Highlands disputes claims made by former principal who sued school district

Highlands School District on Wednesday disputed claims made by former Principal Heather Bigney in a federal lawsuit filed against the district this week, alleging officials retaliated against her for taking unpaid leave and dating a former teacher.

“The district and its solicitor … have received and reviewed the complaint Dr. Bigney filed,” a district statement issued by spokeswoman Jennifer Goldberg read. “The allegations are disputed by the district, and a defense will be presented in the proper forum.”

The statement said the district would not comment further on the lawsuit while the case is pending.

Bigney filed the lawsuit Monday, the same day she resigned from her position as principal of the Highlands Early Childhood Center.

The lawsuit contends that Highlands Superintendent Monique Mawhinney discriminated against Bigney and threatened to fire her after she began dating former teacher Jason Smith and later when she took an unpaid leave of absence in April under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

Bigney’s lawsuit said that months of “heightened scrutiny, criticism and retaliation” caused her to suffer from severe anxiety and stress. She sought treatment from a therapist and eventually elected to take the unpaid leave, but the alleged discrimination continued after she returned to work in July, the lawsuit said.

Jason Smith quit in February and separately sued the district in August.

Highlands solicitor Aimee Zundel said her firm is continuing to review the lawsuit.

“Because it’s pending litigation, I’m not at liberty to comment further,” she said.

Regarding Wednesday’s statement from district officials, Bigney’s attorney, Charlie Steele, said he was “taken aback that they would say such a thing.”

Steele said there are witnesses and documentation to back up claims made in the lawsuit.

“Filing lawsuits in federal court is very serious business. We don’t take that task lightly, nor do we fail to investigate statements that we make in our complaints,” Steele said.