VBCPS employees sue division over health insurance hikes

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) employees are suing the superintendent, Donald Robertson Jr., alleging he intentionally concealed information about double-digit health insurance hikes after contracts were signed. 

The lawsuit alleges Robertson failed to mention the impending insurance premium increases in order to prevent a mass exodus of employees. 

A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Virginia Beach Circuit Court by more than 100 VBCPS employees seeks compensatory and punitive damages. The plaintiffs are also seeking injunctions preventing the higher premiums from going into effect until after the case is resolved. 

The plaintiffs argued the premium increase is a result of Robertson’s decision to end subsidies to employees’ health insurance, according to court documents. 

Court documents also claim the superintendent knew about the premium increase well in advance and withheld that information from employees to prevent a mass exodus. 

Tim Anderson, who filed the suit on behalf of the VBCPS employees, said he also filed a motion asking the court to allow employees to remain anonymous. 

“We filed this lawsuit anonymously because of not just fear, but mostly a realistic expectation that there would be retaliation,” said Anderson. “We know that one of the school teachers publicly commented to the media about this being a ‘gut punch,’ and the teacher is facing all kinds of grief in her division. If you speak up in Virginia Beach, you are going to be hammered from the administration, so we’re not going to let that happen this time.” 

Anderson tells 13News Now he is representing teachers, teacher’s assistants, bus drivers, bus assistants, nurses, cafeteria workers, special education assistants, and employees who have done their time. 

“It’s not just them; it’s the retirees as well. So, we are talking about a huge group of people, tens of thousands of people are affected by this,” said Anderson. 

Anderson argues the outcome of this case can go one of two ways, adding he will continue to apply the necessary pressure.

“Either I’m going to walk over to that Virginia Beach courthouse and it’s going to be fixed by a judge in an injunction format, or the school board’s going to fix it politically on their end. They have the money,” Anderson said. 

Anderson has agreed to represent the employees free of charge and said, given the timeline of events for the superintendent’s salary, justice needs to be served. 

“At the exact same time that Dr. Robertson bargains for a 13.5% raise, and he gets a $38,000 raise, while the teachers are told their health insurance premiums are going to go up $5,000 or $6,000, it’s outrageous. Those optics… you can’t live with that politically on the school board. They have to fix this,” said Anderson. 

The Virginia Beach School Board has announced a special meeting for Wednesday, August 27th at 6 p.m. at the school administration building, with the purpose being a health insurance premiums, employees’ healthcare costs and potential future steps.

A rally to support VBCPS employees is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday at the corner of Independence and Virginia Beach Boulevard. 

Virginia Beach City Public Schools told 13News Now that they are aware of the lawsuit, are awaiting legal counsel, and do not comment on pending litigation.