Judge rules discrimination suit against KC schools can proceed

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A man who claims he was passed over for promotion by the Kansas City School District because he is not black can take his discrimination lawsuit to trial, a federal judge ruled.

The lawsuit by Robert Riggs, who is of Asian descent, claims that he was unfairly passed over for a promotion to human resources executive director.

Riggs alleges that he was equally as or more qualified than the black woman who served on an interim basis from April 2001 until she resigned in September 2002.

The district has denied any race-based patronage.

According to court records, Riggs was fired Dec. 13, 2001. He alleges that his termination also was discriminatory.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner said Riggs failed to make a case regarding his firing but did make a case related to the promotion.

Riggs "puts forth significant testimony of preference regarding African-American candidates for positions with the district," Fenner wrote in his order. "This court is concerned by what plaintiff's evidence paints as a portrait of reverse-discriminatory racial patronage within the district."

Maurice Watson, an attorney for the district, denied Riggs' allegations.

"This does not raise the specter of racial patronage," Watson said. "What it does is raise some question as to whether the court felt there might be some question about a process that was followed. There will be evidence that it was a nondiscriminatory process."

Watson also said Fenner's mixed ruling could be a positive sign for the district.