NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (March 28, 2025) — Charles Groves, a Black custodian employed by the City School District of New Rochelle since 1999, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination after being repeatedly denied promotions and a critical training opportunity, according to court documents filed on Oct. 29, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Groves, who has worked as a night-shift custodian at Isaac E. Young Middle School since 2012, claims the school district favored less qualified non-Black candidates for Plant Supervisor positions in 2018 and 2020. In 2018, Groves applied for two openings at New Rochelle High School and Albert Leonard Middle School but was passed over for Raymond Casher, an outside hire with no school custodian experience, and Joe Creanza, a white custodian within the district. Another Black candidate, George Mills, was also rejected.
In 2020, Groves applied for another Plant Supervisor position at New Rochelle High School. The role went to Richard Meyerhoff, a white candidate with only 14 months of provisional experience, despite Groves and Mills having over 60 years of combined permanent experience with the district. Keith Watkins, then-Assistant Director of Facilities, told Groves he was a “strong second” but that it was “not his time.”
Groves also alleges he was denied a plant management training course in 2019, which was offered by Watkins in his capacity as president of the National School Plant Management Association. Watkins claimed the course was full, but Groves’ wife confirmed seats were available. Casher and Creanza attended the course, while Groves was excluded. Watkins later said at a 2019 meeting that the training certificate was so important he might not consider applicants without it, yet the course was not offered again.
The lawsuit highlights a historical pattern, noting the school district has not hired a Black person as Plant Supervisor in over 37 years, with the only Black hire in that role dating back to that time. Groves, who supervises five employees and has consistently received positive performance reviews with no disciplinary record, reported his concerns multiple times. In 2019, he met with HR staff Joe Williams and Kareem Ali, who dismissed his claims. In 2020, after the second promotion denial, he contacted the New Rochelle NAACP chapter, whose president, Rev. Mark McLean, met with Acting District Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero within about one week to discuss Groves’ discrimination concerns. Groves and Mills also met with the district’s attorney in December 2020, but no action was taken, and both the union president, Mary Breslin, and Rev. McLean reported that Marrero promised to call Groves but never did.
Rev. McLean, a prominent community leader, served as president of the New Rochelle NAACP branch for the past 5 year but recently stepped down.. He is also a retired New Rochelle Fire Department lieutenant with over 33 years of service.
In 2021, HR staff Ryan Reed and Kareem Ali praised Groves as a “model Custodian” but offered him a lateral transfer to another night custodian role at New Rochelle High School, where Meyerhoff would be his supervisor. Groves called the offer a “slap in the face.”
The lawsuit claims violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and Sections 1981 and 1983 of federal civil rights laws, alleging the school district discriminated against Groves based on race. Groves filed a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which found reasonable cause of discrimination, leading to a right-to-sue letter from the Department of Justice.
Groves seeks a declaration that the school district violated federal and state laws, enrollment in the next plant management training course, a retroactive promotion or the next available Plant Supervisor position with interim front pay, back pay, compensatory damages for emotional distress, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees. He has requested a jury trial.
Groves is represented by Levy Ratner, P.C., a New York-based law firm.
The City School District of New Rochelle, located in Westchester County, employs over 2,000 workers and operates seven elementary and early childhood facilities, two middle schools, and one high school. Its administrative offices are at 515 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801.
The case was assigned to Judge Kenneth M. Karas and Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause. On October 29, 2024, the initial filing included the complaint and a civil cover sheet. On November 1, 2024, a summons was issued to the City School District of New Rochelle and individual defendants, including Keith Watkins and other employees involved in the alleged discrimination. On November 4, 2024, Groves’ attorneys from Levy Ratner, P.C., filed a notice of appearance. The case remains in its early stages.
Mediation
On January 13, 2025, the court issued an “Order of Automatic Referral to Mediation” under the Southern District of New York’s M-10-468 Second Amended Standing Order (signed by Judge Loretta A. Preska on October 1, 2015) with mediation to be assigned by January 27, 2025. On January 14, 2025, a “Notice of Mediator Assignment” was filed, setting a mediation schedule deadline for February 13, 2025. A “First Mediation Conference” was scheduled for February 7, 2025.
On March 21, 2025, Judge Karas issued a “Calendar Notice” scheduling a status conference for April 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before him, to be held via teleconference. The order required counsel to submit a proposed case management and discovery schedule via ECF by 5:00 p.m. the evening before the conference. This suggests that the case is moving forward with litigation proceedings, potentially indicating that mediation did not result in a settlement, though no explicit confirmation is provided.
On March 26, 2025, Groves’ attorney, Jessica I. Apter from Levy Ratner, P.C., filed a letter motion requesting to adjourn the April 1, 2025, conference, though the reason for the request was not specified in the docket entry. As of March 28, 2025, there is no record of the court’s response to this motion or whether the conference was rescheduled.
In summary, the case has progressed through initial filings, an automatic referral to mediation, and the scheduling of a mediation conference, but the outcome of mediation is not documented. The case has since moved toward active litigation, with a status conference scheduled and a subsequent request to adjourn it, indicating ongoing proceedings as of the latest docket entries.