KANSAS CITY, Mo. (CN) - Kansas Wesleyan University fired its dean of students after she became pregnant by a black man, the woman claims in Federal Court. She claims that when the college president found out she was pregnant, he demanded her resignation and cut her pay for her final 2 months at the school.
Heather Smith Ney says she was dean of student life from Sept. 6, 2006 to Aug. 31, 2009. She always received positive performance evaluations and had no significant disciplinary action against her.
In early 2009, Smith Ney, who is white, says she had a relationship with another Kansas Wesleyan employee, who is black. She became pregnant, but did not find out until after the man had left the university, according to the complaint.
Smith Ney says she met with former Kansas Wesleyan President Phil Kerstetter on June 15, 2009, after she learned she was pregnant. She says Kerstetter demanded her resignation and that she to take a 10 percent pay cut for July and August.
Smith Ney says she was never given a reason for her firing, but she believes it was because she became pregnant with a black baby.
She seeks damages for pregnancy, gender and racial discrimination. She is represented by Larry Michel with Kennedy Berkeley Yarnevich in Salina, Kan.
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