Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill
BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill claims a lawsuit filed against a group of state community colleges for alleged civil rights violations belongs in federal court.
Murrill filed a removal notice in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.
“Because Plaintiff asserts claims arising under federal law, this Court has subject matter jurisdiction,” the four-page notice states.
Plaintiff Kirk Wesley White, a process technology instructor at the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, or LCTCS, filed his lawsuit in the 19th Judicial District Court for the Parish of East Baton Rouge May 19.
The named defendants are LCTCS, River Parishes Community College-Gonzales, and River Parishes Community College-Reserve. Murrill’s office is representing the community colleges.
In his filing, White contends the defendants violated the federal Civil Rights Act.
He alleges co-worker Dr. Donovan Thompson texted him “in a highly insulting and degrading manner” and another co-worker, Katrina Johnson, used “despairing and derogatory remarks” to their colleagues that were “detrimental” to White’s reputation.
White also alleges co-worker Shannon Williamson’s “systematic pattern of derogatory remarks” were directed at him and that she participated in a group chat in which he was “disparaged.”
In his complaint, White also claims Thompson and Williamson influenced the terms of his contract.
“That Dr. Donovan Thompson and Ms. Shannon Williamson should not have exerted any influence over the continuation of Mr. White’s employment with RPCC-Reserve and be engaged in the hiring and renewing of the contract of Mr. White for the next contracted period 2025-2026 and into future hiring and renewing of Mr. White’s contracts and any practices, persons, businesses or entities that are detrimental of [sic] his hiring into the future,” the filing states.
White seeks $275,000 in compensatory damages, back pay of $55,000, benefits, reinstatement, and attorney fees.
In federal court, the “amount in controversy” – or the monetary value of a plaintiff’s claim – must exceed $75,000, exclusive of interest and costs, for diversity jurisdiction.
White also seeks an order that the defendants must preserve all materials relevant to the case, including emails, text messages, chat logs, electronic records, video and audio recordings, and all communications referencing him.
“That any alteration, deletion, or concealment will constitute obstruction of justice,” White’s complaint states.
In addition, he seeks an order that the defendants refrain from any retaliatory actions against him.
Faucheux Law Firm in Lutcher, Louisiana, is representing White in the lawsuit.
