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individuals that would play key roles in the facts of this case were Assistant Superintendents<br />

Olivia Henderson and Dr. James Dupree, both Black. In July 2001, Woods was promoted to an<br />

assistant principal position due to a district initiative to reclassify all program specialist titles.<br />

Woods began to report incidents involving the clique almost immediately thereafter. Woods<br />

documented incidents such as Phillips openly criticizing her abilities in front of students and<br />

parents. Woods documented an episode where she went into Gordon’s class to perform and<br />

informal walk-through and Gordon told her that only Principal Runberg would be evaluating her<br />

in a very rude and unprofessional manner, according to Woods. In each case, Woods criticized<br />

Runberg for not disciplining the clique members. The behaviors did not cease there. Apuzzo and<br />

Woods argued over photos being printed--which was one of Woods’ previous responsibilities as<br />

a program specialist. Woods explained that she was an assistant principal now and that was no<br />

longer her job. The argument grew heated enough that Apuzzo filed a formal complaint against<br />

Woods thereafter. This litany of behavior with Woods and the clique continued with more<br />

frequency over the course of the year.<br />

In May 2002, Woods filed her first complaint with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Johns,<br />

but her complaint held no mention of racism. In her complaint, she requested that Johns reassign<br />

her to another school, which Johns said that he would most assuredly do if he had the chance.<br />

That, however, did not occur. When an opening occurred at Woods’ desired location, another<br />

assistant principal was reassigned. The district defended the move by asserting that it was not<br />

good practice to move people currently involved in personnel disputes as it would establish a bad<br />

precedent henceforth.<br />

Sometime thereafter, Woods’ husband, also an administrator at Gardnertown, complained<br />

to Assistant Superintendents Henderson and Dupree, that Mrs. Woods was being harassed by the<br />

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