High School Teacher in Maryland Files Lawsuit Over Racism Allegations

A teacher from Maryland has initiated legal action, asserting that he was wrongfully branded as racist following a disagreement in class about seating arrangements, which he claims was mishandled by school officials.

Dan Engler, who previously taught health and English at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Montgomery County and also coached the rowing team, is suing Principal Shelton L. Mooney and the Montgomery County Public Schools Board. He alleges that they slandered his reputation and violated school policies related to the incident.

According to Engler’s lawsuit, two students in his health class were asked to return to their assigned seats instead of sitting next to a friend. Engler noted the importance of using the seating chart to learn the students’ names and reduce confusion. However, the students, who are Black, refused to comply.

That same day, the students informed the assistant principal that Engler had allegedly remarked he couldn’t speak to them separately from the rest of the class, interpreting it as a racial statement.

On a related note, a case involving Engler’s English class earlier that spring might have contributed to misunderstandings. His lawyer pointed out that after Engler read quotes from Muhammad Ali—which included a racial slur—he issued an apology and clarified that it was not a case of racial prejudice. Still, students had expressed a desire not to be placed in Engler’s class in the future because of this prior incident.

In response to the students’ claims, Principal Mooney was directed to follow the district’s “Hate Bias Incident” protocol. The day after the incident, he informed Engler that he would be put on paid administrative leave while investigations were ongoing.

Just two days later, Mooney sent an email to the community informing them of a “hate bias incident” at the school. The email described how “several African-American students” felt they were unable to be distinguished from one another by Engler, and it mentioned that the Montgomery County Police had been notified of an internal investigation.

In the email, Mooney emphasized the school’s stance against any form of discrimination, referencing their policies against “insensitive” and “verbal abuse” among other forms of misconduct.

Although Engler wasn’t named in the email, he claimed that it was evident who the reference was about. He insists that he didn’t make any comments that could be reasonably deemed as racist.

The lawsuit alleges that Mooney’s actions caused significant harm to Engler’s reputation and that the way the investigation was handled violated district policies. Engler maintains that the email sent to the community was prejudicial and premature.

When Engler returned to work, he stated that Mooney avoided discussing the incident with him. The following week, Engler was distressed to find that MCPS staff had conducted a “restorative justice” meeting in his classroom.

Engler shared that the entire situation adversely affected his mental health, prompting a year-and-a-half leave of absence before taking a teaching position at a different school. He expressed his love for teaching and coaching, noting how devastating it was to lose the trust of his students and colleagues due to the allegations against him.

The investigation ultimately found insufficient evidence to categorize the classroom incident as a “hate bias case.” Yet, as Engler argues, the damage was already done. He claims Mooney’s email tarnished his reputation in the school community, caused him emotional distress, and resulted in the loss of his coaching position.

Engler criticized the school’s handling of the incident, suggesting it was a significant opportunity for virtue signaling. He estimated the legal battle had cost his family over $300,000. After seeking to resolve the issue through administrative channels, he filed his lawsuit in August 2023, which went to trial recently.

As of now, neither the Montgomery County Public Schools Board nor Mooney has commented on the lawsuit. Engler’s attorney has reached out for a statement regarding the allegations but has yet to receive a response.