M-DCPS Employee Alleges Discrimination Over Accent

CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – A Miami-Dade County Public Schools employee has filed a complaint, alleging that she's been discriminated against because she didn't speak English well enough.  

"I'm working the past year security. I'm in communication for students, families, everything at school," Miladis Barnes said.  

Barnes has been an employee in the district since 2017. She's currently a janitor at G.W. Carver Middle School. Because of staffing shortages, she's even covered other positions, such as security monitor, which why when that position opened up January 20, she applied. 

"Everything is OK. My reputation for the family is OK," she said.  

However, she was told she would not get the job. According to the complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Commission, the principal at the school said in a recorded conversation they were looking for someone who spoke English, to which Miladis Barnes replied, "But I do speak English," then told "yes, but not well enough."

"It's discrimination, total, why I don't know why she's saying me no speaking perfect English," Barnes added.  

Bruce Kaplan is her lawyer, a former Miami-Dade County commissioner.  

"This is a middle school that caters to an international clientele and for the principal of the school to tell an applicant that she doesn't speak English well enough or with an accent and therefore is ineligible the post for which is still open, and they've already contracted somebody that started this week, to me is the worse form of discrimination," he explained.  

CBS4 asked Barnes if she had faced any complaints.  

"No, never, anytime," she said.  

M-DCPS told CBS4 it is an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate, writing, "This school system goes to great lengths to cultivate teaching and learning environments that promote the diversity of our students, workforce, and community. The Office of Civil Rights Compliance at M-DCPS works tirelessly to deter and investigate complaints of harassment and discrimination through proactive training and by conducting timely, impartial investigations."

The district also noted it had yet to receive a complaint.  

"She wants to work, she just wants to continue working at the school she loves," Kaplan added.  

Kaplan said he filed the complaint this morning with the EEOC, from here they will decide how to move forward with an investigation.