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How A Pro Se Won Justice: An Inside Look at an Educator's Stunning Civil Rights-Employment Victory Against the Chicago Board of Education in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
How a Pro Se Won Justice is the remarkable true story of one woman’s disturbing but valiant eight-year legal fight against a clout-heavy school district, her principal, assistant principal and a district administrator. It contains the names of all key players, a link to the parties' oral argument, and includes excerpts from court hearings, deposition transcripts, district and appellate court briefs, letters, memos, emails and the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit's entire opinion, which was written by esteemed Judge Richard Posner. The case has garnered the attention of legal scholars, practitioners, and school boards nationwide. This legal case study and memoir (the only such study written solely by a public school teacher with no legal training) is particularly instructive for those enrolled in educational leadership programs; building leaders; school boards; superintendents; law students; law professors; legal professionals; and pro se litigants. Indeed, it is a must-read for every American citizen, as it addresses significant issues related to race and employment discrimination, civil rights, and the highly immoral and unethical conduct and behavior of legal professionals and school district public servants whose salaries are paid by taxpayers. What occurs during the entire eight-year period shocks the conscience. Joyce Hutchens, a veteran and highly accomplished English, journalism, and business teacher at one of Chicago’s leading public high schools, leaves the classroom to become president of a training and consulting firm before returning to education three years later—this time at Consuella B. York Alternative High School, located in the Cook County Jail. After the principal retires and is replaced by the assistant principal, Hutchens, a National Board Certified Teacher, is unjustly targeted by the new principal and assistant principal and subsequently disciplined for fabricated misconduct. She transfers to the school district’s Professional Development Unit, and one year later, she and every other black employee in her department are laid off. Within one week, a white staff person assumes her former position after the unit's director omits her name when the HR chief, who is seeking to re-staff the position, requests the identities of all relevant laid off departmental employees. Alleging race discrimination and hoping for justice, Hutchens files a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Board of Education. But after several long years of court delays, and despite Hutchens' evidence which supports her claims of discrimination and proves the defendants and their witnesses have committed perjury, the judge assigned to her case excludes her evidence in his court opinion and rules against her—twice. Abandoned twice by her attorneys during critical stages of her lawsuit, without money, legal training, and resources, Hutchens proceeds pro se and appeals the judge’s ruling, writing her own appellant briefs and engaging in an oral argument against the Chicago Board of Education’s attorney. Hutchens describes step-by-step how she wrote her two appellant briefs, (which Judge Posner lauded) prepared for and presented her oral argument, and won, without an attorney, the appeals court's unanimous decision reversal of the district court's decision in her federal lawsuit.
328 pages, Paperback
Published April 6, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 5, 2016
As an educator for the past fourteen academic years, having worked as a high school teacher and administrator, I have seen and read some amazing school-related things in my day (both good and bad). When I learned of the case Hutchens brought forth against the Chicago Board of Education, I was certainly intrigued since this story hits close to home (I have made my professional career in the very city Hutchens discusses in this book). From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the story as if it was written by an accomplished novelist. Although the background story Hutchens presents in the very first chapters reads like fiction, it is amazing that this story is anything but.
Anyone interested in school law, underdog stories, corrupt politics in Chicago, public school education systems, or pro se cases should absolutely consider this book. I learned so much from reading it (and I studied school law while in a graduate program in Educational Leadership). While legalese is definitely not my strong suit nor my area of interest, Hutchens does a wonderful job breaking all of it down for the common man/woman. Never did I feel lost in the language or confused by what was happening in the many years the author was battling two lawsuits against the Chicago Board of Education. Hutchens pays close attention to her audience, presumably educators and those in the legal profession, and walks a fine line to ensure that both types of readers are getting something from the reading experience.
Overall, Hutchens showcases her writing talent, which the reader discovers throughout the course of the book that this very talent was something her tormentors accused her of being lacking in, by providing a combination of memoir, legal and technical writing, and moments of sheer heartbreak and drama. The most endearing aspect of the book is the humor and positive outlook Hutchens maintains even after what she dealt with for almost a decade. I read the book in less than a week and found myself coming back to it each night like any good book that one just cannot put down.
Anyone interested in school law, underdog stories, corrupt politics in Chicago, public school education systems, or pro se cases should absolutely consider this book. I learned so much from reading it (and I studied school law while in a graduate program in Educational Leadership). While legalese is definitely not my strong suit nor my area of interest, Hutchens does a wonderful job breaking all of it down for the common man/woman. Never did I feel lost in the language or confused by what was happening in the many years the author was battling two lawsuits against the Chicago Board of Education. Hutchens pays close attention to her audience, presumably educators and those in the legal profession, and walks a fine line to ensure that both types of readers are getting something from the reading experience.
Overall, Hutchens showcases her writing talent, which the reader discovers throughout the course of the book that this very talent was something her tormentors accused her of being lacking in, by providing a combination of memoir, legal and technical writing, and moments of sheer heartbreak and drama. The most endearing aspect of the book is the humor and positive outlook Hutchens maintains even after what she dealt with for almost a decade. I read the book in less than a week and found myself coming back to it each night like any good book that one just cannot put down.
February 19, 2020
CPS TEACHER'S NIGHTMARE
REQUIRED READING for anyone considering a teaching position at Chicago Public Schools, backed by a Board of Education that is well-known for its racism and willingness to litigate complainants into bankruptcy!
REQUIRED READING for anyone considering a teaching position at Chicago Public Schools, backed by a Board of Education that is well-known for its racism and willingness to litigate complainants into bankruptcy!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews