In a civil action complaint filed on May 22, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, Melony Maines has accused the Curwensville Area School District of age discrimination. The plaintiff, represented by attorney Erik M. Yurkovich from The Workers’ Rights Law Group, LLP, alleges that her demotion and subsequent constructive discharge were based on her age.
Melony Maines, a 63-year-old resident of Woodland, Pennsylvania, claims she was wrongfully demoted from her position as a second-grade homeroom teacher to a Title I Math Teacher in June 2021. Maines had been employed with the Curwensville Area School District since 2007 and had received positive performance reviews throughout her tenure. She contends that her demotion occurred without any prior discussion or notice and that she was replaced by a significantly younger individual, Megan Fannin, who is approximately half her age.
The complaint details how Maines discovered a job posting for an elementary school teacher position while she was still serving as a homeroom teacher. Shortly thereafter, Principal Christopher Marsh informed her that she would be reassigned to the less favorable Title I Position. According to Maines, this new role involved working out of makeshift spaces such as storage closets and stairwells and dealing primarily with students who had behavioral issues.
Maines further alleges that when she expressed concerns about the reassignment, Marsh responded dismissively: "I’m not interested in your thoughts on this; get your stuff out of your room or I'll get it for you." Despite her requests to return to her former position or an equivalent role following the retirement of another second-grade teacher in February 2022, these appeals were denied by the school district.
In March 2023, Maines submitted a letter detailing what she described as discriminatory conduct and pleading for reinstatement to a comparable position due to significant emotional and psychological stress caused by her demotion. The school district did not respond to this letter. As a result of what she perceived as ongoing discrimination and lack of recourse within the organization, Maines resigned from her employment on June 4, 2023.
Maines' lawsuit cites violations under both federal and state laws—the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA). She argues that but for her age, she would have retained her homeroom teaching position or been reassigned fairly based on seniority rather than being replaced by younger employees with less experience.
The plaintiff seeks several forms of relief from the court including compensatory damages for economic loss and emotional distress; equitable relief in terms of back pay and front pay; punitive damages aimed at deterring future discriminatory conduct by the defendant; attorney’s fees; and pre-judgment interest.
The case is being presided over by Judge Kim R. Gibson under Case No. 3:24-cv-00110-KRG.