(Peoria, IL) -- A group of current and former teachers at a middle school in Peoria are taking the school district to court, saying they were discriminated against because they're white.

The eight employees named in the suit claim the district had a policy of discrimination against white employees. An attorney for the employees say had a hostile work environment and when they complained, there was retaliation. One of the allegations by the employees is that they were told they didn't have the skills or competence to teach black children because they are white. The school district isn't commenting on the suit.

There's no trial date for the suit yet, though it could take a year before the suit goes to trial. The employees are seeking unspecified damages in the suit.