The Seventh Circuit held that Preddie failed to show that he made any accommodation request and could not establish that he was "qualified individual" under the ADA, because his attendance problems precluded him from performing the essential functions of his job. Furthermore, Preddie could not establish an ADA retaliation claim as his periodic requests for time off to attend to his health issues did not qualify as "protected activity" under ADA. Finally, Preddie could not establish a Title VII race discrimination claim, where he could not show that (1) he had met the school's legitimate performance expectations, or (2) that the school treated other teachers with similar attendance problems in more favorable fashion.
However, the Seventh Circuit held that the District Court erred in granting the school's motion for summary judgment on Preddie's FMLA claims where the school's stated reasons for its failure to renew Preddie's teaching contract were related to his absences that were caused by his FMLA-qualifying condition.