Michigan Teacher Fired Over Racial Comments Awarded $535K

A Michigan jury has awarded $535,000 to a white former Flint teacher who claimed he was illegally fired for a racial comment.

Lawyers for Craig Hecht (Heck) were able to show jurors that black staff members at Linden Charter Academy had made racial jokes but were never punished like him.

The 37-year-old Hecht worked at Linden Charter for more than eight years until he was fired in November 2009. The school is run by National Heritage Academies.

There is no dispute that Hecht told another staffer that “white tables are better than brown tables and brown tables should be burned.” His lawyer said he quickly apologized to a black teacher’s aide who heard him.

National Heritage Academies said it was disappointed by the verdict and might appeal.