Margaret (Peggy) Petrelli

The state alleged Petrelli provided unequal treatment when she made comments about school quality to a white tester but not a Black tester, among other charges. The administrative law judge dismissed an allegation that Petrelli discriminated by asking the Black woman but not the white woman for identification, after Petrelli testified she had changed her safety practices after a family member was killed. The judge also dismissed an allegation that she steered the two women, writing that “there is no direct evidence Ms. Petrelli’s disparate treatment of the testers was race-based.” However, the judge ruled against Petrelli when it came to her comments about schools. The Black tester told Petrelli that schools were "super important," but Petrelli "only briefly" discussed schools with her, the judge wrote. By contrast, she cautioned the white tester about a school district that includes Amityville, saying “you’re not going to like those schools,” instead recommending less diverse schools, the judge wrote. “While Ms. Petrelli’s bias may have been implicit rather than explicit, there is substantial evidence in the record from which it can be inferred her conduct was based on race,” the judge wrote. Petrelli said in a written statement to the state that the difference in her treatment of the testers was "based on geography not race," and her comment about Amityville was related to "declining resale values of homes" in that district. She did not respond to requests for comment.