Do the issues have merit?

[freedomisntfree]

Deleted duplicate post

[freedomisntfree]

The question isn't are these people in their private lives wonderful people to someone - I'm sure they are. The question is do the issues/allegations in this professional/public situations have merit. Batiste answered that question with his statement, "I tried!” Board member Mark Hawn put the exclamation point on it when his statement contradicted Batiste's statement completely. Hawn spoke for the entire board. Otherwise good people, people that are known in their own communities as pillars of the community, are caught doing things that SHOCK their friends and family, including things that are illegal. My point is I'm not the only one blaming the board. The Waukegan Public School Superintendent Dr. Donaldo Batiste blames the board including now Board President Mike Rodriquez. I know this pains some people but he blamed the board. He did NOT blame me and he did NOT blame the victim my wife.

To show just how wrong these people were at that time, remember that the very same people involved in our situation, about some of the very same issues, claimed that Artley and Williams did illegal things. They were found innocent of all charges because the judge found there was NO evidence of wrongdoing. In other words the trusted senior administration, board attorney and board were completely wrong in pursuing criminal charges against these two.

Prior to the time that the criminal investigation was announced, the same senior administrators were falsifying time sheets and forging timesheet approvals before they mailed and faxed those same documents to Katherine. The day before they wrote their letter to you the first of Feb 2008 they called us in to reconcile the $33,000 that they had owed her for 4 months. That letter about timesheets/overtime accounting, meant to assure the public that they were professional administrators and board members doing a professional job, was a complete lie. And it was released to the public, while I was sitting in their office trying to resolve $33,000 worth of falsified timesheets and forged documents by the very same senior administration, board attorney and board.

By the way it was only a few weeks ago we met with Director Brian Luosa who blamed all of them because he still hasn't changed his story, he was afraid and just couldn't go to the police. He restated that he and Deputy Superintendent Jules Gaudin have agreed that they STILL owe her the money. Thanks for your input but the issues STILL have merit and that is at least 5 people that still blame the board for all the wrongdoing and cover up.

[Frankzilch]

Freedom isn't free, Was their initial alleged crime falsifying time sheets? If so, what was their motivation or reason to do this? Do you have any "proof" that time sheets were falsified and forged? Also, did you have the consent of Batiste and Hawn when you made the recording of that conversation?

[Snoopy]

I still have not heard an answer as to why this compassionate gentleman was banned from School Board meetings, I promise, I have never heard an explanation regarding this. I think this may lend to the argument whether or not this issue has merit.

[freedomisntfree]

Freedom isn't free, Was their initial alleged crime falsifying time sheets? If so, what was their motivation or reason to do this? Do you have any "proof" that time sheets were falsified and forged? Also, did you have the consent of Batiste and Hawn when you made the recording of that conversation?

First they violated FMLA by not following district policy and federal law. District policy states that all available paid sick time MUST be used concurrently with FMLA. They eventually placed her on FMLA but they wanted it to be unpaid even though she had plenty of time available to her. It was only after she repeatedly claimed she had the time for four weeks while on FMLA that they sent the first falsified time sheets. Just after her termination they changed the paperwork again and forged Brian Luosa's approval. It is very easy to prove that Batiste, Gaudin, Howard and Luosa knew that she worked the time. She was working on HR projects for the budget with Browder and Howard, on the budget with Gaudin and Luosa and did ISBE on behalf of the Superintendent. When I requested her emails under FOIA, they stupidly deleted most of the emails from her to them, but forgot to delete their responses to her emails containing the text of the very emails that they had deleted. It was very easy to prove that they forged Brian's approval because he said so over and over to us and them. As I've reported just a few weeks ago, he still stated that he and Gaudin still know they owe the time to her. Yes, the proof is in writing many ways over.

I can't get into their head to tell you their true motivation, And they have given so many reasons that conflict with each other. In direct meetings with Gaudin and Batiste, they admitted their crimes over and over and promised full restoration under FMLA. After both of their admissions, the board sent their lawyer to meet with me and Batiste. The best he could come up with to justifiy their criminal actions is to try to claim that time she worked didn't provide the district any benefit so therefore they didn't have to pay for it. In the specific example that he was using, I showed him the response that stated, "This is exactly what Mr. Gaudin was looking for (SMILE)." That ended that attempt by the board lawyer and Batiste offered $100,000 to walk away. I again explained all she wanted was to be fully restored under FMLA. In front of me, Batiste told board lawyer Morris that they had to go to the board to seek full restoration. The board lawyers response was, " We need to speak first!"

After several more conversations and emails, I got the idea that Batiste was being pressured to go backwards. The very next direct conversation was recorded and is now on youtube. On it Batiste states he can't go backwards, he tried and blames it on the board. I told them in writing that I would be there in advance, that I would be recording our conversations because Batiste was trying to go backwards, stuck the recorder with red light on out to them and it was, after all, an open board meeting.

Thanks again for your questions.

[freedomisntfree]

I still have not heard an answer as to why this compassionate gentleman was banned from School Board meetings, I promise, I have never heard an explanation regarding this. I think this may lend to the argument whether or not this issue has merit.

Thanks for your question.

The senior administration, board attorney and board do not want these issues discussed in open session. Furthermore, they did not want Kelly Ann or me to tape it and post it on youtube for all to see. They apparently feared this greatly. After Batiste and Hawn were taped AND I told them that Katherine and I were coming to the next board meeting to raise these issues in open session, they banned me.

For the record,

I think this may lend to the argument whether or not this issue has merit

In no way does their attempt at silencing me reflect on whether the issue has merit or not. Again, there is NOTHING that I or Katherine could have done that justifies in any way illegal actions or violations of her rights on the part of the administration. And certainly not anything done 6 months later that could be used to justify their actions 6 months prior.

Thanks again for your question.

[Snoopy]

I think the allegations you have presented deserve an explanation by the School Board. I am a firm believer in the three sides to a story argument. Everything does not add up, and one of you is lying.
Shawn White
(224) 381-2834

[freedomisntfree]

I think the allegations you have presented deserve an explanation by the School Board. I am a firm believer in the three sides to a story argument. Everything does not add up, and one of you is lying.
Shawn White
(224) 381-2834

I agree with you 100%. Either I am lying or the entire board, board attorney, Batiste, Gaudin, Howard and Pattison have conspired to violate district policy, state law and federal law not only against Katherine but against the State of Illinois, the entire Waukegan community and it's 16,000 children.

What is the next step? I will be glad to meet in public or private with anyone alone or the entire above group together.

[Snoopy]

I think the allegations you have presented deserve an explanation by the School Board. I am a firm believer in the three sides to a story argument. Everything does not add up, and one of you is lying.
Shawn White
(224) 381-2834

I agree with you 100%. Either I am lying or the entire board, board attorney, Batiste, Gaudin, Howard and Pattison have conspired to violate district policy, state law and federal law not only against Katherine but against the State of Illinois, the entire Waukegan community and it's 16,000 children.

What is the next step? I will be glad to meet in public or private with anyone alone or the entire above group together.

Any news to report? I think we all deserve an explanation to this issue. After all, it is my tax dollars that help pay the administration's salaries. (With school board being the exception).
Shawn White
224-381-2834

[freedomisntfree]

Snoopy,

Can you help facilitate a meeting with the new board president Mike Rodriquez? The three of us can meet and get some answers for everyone pretty quickly.

Thanks