Black Iowa teacher breaks down after students repeatedly crossed the line. Then her lawsuit ended with a $425,000 award: ‘Let it continue’
Some lessons were never learned
Teachers are expected to deal with difficult students, but they shouldn’t have to face racist abuse. One Black teacher in Iowa repeatedly complained about how students treated him. However, the school’s response only made matters worse.
Schools have faced accusations of failing to address racist harassment. In this case, students reportedly received harsher punishment for breaking school rules than for using racial slurs against their teacher. That difference became a major issue in a federal lawsuit.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Robert Bender, a Black special education teacher in Ottumwa, Iowa, faced repeated racist harassment during the 2021–22 school year. He claimed school officials failed to protect him despite his complaints. A jury eventually awarded him $425,000.
The school’s response raised more questions
Bender began working at Evans Middle School in July 2021, teaching students with behavioral disabilities. He also coached the junior varsity boys’ basketball team.
That September, a student allegedly called him the N-word in front of colleagues who failed to intervene. Two weeks later, a different student repeatedly used the same slur. Bender reported the incident to principal Jerry Miller and assistant principal Dana Warnecke. The student received either a half-day or full-day suspension.
However, the harassment continued. Students allegedly directed racial slurs at Bender nearly every week, sometimes in front of other teachers and administrators. He also received sticky notes containing racist messages.
Bender escalated his complaints to the district’s human resources director, David Harper, who assured him that such conduct would not be tolerated. “Unfortunately, the lack of discipline emboldened the students, and they continued to refer to Mr. Bender as a N-word in front of staff and administration,” his lawsuit stated.
One student reportedly received a timeout for using the slur. However, Bender had to supervise him, and the student allegedly continued directing racist remarks at him throughout the punishment.
The disciplinary records raised further concerns. One student who frequently used the slur received suspensions for fighting, profanity, defiance, truancy, and other misconduct. Yet his records allegedly contained no mention of the racial harassment, despite Bender’s written complaints.
In March 2022, a sixth-grader reportedly used the slur toward Bender near a bus stop and repeated it the following day in front of Miller. The principal acknowledged hearing the remark but defended his decision against further punishment.
Miller explained that “with BD students each day is a fresh start instead of carrying over what happened the day before.” A week later, however, school officials suspended a student for cursing at Miller and other staff members.
Bender also alleged that his reassignment to an inclusion teaching position was connected to the dispute. The district denied retaliatory motives, arguing that the change would help him develop classroom management strategies. He later transferred to Ottumwa High School.
Bender filed his federal lawsuit in June 2023, seeking $3 million in damages. His allegations reflected concerns about racial harassment in workplaces, particularly when employees believe management has failed to intervene.
The district argued that students with behavioral disorders required specialized interventions rather than automatic suspensions. Officials maintained that they provided support, coaching, and disciplinary measures when appropriate.
In June 2026, U.S. District Judge Stephen H. Locher rejected the district’s attempt to dismiss the case. He found that jurors could reasonably conclude officials allowed a “hostile work environment” to “develop and persist.”
Bender dropped his separate discrimination and retaliation claims before trial. After four days of testimony and five and a half hours of deliberation, jurors awarded him $425,000 in compensatory damages. They also imposed $100 in punitive damages against each administrator.
Locher later vacated those punitive awards, finding insufficient evidence of malice or reckless indifference. The $425,000 judgment remained intact.
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