Nine employees of the Tukwila School District have filed complaints of racial discrimination against their superintendent for allegedly making inappropriate comments.

For example a group of female staffers at Showalter Middle School says the superintendent, Ethelda Burke, once referred to them as slaves. Burke is herself black.

Athletic and activities director J.D. Hill claimed that Burke "makes racially derogatory statements." Hill also wrote in his complaint that Burke said he was hiring too many people of color and said he was "making the district look too black" and turning her district into a "ghetto."

The employees' attorney filed the complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The district, the superintendent, and the board declined to comment citing personnel issues.

Joan Mell, the attorney representing the employees, has written a letter asking the board for Burke's immediate suspension.

Burke came to the Tukwila district in 2007 from Tacoma.

The Tukwila school district is one of the most diverse in the state; seventy percent of the children are minorities.