Dance team mom dismissed from discrimination lawsuit

A Kansas woman has been dismissed from an ongoing lawsuit alleging a member of a high school dance team was dismissed because of racial discrimination.

Katie Porter was named in a lawsuit filed in January by Camille Sturdivant, a former member of the Blue Valley Northwest Dazzler dance team.  Porter’s daughter was on the team.

Sturdivant alleged she was ostracized from team events after she reported racial discrimination by dance coach Carley Fine and choreographer Kevin Murakimi.   The district fired Fine after the allegations were raised.

The lawsuit alleged Porter participated in excluding Sturdivant because of her race.  The Kansas City Star reports court documents show a federal judge dismissed the claims against Porter Thursday.  The judge on Thursday denied a similar motion for dismissal filed by Fine.