Elizabeth Hernandez & Jessica Seaman:

The filing alleges that because Wise advocated for students and staff in protected classes under civil rights laws — students and staff with disabilities and students of color — and was fired as a result of that advocacy, his firing is retaliatory and a violation of civil rights laws.

Wise was “intimately involved” with the implementation of an equity policy within the district which stated DCSD would “establish an inclusive culture to ensure all students, staff and community members feel safe and valued” and “offer and afford every student and staff member equitable educational opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, socio-economic status, or eligibility for special education services.”

The filing pointed out when members of the board majority campaigned against the equity policy and complained about Wise’s support of the policy. Peterson, for example, said during school board campaigning that the district was pushing critical race theory — which is not taught in Douglas County Schools –and the board’s “radical agenda…based on division, equal (low) outcomes, and race-based policies that are discriminatory and will only set our kids up for failure.”

When the board majority was elected, they voted to create a new equity resolution that removed the previous initiatives to ensure representation, accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion within all district-approved curriculum, the filing said.