Ottumwa High School/Photo/Facebook An Iowa teacher was recently awarded $425,000 from the Ottumwa Public Schools after the courts determined that the school enabled students’ racist behavior toward the teacher. The teacher sued, alleging harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and violations of the federal Civil Rights Act. The teacher, Robert Bender, a black employee, started working for the district in 2021 and alleged that staff, especially the principals, did nothing to