Do the issues have 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.