COMING UP. ABBY. ALL RIGHT. DAMON, THIS JUST IN AT 6:00. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NOW SUING OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. EVAN ONSTOT JOINS US HERE IN STUDIO. AND, EVAN, THE LAWSUIT SAYS A TEACHER WAS DEPLOYED AND NOT HIRED BACK WHEN HE CAME HOME. THAT’S RIGHT. AND ACCORDING TO THE DOJ, YOU CAN’T DO THAT. THAT THAT VIOLATES THE UNIFORM SERVICES EMPLOYMENT AND REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT OF 1994. IT PROTECTS SERVICE MEMBERS WHO ARE ABSENT FROM WORK FOR MILITARY OBLIGATIONS, ENSURING THAT ONCE THEY COME BACK, THAT THEY ARE BROUGHT BACK ON THE JOB. NOW, THE LAWSUIT STATES AIR FORCE RESERVE SENIOR AIRMAN MICHAEL MCCULLOUGH WAS A MUSIC TEACHER AT OKC IN JANUARY OF 2022, ACCORDING TO THE LAWSUIT. HIS PRINCIPAL TOLD HIM THAT SHE WANTED HIM TO RETURN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BUT WHEN HE TOLD HIS PRINCIPAL THAT HE WAS BEING DEPLOYED IN THE SPRING, THE LAWSUIT STATES THAT SHE SUGGESTED TO HIM FIRST THAT HE SHOULD RESIGN. AND THEN LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, DURING HIS DEPLOYMENT, MCCULLOUGH SAYS THE DISTRICT TOLD HIM THAT HIS CONTRACT WOULD NOT BE RENEWED, EVEN THOUGH THAT THERE WERE OPEN TEACHING POSITIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE FILLED. THE LAWSUIT SEEKS LOST WAGES AND BENEFITS. NOW, THE DOJ SENT US THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE LAWSUIT AROUND 3:30 P.M. TODAY. AT THAT POINT, WE REACHED OUT TO OKC, CPS.
U.S. Department of Justice sues OKCPS, claiming servicemember was not rehired following deployment
The DOJ sued the district, claiming OKCPS violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.
![KOCO logo]()
Updated: 6:46 AM CDT May 30, 2024
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Oklahoma City Public Schools, alleging the district violated the rights of an employed servicemember who was deployed. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppAccording to the complaint, Air Force Reserve Senior Airman Michael McCullough was employed as a music teacher by the district in January 2022. He was under contract for the remainder of the school and was told by administrators that they wanted to continue his employment the following year. In February 2022, McCullough was deployed for military service. When he notified the principal, the lawsuit alleges the administrator told him it would be easier if he resigned from his teaching position. During his deployment, and less than one month later, Oklahoma City Public School told McCullough his contract would not be renewed for the 2022-23 school year, according to the lawsuit. OKCPS then refused McCullough's repeated requests for reemployment, despite available positions, according to the lawsuit. The DOJ sued the district, claiming OKCPS violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.“We owe a solemn duty to protect the rights of our servicemembers when called upon to defend our nation. This lawsuit reinforces the Justice Department’s strong commitment to protecting the rights of those who wear the uniform proudly,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said. “USERRA provides important reemployment protections, and we must act when any employer denies them an opportunity to earn a living because they are called to duty.”The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. It seeks lost wages, as well as employment benefits and other remedies. OKCPS officials released a statement, saying "OKCPS has been made aware of the lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice and our legal team is reviewing it. The district will work through the legal process accordingly. We cannot provide any further comment at this time."Top Headlines Meet Mary Tucker, a silver medalist shooting for gold in Paris Man catches massive, record-breaking flathead catfish at Pine Creek Reservoir Newly started construction at Dallas Junction in OKC already causing traffic for morning drivers Oklahoma County Detention Center inmate dies after being found unresponsive in cell Judge sets trial, sentencing date for Edmond man facing ammunition charge in Turks and Caicos
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Oklahoma City Public Schools, alleging the district violated the rights of an employed servicemember who was deployed.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
According to the complaint, Air Force Reserve Senior Airman Michael McCullough was employed as a music teacher by the district in January 2022. He was under contract for the remainder of the school and was told by administrators that they wanted to continue his employment the following year.
In February 2022, McCullough was deployed for military service. When he notified the principal, the lawsuit alleges the administrator told him it would be easier if he resigned from his teaching position.
During his deployment, and less than one month later, Oklahoma City Public School told McCullough his contract would not be renewed for the 2022-23 school year, according to the lawsuit.
OKCPS then refused McCullough's repeated requests for reemployment, despite available positions, according to the lawsuit.
The DOJ sued the district, claiming OKCPS violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
“We owe a solemn duty to protect the rights of our servicemembers when called upon to defend our nation. This lawsuit reinforces the Justice Department’s strong commitment to protecting the rights of those who wear the uniform proudly,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said. “USERRA provides important reemployment protections, and we must act when any employer denies them an opportunity to earn a living because they are called to duty.”
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. It seeks lost wages, as well as employment benefits and other remedies.
OKCPS officials released a statement, saying "OKCPS has been made aware of the lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice and our legal team is reviewing it. The district will work through the legal process accordingly. We cannot provide any further comment at this time."
Top Headlines
