Ex-Lee’s Summit school chief sues group over ‘evil motives or reckless indifference’
Former school superintendent Dennis Carpenter is still fighting with the Lee’s Summit community, this time in a lawsuit accusing the area’s Economic Development Council of interfering in his consulting business.
The suit, filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, claims Carpenter was denied a contract to speak on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace because the council and its president, Rick McDowell, objected.
The council, a 35-year-old nonprofit, is not a part of city government but often works with city officials in its mission to boost economic development in Lee’s Summit. McDowell said Thursday he could not talk about the suit because the council’s board of directors has yet to discuss it.
Carpenter said Thursday he filed the lawsuit because he wanted to stand against what he believes is unequal treatment, even in business. “I can’t be the voice of equity for others and not seek it in my personal life,” Carpenter said. And, he added, “I want it to stop. I don’t want it to happen to anyone else.”
Last school year, Carpenter, Lee’s Summit’s first African American superintendent, clashed with the school board and members of the community when he tried to bring equity training to the predominantly white suburban district.
Carpenter left the district in July with a $750,000 payout on his contract. He then started his consulting firm, Aspirational Insights, with his wife, LaQuanda Carpenter.
The suit says that in October, Carpenter accepted an invitation to be keynote speaker at a Unity Village seminar this spring and was to be paid $1,500. The event was designed to show how to “recruit diverse candidates and create an inclusive workplace.”
But in December, the offer was withdrawn after Unity Village leaders talked about it with the president of the Economic Development Council, which was sponsoring the seminar, according to the suit, which was filed that same month.
“There is no justification for Lee’s Summit EDC to interfere in the contractual or business relationship by and between Dr. Carpenter, Aspirational Insights and Unity Village,” the suit says. It claims that Carpenter and his business “have been damaged by the actions” of Rick McDowell and the council “through the loss of payment for services, the loss of future business opportunities from participation in the seminar and damage to Carpenter’s reputation.”
The suit calls the council’s actions “by and through its employee and agent, Rick McDowell … outrageous” and says the council had “evil motives or reckless indifference” with regard to Carpenter and his business. It asks for damages in an amount to be determined by the court.
In a statement, Unity Village said it “is committed to diversity and inclusion and respects Dr. Carpenter and his important work in this area.
“We hope to have the opportunity to work with him in the future. Our goal is to build unity and to heal the multiple divisions present in society and in our communities around the country.”
During the last school year, the Lee’s Summit school board twice rejected Carpenter’s proposals to hire a firm to lead the training. He was threatened in the community and sought a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office security detail to protect himself and his family.
The fight over training divided the community, with some castigating Carpenter in social media and others defending him for trying to ensure an equitable education was offered to all students. The district eventually hired a training firm, which has already led sessions with the school board.
The board is expected to vote Jan. 23 to name Carpenter’s replacement. The four finalists for the job include Emily Miller, who has served as the district’s acting superintendent since Carpenter resigned and is a member of the Economic Development Council’s board of directors.
This story was originally published January 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
