Nichole 'Nikki' Williams
A lesbian teacher and coach reportedly has reached a settlement with the Waxahachie charter school where she accused administrators of firing her due to her sexual orientation last year.
“Due to ongoing inquiries from the media and public, LifeSchool of Dallas and Nichole Williams are issuing the following joint statement,” reads an email sent to Dallas Voice tonight by Williams’ fiancee, Jen DeSaegher. “Ms. Williams and LifeSchool have discussed and amicably resolved all concerns related to Ms. Williams’ previous employment with LifeSchool. Both LifeSchool and Ms. Williams would like to thank students, parents and the community for their support, encouragement and involvement. The LifeSchool leadership team wishes the best for Ms. Williams’ and her future endeavors. Likewise, Ms. Williams would like to thank LifeSchool and its students and parents for the opportunity to coach and teach.”
The statement provides no further details.
Williams, 26, taught 9th-grade geography at Life School Waxahachie, one of the charter school’s five campuses in North Texas. She also served as varsity girls basketball coach and assistant volleyball coach. As we reported, Williams was terminated a day before the basketball season began in October. She filed a grievance with the school alleging she was fired based on her sexual orientation, which reportedly became known to administrators after DeSaegher began attending volleyball games this fall.
Parents and students rallied in support of Williams, submitting a petition to the school calling for her reinstatement and demanding to meet with administrators. Although Williams initially sought reinstatement, she later said she would settle for severance pay and removal of the termination from her personnel file so she could resume her career elsewhere.
With the help of public pressure, Williams apparently managed to negotiate a settlement even though she had little legal recourse. Texas is one of 29 states that lack bans on anti-gay job discrimination, which isn’t prohibited by federal law, either. And, although case law generally protects gay teachers at public schools, experts say courts have ruled that those provisions don’t apply to charter schools, even though they’re taxpayer-funded.
Such an amazing story for a young strong woman and her community. Strength and love is in all of us and I know Ms. Williams has taught not only her students that, but her entire community.
The strength, grace, and respectfulness that Ms. Williams and her partner have modeled throughout this ordeal must cause naysayers to doubt whether they regret losing her as a teacher and coach. I’m thrilled to hear she is free to move on, and know that she will be a blessing to many kids and their families in the future.
It is obvious that Life School acknowledged that it made a mistake. Otherwise, there would’ve been no reason to settle this case, especially since the school said to the public (over and over) that it made the right decision. Kudos to Coach Williams for holding her head high, and for conducting herself with grace and dignity. Wherever she lands, the parents, students, players and administration will be lucky to have her.
There is another story to this and it has nothing to do with being lesbian. I was a teacher who worked in the same building as Ms. Williams when this went on.
All the staff knew the real deal. Ms. Williams was terminated because she was taking kids off campus to Whataburger and such while the kids were supposed to be in math class ect. When a teacher complained about it and the principle started questioning the students involved Ms. Williams got busted for texting the kids not to say anything about it.
She had other write ups for similar issues leading up to that as well.
Ms. Williams got fired, then played the discrimination card to retaliate.