White Security Officer Claims He Was Fired For Having A Black Wife

White Security Officer Claims He Was Fired For Having A Black Wife

A white Tennessee security officer claims in a lawsuit that he was fired because his boss didn’t like that he was married to a black woman and had biracial children according to Knox News:

Attorney James A.H. Bell last week filed a lawsuit in Knox County Circuit Court on behalf of John Smelser against the Knox County school board and Knox County government over his termination in May 2015. The lawsuit alleges Gus Paidousis, chief of school security, fired Smelser, who is white, after learning Smelser was married to a black woman with whom he had two children.

The lawsuit seeks $250,000 in compensatory damages and a “mandatory order requiring defendants to abide by the laws that prohibit race discrimination and ordering the appropriate employees involved in the acts of race discrimination to receive appropriate training.”

Knox County Schools spokeswoman Melissa Tindell did not have immediate comment but said she was checking with officials on a response.

Smelser was hired in September 2014 and assigned to work security at Shannondale Elementary School. According to court records, Smelser also helped train police cadets.

Discuss.