A former Elizabeth Middle School dean of students has filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging she was terminated because of her opposition to the district’s book ban policy and her advocacy against “racism” in the school.

On Nov. 30, 2025, Le Ellen Condry filed a complaint naming the Elizabeth School District, Elizabeth School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger and John Rogerson, the district’s human resources director, as defendants.

Condry is represented by attorney Andy McNulty.

Condry was hired as the academic adviser and dean of students at the Elizabeth Middle School in Elbert County in June 2024, signing a one-year contract with a salary of $65,000, and she relocated from another state to accept the position.

Condry claims that, prior to accepting the job offer, she was unaware that the school district was planning on implementing a book ban that was “explicitly racist, sexist, homophobic, and transphobic,” beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, according to court documents.

In an email to The Denver Gazette, Snowberger said, “The district is aware that a former employee has filed claims alleging discrimination. The employee’s claims are not new and are part of a broader effort by the ACLU to attack the district because of a few decisions a vocal minority disagrees with.”

He added: “The district has and will continue to defend itself in federal court from outside interests attempting to strong-arm the district’s elected board —a board that was … retained by the voters a few short weeks ago.”

At the lawsuit’s core is a list of 19 books removed from school libraries.

They included “#Pride: Championing LGBTQ Rights” by Rebecca Felix, “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas and “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher.

In December 2024, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the Elizabeth School District over the banned books and, in March 2025, the group won a preliminary injunction requiring their return to the schools’ libraries.

The ACLU claimed that the district disproportionately targeted books by and about Black and LGBTQ people, including “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison.

A district official earlier argued that the district removed the titles because they did not “fulfill the educational protocols that we believe in for this district.”

Meanwhile, parents who agreed with the board’s decision said nothing prevents any student from checking out a book at a public library and that books in the school library should be uplifting and appropriate.

In her lawsuit, Condry said she wrote to the school board criticizing the book ban and calling it “unethical and racist.” Shortly thereafter, the district held a back-to-school barbecue event.

Condry told administrators that, as a Black woman, she was uncomfortable attending the event because of the book ban, according to the lawsuit.

Approximately five days after the barbecue, on Aug. 26, 2024, the board read Condry’s criticism of the book ban, the lawsuit said.

The next day, Snowberger sent an email to Condry and all other district employees and stated that “(S)adly, some staff members did seem to misunderstand the request (for feedback) and somehow felt the request was an opening for harsh feedback to the Board on their decision” to implement the book ban. 

Snowberger specifically called out Condry’s remarks, stating that her “feedback” — Condry had called the board’s actions racist — “crossed the lines of professional and ethical behavior” and that her remarks would lead to “further disciplinary action.” 

Condry was terminated on Oct. 1, 2024, with Snowberger referencing “budgetary reasons” as the cause for her dismissal. 

A month later, Condry was replaced by “a White woman who had no prior experience in the role” but who supported the book ban, according to the lawsuit.

Along with damages, including punitive damages, Condry is seeking a formal apology and the imposition of mandatory districtwide training.

“The district intends to defend itself in court, and the facts will show that the individual’s employment ended because she failed to take the steps to secure the necessary licensure for the position, and because the position was one of several eliminated for cost-saving reasons during a fiscal exigency,” Snowberger said.

The school district has created an online funding site to assist with its ongoing “legal battle with the ACLU.”