Beaufort County School District pays thousands to settle charges of sexism and ableism

Beaufort County School District paid about $82,000 to a former employee and his lawyers after a state investigation charged the district with disability and gender discrimination.

Qaadir Phillips, a former data specialist at Bluffton’s M.C. Riley Elementary School, has moderately severe asthma and requested to work from home for the spring 2021 semester. His request was denied while three other female data specialists’ requests were granted.

Then, the district forced Phillips to resign and retaliated against him once he complained to the district about their refusal to grant a remote work accommodation, according to evidence found in The State of South Carolina Human Affairs Commission investigation.

Phillips and Superintendent Frank Rodriguez signed a conciliation agreement in October agreeing to terms to remedy the discrimination accusations.

The conciliation process is voluntary and designed to informally resolve discrimination charges after an investigation, but before they are taken to court, according to the SCHAC website.

Based on the agreement, Phillips lawyers received 70% of the awarded $81,987 for “attorneys’ fees and non-wage-based damages” and Phillips received 30% for “wage-based damages.” They received $57,391 and $24,956, respectively.

The wage-based damages make up over half of Phillips annual salary when he stopped working for the District in March 2021. At the time he left, Phillips was paid between $42,000 and $46,000 per year, according to district spokeswoman Candace Bruder.

Withdrawing charges and other terms

The agreement also included terms for Phillips to execute.

As part of the agreement, the district’s records will show that Phillips voluntarily resigned, despite the commission finding evidence otherwise. Phillips is unable to speak with anyone other than his spouse, attorneys and tax advisors about the settlement except to say, “The matter has been resolved.”

When Rodriguez and the district was asked to comment, a district spokesperson said “the matter has been resolved” and declined further comment. Instead they referred The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette to the agreement for information.

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette obtained the agreement through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Phillips had to withdraw his charges of discrimination and can’t take any legal action against the district for disability and gender discrimination.

He also can’t take legal action against the district for age or race discrimination. In the April 2021 complaint that spurred the investigation, Phillips alleged he also faced racial and age discrimination. The commission found insufficient evidence to support this allegation.

In the complaint, Phillips also said his health declined due to what was happening at work.

“I have not recovered fully,” Phillips said. “My overall health is [now] less than what it was when I was working with the school district.”

A change of plans

Phillips said after 20 years in the military he thought he’d spend the next 30 years working in schools in Beaufort County, where he and his three children live.

After the past year and a half, he had to change his plans.

“You want to give back to your community,” he said. “I love working with kids and I was so happy working in the school district. I enjoyed going to work every day. You know, and for that to happen, they took something away from me.”

He said this isn’t preventing him from making a positive impact on children’s lives.

Phillips started working for Wright Family Services in August 2021. He helps provide rehabilitative behavioral health services to children in Jasper County schools.

“I just wanted to be in my county where I live in instead of going outside to another county,” he said, explaining that his commute use to be a couple miles, but now its anywhere from 20 to 50 miles. “I still enjoy what I’m doing.”

A typical day for Phillips involves home visit to six or seven children to help improve behavior and social skills.

“I believe that the youth are our future and with the right mentorship that they can achieve their goals,” he said. “It’s important that I help the children that don’t have a positive male role model in their lives.”