An employee of the 91原创 School District has been accused of using racist language in an e-mail to a female teacher.

A formal complaint by the(BCTF) was filed with the on behalf of the teacher in late November.

At the same time, the (LTA) has taken the matter to a union-management arbitration hearing that will be held separately from the tribunal.

The incident allegedly occurred this spring when the employee, described by the LTA as a member of 鈥渕anagement/administration鈥� at the district, sent the message to a female teacher described as a member of a visible minority.

Details of the message were not immediately disclosed.

LTA president Gail Chaddock-Costello said two separate complaints have been filed, one on behalf of the individual teacher and one on behalf of all teachers in the 91原创 school district.

The formal complaint and application for binding arbitration came after six months of talks with the school district failed to settle the matter, the union leader told The Times.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very unfortunate, in my opinion, that we were not able to resolve this locally鈥� Chaddock-Costello said.

She said the law requires a human rights complaint to be filed within six months of the date the incident comes to light.

As far Chaddock-Costello knows, it is the first time a complaint of racism has been formally filed against a  management/administrative employee of the 91原创 school district.

The tribunal hearing will be postponed until after the union-management arbitration process has been completed.

School district spokesperson Craig Spence said because the matter was before the tribunal, he was unable to comment on the matter beyond confirming a complaint has been filed.