Library district facing old sexual harassment case

Eric Leake

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

A protest today before a library board meeting aims to bring renewed attention to a 5-year-old sexual harassment lawsuit.

The suit alleges that West Las Vegas Library administrators failed to properly respond to longstanding complaints about the allegedly hostile work environment at the library. Several women who were working at the library complained about a man who allegedly harassed his co-workers with lewd comments and actions for two years beginning in 1995. Their suit alleges that library administrators protected the man and retaliated against them.

"We're going out to protest for all the mistreatment and the abuse that has happened," said Marzette Lewis, president of the Westside Action Alliance Korps-Uplifting People, the group spearheading the protest.

"These women are not getting what we feel are their fair dos."

The protest will precede the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District's 6 p.m. board meeting at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.

Executive Director Daniel Walters would not comment on the specifics of the case, citing district procedure. He referred to the district's diversity and equal opportunity policies.

He did say, however, that the Library District will not agree to a large settlement.

"It is in our interests to avoid the costs of litigation, but it is not in our interest to pay excessive settlements for claims that investigators conclude to be without merit," Walters said.

"The taxes we collect are for services. We just can't write somebody a settlement check."

Three plaintiffs filed the suit in District Court, claiming harassment and racial discrimination. Their attorney, Geraldine Kirk-Hughes, values the case at a combined $300,000 based on similar past cases. The plaintiffs said they were offered $20,000 apiece.

One of the plaintiffs, Deborah Jackson, is helping organize the protest.

A 19-year library employee, Jackson said the trouble began when a longtime volunteer was hired to a paid position in 1995.

"Even before he was hired, he had, it seemed, a fixation on me," she said. "He would make inappropriate comments as to how sexy I was, how good I looked."

Soon the man became increasingly bolder, leering at the women and calling them at home, Jackson said.

"He would jump in front of me like he was a dancer, a go-go dancer or something," Jackson said.

Jackson and other employees complained about the man, but Jackson said that the women's complaints were ignored, while those at other libraries received immediate address.