White teacher sues Woodland Hills alleging racial discrimination

A Woodland Hills School District teacher who holds advanced degrees in administration and educational leadership is suing the district and alleging he wasn’t hired as an assistant principal because of his race.

Charles Kost, of McDonald has been a teacher at Woodland Hills for 15 years. He has a master’s degree in education administration and a doctorate in educational leadership and at his last formal review was rated “distinguished,” the highest rating possible, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court on behalf of Kost by Pittsburgh attorney Sam Cordes.

Kost twice applied for an assistant principal position in 2018 and wasn’t hired in both cases. Instead, Woodland Hills hired two black applicants to the positions. Kost is white.

Neither of the two applicants hired had doctorates or previous experience in the district, according to the suit.

Woodland Hills Superintendent James Harris said the district doesn’t comment on personnel or legal issues and won’t be doing so in this case.

Kost is alleging race discrimination and seeking promotion to an assistant principal’s position, lost wages because he wasn’t promoted in 2018, protection from future discrimination by the district and compensatory damages as determined at a trial.

In May, Kost also filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He filed a similar complaint in June with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, according to the suit.