Child care attendant told she was not a 'good Christian,' lawsuit says

A former child care attendant for the Cook County Circuit Court has sued the court, its chief judge and her former supervisor for allegedly harassing her because she is Muslim.

Fozyia Huri, 45, a Muslim of Saudi Arabian origin, alleges that Sylvia McCullum, executive director of the Cook County court's children's advocacy rooms, bullied her because she was not a "good Christian."

According to the suit, McCullum repeatedly referred to herself, other employees and Chief Judge Timothy Evans as "good Christians," indicating that the two went to the same church.

Also according to the suit, in 2009 McCullum asked several child care attendants including Huri to hold hands while she prayed out loud in the name of Jesus Christ, and told another child care attendant who requested to work with Huri that she should work with a "good Christian," not with Huri who was "evil."

Huri said she complained to the office of the chief judge multiple times between 2002 and 2009. When the office took no action and the alleged harassment continued, she filed a religious discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in May 2010.

Read More at the Chicago Tribune

Written by Manya A. Brachear