The Department of Education and its employees are prohibited from discriminating against you on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age handicapping condition or membership in, participation in or association with the activities of any employee organization. That means that the principal cannot discriminate against you, discipline you or retaliate against you for exercising your contractual rights, e.g., filing a grievance, being a union activist or participating in a union protest. If you believe that you are being discriminated against, you should immediately contact your chapter leader and your district representative. Our contract, along with state and federal laws, provides protections for you that will fight such discrimination.