Blind woman's suit charges hiring bias

A new lawsuit has been filed against the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, this time alleging hiring discrimination.

The school is accused of refusing to hire a woman because she is blind. The woman maintains in the suit that she is fully qualified to hold the position for which she applied.

Mary Jo Thorpe, a Utah native who currently lives in Maryland, filed the suit in 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. She holds a master's degree in education with an emphasis in teaching blind students and applied for a teaching position with USDB in November 2004.

The position was in USDB's parent-infant program, requiring the specialist to perform visual tracking tests and to teach visual stimulation. The suit states that school officials were concerned whether Thorpe's blindness would prevent her from performing such tasks. Thorpe says she told USDB officials that the use of alternative techniques would allow her to perform all required job duties.

The suit acknowledges that Thorpe did not inform USDB that she was blind until her first in-person interview, which she attended using a white cane. Thorpe maintains in the suit that during the interview, she was told her chances of getting the job were "very good," that USDB "would have no difficulty accommodating her blindness," and that she would be an "excellent role model for the blind students."

Thorpe went through several interviews but was not hired. The suit claims the only one reason for the decision was Thorpe's blindness. Thorpe filed an employment discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in June of last year. The EEOC did not act on the complaint but did issue a notice in March giving Thorpe the right to file a civil action against USDB. The National Federation of the Blind is backing Thorpe in the lawsuit.

Bruce Buland, director of human resources for the USDB, said the school has not yet reviewed the lawsuit and he could not comment.

USDB is currently facing a lawsuit filed in March by parents of several students at the school claiming their children were physically abused by a teacher.

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