Hazelwood School District, located in Sleepy Hollow Township, is being sued by several teachers who applied for teaching positions within the school district but were rejected. The plaintiffs, who are all African American, produce the following evidence: (a) 1.8 percent of the Hazelwood School District’s certified teachers are African American, whereas 15.4 percent of the certified teachers in Sleepy Hollow Township are African American; and (b) The hiring decisions by Hazelwood School District are based solely on subjective criteria.
Will the plaintiffs prevail? Explain.