Gateway school board votes to settle racial discrimination lawsuit

Gateway school board members voted unanimously Monday to approve a $50,000 settlement in a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by an alum who claims she was not hired as the district’s athletic director because she is in an interracial marriage.

The vote for the settlement was 8-0; board President Leslie McBride was absent.

The lawsuit against the Monroeville school district was filed in 2021 by Korie Morton-Rozier, who claimed she was passed over for the athletic director position because of her interracial marriage. Morton-Rozier, who is white, is Pittsburgh’s Oakland Catholic High School athletic director. She has been married to a Black man since 2005.

The school board voted instead to hire football coach Don Holl to serve as athletic director.

The lawsuit claims the decision was driven by a text sent by school board member Paul Caliari to other board members in a group message; he asked whether Morton-Rozier “date(ed) the darkies.”

Later that same evening, the board voted 7-1 to confirm Holl’s hiring as athletic director.

On Jan. 7, 2021, Caliari offered his resignation amid community outrage and an official demand by Allegheny East and Pennsylvania NAACP President Kenneth Huston that he resign.

A representative for the district declined to comment when asked if they would like to issue a statement regarding the settlement.

Morton-Rozier is represented by Pittsburgh attorney Todd Hollis, who had no comment when reached Tuesday.

Caliari could not be reached for comment.