NEW YORK, NY – [April 4, 2025] – Mesidor PLLC and Palmore Law Group, P.C. today announced the filing of a damning complaint on behalf of their client, Rhonda Young, against Brentwood Union Free School District and Kevin Coyne for their abhorrent and sustained campaign of racial and gender discrimination and the District's complicit failure to protect a highly accomplished Black female leader. The lawsuit, filed on April 1, 2025, in the Eastern District of New York, exposes a shocking pattern of harassment and intimidation that culminated in a vile racial slur and physical intimidation, all while the District turned a blind eye.
Despite Ms. Young's remarkable 24-year career within the Brentwood school system, marked by consistent promotions to positions of increasing responsibility, she was relentlessly targeted by Kevin Coyne, the President of the Brentwood Teachers Association. His years of escalating harassment, including name-calling, threats, and ultimately a blatant racial slur and physical intimidation, created a toxic and hostile work environment. Even more appalling is the Brentwood Union Free School District's deliberate inaction. Despite Ms. Young's formal complaints and a known history of Coyne's abusive behavior towards female and minority administrators, the District incredibly concluded there was "no credible evidence" of discrimination, effectively endorsing this reprehensible conduct.
"Let this filing serve as an indictment of the Brentwood Union Free School District's shameful dereliction of duty and its tacit approval of blatant racism and sexism," declared Marjorie Mesidor, Principal Attorney at Mesidor PLLC. "For a Black woman who dedicated over two decades of her life to their students to be subjected to such vile treatment, only to have her concerns dismissed with utter disregard, is an outrage. We will not stand by while institutions foster such poisonous environments. This lawsuit will hold Brentwood accountable for its abhorrent failure to protect Rhonda Young and for the deep and lasting damage they have inflicted."
Heather Palmore, Principal Attorney at Palmore Law Group, P.C., added, "The facts of this case are not just disturbing; they are a stark reminder that systemic discrimination remains a pervasive issue. The Brentwood School District had a clear obligation to ensure a safe and respectful workplace for all its employees, especially its leaders. Their failure to address Kevin Coyne's well-documented pattern of abuse and their subsequent dismissal of Ms. Young's harrowing experience is a betrayal of that trust and a clear violation of her civil rights. We are committed to fighting tirelessly to secure justice for Rhonda and to ensure that such blatant discrimination is never tolerated."
Rhonda Young stated, "I dedicated my entire professional life to the students and families of Brentwood. To be met with such consistent disrespect, harassment, and outright racism, culminating in being called a 'spook' by a figure of authority within the District, was devastating. What's worse is the District's complete failure to take my complaints seriously, effectively telling me that my experiences didn't matter. This lawsuit is not just for me; it's for every educator, especially women and people of color, who deserve to work in an environment free from fear and discrimination. I will not be silenced, and I am determined to hold those responsible accountable for their actions."
Mesidor PLLC and Palmore Law Group, P.C. are committed to pursuing all available legal remedies to secure justice for Ms. Young, including compensatory and punitive damages, and to ensure that the Brentwood Union Free School District takes meaningful action to address its discriminatory practices and create a safe and equitable environment for all its employees.