/ Modified jul 16, 2013 9:51 a.m.

PCC Faces Discrimination Lawsuit From Student

A Tucson woman claims the institution violated her constitutional rights.

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A student filed a discrimination lawsuit against Pima Community College after she was suspended by the institution.

The lawsuit filed Monday said the college allegedly discriminated against nursing student, Terri Bennett, 50.

The complaint said Bennett was suspended after complaining her learning environment was hostile because she is an English-only speaker.

Bennett’s attorney, John Munger, said his client had problems with study groups, labs and clinical groups.

“Members of the study group...the lab and the clinical were insisting on speaking Spanish, and only Spanish in the course of these academic activities that (Bennett) was working on," Munger said.

In the complaint, Bennett alleged she was called a 'bigot' and profiled as a racist by school administration before she was suspended.

PCC Spokesman C.J. Karamargin told Arizona Public Media the institution is not commenting on the lawsuit. A written statement released by the college denied that any of Bennett’s legal rights were violated, and claimed PCC acted appropriately.

MORE: Arizona, News, Tucson
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