In 2009, when Jackie Gill was hired as a temporary English professor at Tarrant County College in Hurst, Texas, she had every reason to believe she’d have a good shot at being made a full-time faculty member. That is, until her chair started railing about how the school “[did] not like homosexuals.”
Despite praise from administrators, colleagues and students, Gill, who is openly lesbian, wasn’t even invited to interview for several openings in her department. Her chair accused her of flirting with female students despite the fact that there were always other instructors in the room.
Gill was also subjected to what she characterized as a lengthy diatribe about “homosexuals” and about how “Texas and Tarrant County College do not like homosexuals” by English Department Chair Eric Devlin.
In September 2011, Lambda Legal filed a federal discrimination lawsuit on her behalf. Today the organization announced Gill and TCC had come to a settlement with no admission of liability. As a result, the school will pay her more than $160,000 and provide her with a positive letter of recommendation.
TCC has also added a policy prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
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“It was important for me to bring this challenge, but I’m also happy it’s settled,” says Gill. “I’m also pleased to know that there is now a written policy in place at TCC that hopefully will not allow what happened to me to happen to anyone else.”
EmmaMTF
Can we just disown Texas? Would Mexico even take it back?
Juan Rodriguez
Sorry, you own it now. Deal.
Tracy Johnson
@EmmaMTF: Unfortunately no. But I’d go with whomever broke Texas should buy it! Good news though Texas is still in the running as worst state, along with Arizona, Florida and the newly emerging dark horse North Carolina.
Daniel S
I’m sorry does one of the largest major cities in the country in your state have a Lesbian mayor. Just because we have conservative idiots in our state is not a reason to talk about us that way. There are a lot of great people here.
Brandon
@Daniel S: Have you read the Republican Party of Texas platform? Do you really feel safe living there? If you do, you may well be fooling yourself. Just don’t wait until it’s too late like many of our Jewish friends did in Germany during the 1930s.
dellisonly
Where to begin….Tarrant County College has many campuses across what is a large and heavily populated area. This happened at one of five campuses. I attended three of the campuses which ALL have LGBT student run and faculty sponsored groups. This is the sole issue of one person, Eric Devlin. To reply to those who keep bashing my beloved state. If you couldn’t make it here we don’t want you. I love the diverse population of this state and respect all their views and for the most part they do the same. It takes someone of superior character and unwavering opinion to live in a state which has no state tax, a low property tax, and a sales tax below 9%. Oh but yes, stop the torture. I don’t think I can stand this affordable cost of living.
Carl
No wonder they can’t afford education then…
abjonsdottir
I am a military Veteran. I served 10 years, 2 of them during Desert Storm. I have lived in San Antonio, Texas now for 18 years. I stayed here after Desert Storm to get 2 degrees in Education. As a military member, I have served all over the world. But I have NEVER experienced in the whole world what happens in Texas. Needless to say, unfortunately in most of the major cities? Time is standing still….not past the 1940’s. This is very evident in San Antonio. My very good GLBT friends (I am Bi) still mostly live their lives underground. In much of Texas, except for the one shining star, AUSTIN, most GLBT folks live in the shadows. San Antonio, with the leadership of Mayor Castro is TRYING to become a cosmopolitan and progressive city but, like the other major cities in Texas has a LONG way to go.
If a person would love to live in a state with a low cost of living AND no taxes? Come to Texas…but?! There are NO social programs. People who live in poverty are expected to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps”….1940’s thinking! There are no safety nets. The rich get richer and the folks in poverty get poorer. So if you are a self-made millionaire who enjoys hanging out with the Good Old Boys? Y’all come!!!
We will not stay here much longer. We are waiting until the day when we qualify for our retirements/Social Security. Then we are headed NORTHWEST to the “Left Coast”!!!!