A former Howard Community College American Sign Language teacher has filed a federal lawsuit against the college, alleging the institution discriminated against him because he is deaf and needs a interpreter to teach.
“Their behavior was very obvious,” Ron Fenicle, 44, of Columbia, said through a translator.
“Theydidn?t want to have to pay for an interpreter.”
Fenicle, who is representing himself, filed suit against the college in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on Wednesday.
In the complaint, he does not ask for monetary damages, but seeks to be reinstated in his old position.
Fenicle said the college hired him in the summer of 2003 and he taught until January 2005, when the college opted not to renew his contract.
He said the college was motivated to save money by hiring a teacher who did not need a sign language interpreter to teach American Sign Language.
Fenicle said he is the founder of the Howard County Association of the Deaf, an organization with about 100 members.
Howard Community College declined to comment.
