Dusty Kornegay

THOMASVILLE — A conclusion to litigation between the Thomas County School District and former superintendent Dr. Linda Jean Quigg was reached when the matter was settled by the school district’s insurer, and the case was formally dismissed.

The insurer paid $400,000 to settle the case, which included attorneys’ fees and other compensatory damages.

“The settlement agreement reached by the school system’s insurer did not require the consent or approval of the board of education or the individual defendants since no school system funds were involved in the settlement,” school system Superintendent Dr. Dusty Kornegay said. “Language of the settlement states that the agreement is ‘not intended as admissions against interest by any party … but the parties intend merely to terminate all claims and disputes between them and buy their peace.’ ”

Kornegay added, “From (Dr.) Quigg’s initial complaint through dismissal, about five years passed, and this litigation consumed hundreds of hours of school system personnel time and other resources. If the case had proceeded to trial, it would have continued to consume personnel time and system resources through trial and subsequent appeals. … The litigation was a constant distraction from our mission of providing our students the educational opportunities that they deserve in preparing them to reach their greatest potential. With this matter finally behind us, we now can devote our full energy, resources, and talent to educating Thomas County’s students and future leaders.”

Quigg’s contract was not renewed following several years of declining system enrollment during her tenure as superintendent. The board voted 5-2 on Feb. 8, 2011, not to renew her contract.

Quigg served as superintendent from June 2007 to May 2011. She had previously served as assistant superintendent from July 1998 to May 2007. She was assistant principal at Cross Creek Elementary School from 1995-1998.

Quigg originally filed a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 2011 after the Thomas County School Board did not renew her contract. When the EEOC declined to pursue action against the school district, Quigg personally filed a lawsuit against the Thomas County School District in November 2012, alleging sex discrimination and retaliation. Later, she added individual school board members as defendants in the lawsuit. 

In September 2014, U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson issued an order dismissing the case and granting summary judgment to the Thomas County School District and school board members Charles Evans, Nancy Hiers, Mark NeSmith, Scott Morgan and Kay Streets. 

Quigg appealed Lawson’s order to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which held that Lawson properly dismissed Quigg’s claims against board members Evans, Hiers and Streets, as well as her Title VII retaliation claim against the Thomas County School District. 

The 11th Circuit found there was no direct evidence of discrimination by the defendants. However, the Court of Appeals held that part of Quigg’s suit against the school district and board members Mark NeSmith and Scott Morgan could proceed to a jury trial. In June 2016, Lawson dismissed NeSmith and Morgan as defendants in the action because Quigg’s claims against them were filed too late.

The only defendant remaining at the time of settlement of the case was the Thomas County School District, Kornegay said.

“In lieu of a jury trial, preparations for trial, the trial itself, and possible subsequent appeals that would have been costly in terms of personnel resources and legal expenses, our insurer reached an agreement with the plaintiff that allows us to put this matter behind us,” said NeSmith, the school board chairman. “With the termination of this uninvited distraction, we can now invest all of our energies in the continuous improvement of our school system.”

Quigg’s Macon attorney Harlan S. Miller could not be reached for comment.

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820