Two black male educators have jointly sued the Richmond County Board of Education alleging their job assignments have been based on unconstitutional racial grounds instead of skill and experience.

Hartley Gibbons Jr. and Rickey A. Lumpkin filed suit in U.S. District Court on Oct. 19 seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The defendants have 20 days to respond to the lawsuit, which represents only one side of the dispute.

According to the lawsuit against the board and the former interim superintendent James F. Thompson, the trouble began at a May 10, 2007, school board meeting when members voted to demote Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Lumpkin.

Mr. Gibbons, according to the lawsuit, has 15 years experience and was the principal of Glenn Hills Middle School until May 2007. Mr. Lumpkin, with 12 years experience, was principal of Tubman Middle School until May 2007. The lawsuit alleges that they were given no reason for their transfers to assistant principal positions at Butler High School and Cross Creek High School, respectively.

Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 or sandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com