reports of sexual violence or failed to respond to known risks. Civil lawsuits can run in parallel with criminal proceedings against the perpetrator.
- Sexual harassment. Hostile educational or work environment claims brought by students, faculty, or staff in educational settings. These claims reach conduct from classrooms to campus housing to athletic facilities.
- Employment discrimination. Claims by teachers, professors, administrators, and other school employees for discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination based on a protected characteristic.
- Tenure and promotion disputes. Faculty members denied tenure, promotion, or reappointment in circumstances that suggest discrimination or retaliation. These cases require detailed review of peer comparisons, stated criteria, and procedural history.
- Disability discrimination. IDEA and Section 504 disputes involving students with disabilities, along with ADA claims brought by faculty, staff, and other employees with disabilities.
Missouri Legal Requirements for Discrimination in Education Cases
Discrimination in educational settings can implicate federal civil rights law, federal employment law, and Missouri state law, sometimes all at once.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race, color, and national origin discrimination in any education program that receives federal funding. Public schools, public universities, and most private colleges fall within its reach.
Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. It applies to students and, in many circumstances, to faculty and staff as well.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the IDEA protect students with disabilities. Section 504 reaches any federally funded program. IDEA entitles eligible students to a free appropriate public education through an individualized education program.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 covers employment discrimination against teachers, professors, administrators, and other school employees on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin.
The Missouri Human Rights Act operates alongside federal law and protects against discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations across the state. Missouri’s Sunshine Law requires public schools and universities to disclose records of official business, which often become critical evidence in discrimination cases.
Important Aspects of a Columbia Discrimination in Education Case
Discrimination in education cases share a set of recurring issues. How those issues are addressed early often determines whether a case succeeds.
Campus and District Grievance Processes
Every school district and university has its own internal process for handling discrimination complaints. Faculty handbooks, employee manuals, and student codes all set out procedures. How those procedures are used, ignored, or manipulated often becomes part of the lawsuit itself.
Federal and State Claims Frequently Overlap
Many discrimination in education cases involve both federal and Missouri claims. Federal statutes provide broader damages and attorney fee shifting. State law sometimes offers shorter procedural paths and different burden-shifting rules. Picking the right combination, and the right forum, shapes both the outcome and the timeline of a case.
Evidence and Documentation
Personnel files, student records, emails between administrators, and performance evaluations frequently provide the evidence that wins discrimination cases. We help clients preserve records and request files under FERPA and Missouri’s Sunshine Law before the institution has time to reshape the story.
Administrative Filings and Deadlines
Employment discrimination claims against schools usually require filing with the EEOC or the Missouri Commission on Human Rights before suit. Student civil rights claims have their own filing rules. Missing a deadline can end a strong case before it reaches the merits.
Tenure, Promotion, and Academic Decisions
Faculty members facing denied tenure, revoked promotion, or non-reappointment sometimes have discrimination claims buried under the institution’s stated reasons. These cases require close review of the stated criteria, the record, and how similarly situated peers were treated.
Protecting Against Retaliation
Reporting discrimination often triggers retaliation. A student who complains about harassment gets hit with disciplinary charges. A teacher who files an EEOC complaint sees a sudden drop in performance reviews. Federal and state law prohibit retaliation, and those claims sometimes succeed even when the underlying discrimination claim proves difficult to prove.
Contact TGH Litigation
If an educational institution has discriminated against you, your child, or someone you supervise, we will help you identify which statutes apply and what facts matter under each one.
Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a Columbia discrimination in education attorney. We will review what happened, identify the laws that apply, and explain your options before you commit to moving forward.