Pubdate: Wed, 10 Oct 2012
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Copyright: 2012 Las Vegas Sun, Inc
Contact:  http://www.lasvegassun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234
Author: Dave Toplikar

TEACHER FILES LAWSUIT OVER 'INVASIVE' DRUG TEST

A Las Vegas middle school teacher has filed a lawsuit in federal 
court against the Clark County School District for allegedly holding 
her against her will in a room and forcing her to take an "invasive" drug test.

Christ Casillas, a teacher at Cadwallader Middle School, is seeking 
injunctive relief ordering the School District to change its drug 
testing regulations, policies and procedures to conform with 
constitutional 4th Amendment mandates.

She is also seeking compensatory damages of $100,000, punitive 
damages and attorneys' fees. Her attorney is Richard Segerblom.

The suit also names several school administrators and support staff 
reportedly involved in the incident.

Melinda Malone, a spokeswoman for the School District, said she had 
not heard about the lawsuit and was checking on it with the 
district's legal office.

The lawsuit claims that on Oct. 7, 2010, Casillas was summoned into 
the school's main office by an assistant principal and ordered to 
take an "invasive drug test."

Casillas alleges she was denied having a teachers' union 
representative present and that when she asked to leave, the 
assistant principal blocked the door and told staff to call school 
police to keep the teacher there.

Casillas failed the test for marijuana and was fired, the lawsuit said.

Casillas appealed the termination through the union contract 
arbitration process and the arbitrator ordered that she be reinstated.

Casillas returned to work in May 2011 and during the next 11 months 
was subjected to eight random drug tests, all of which she passed, 
the lawsuit says.
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