Lawsuit says Brooklyn principal discriminated against Orthodox school therapist

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(JTA) — An occupational therapist at an elementary school in Brooklyn is suing the principal alleging discrimination because she is an Orthodox Jew.

Ilene Klass filed a lawsuit in a New York state Supreme Court in Brooklyn charging that principal Sungmin Yoo has written her up for planning her work schedule around religious Jewish holidays, the New York Daily News reported.

The lawsuit names Yoo, the state Department of Education and the city as defendants.

Klass is the only staff member at P.S. 312 who is an Orthodox Jew, according to the Daily News.

She said in the lawsuit that she has been subject to religious discrimination at least four times. One example states that Yoo purposely changed Klass’ work hours and extended her work day on Friday, making it virtually impossible for her to make it home in time for Shabbat during the winter months.

Yoo threatened to write up Klass for professional misconduct or theft of services if she left early, according to the lawsuit.

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