Cole Lawsuit Alleges Discrimination
A year later, a controversial “sex, lies and educrats” scandal just won’t quit …
A disgraced public school principal is suing her former employer after being “forced to resign” from her position in the wake of an alleged sex scandal involving her and the district’s ex-Superintendent last summer.
FITS has obtained a copy of the lawsuit filed by former River Springs Elementary School principal Melissa Cole against Lexington-Richland School District Five.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday in U.S. District Court.
“A male superintendent was allowed to resign and given a severance package while (Cole) was forced to resign or face termination and was not given nor offered a severance package,” the lawsuit states.
Cole “resigned” her position last August – three weeks after Superintendent Scott Andersen voluntarily resigned his post.
The allegations of an affair between the two educrats were first published here on FITS as part of an investigation we conducted into Andersen’s manipulation of student population projections.
Andersen and Cole’s alleged affair made statewide news.
In addition to the allegations of discrimination, the lawsuit also says that Lexington-Richland School District 5 misled Cole regarding her situation.
“Throughout the summer of 2008, the District repeatedly assured (Cole) that her position as Principal of River Springs Elementary School was not in jeopardy and that the District was only interested in the male superintendent and his conduct,” the lawsuit states.
WEB EXTRA
Comments
By Fashizzle on May 20th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
The district won’t risk losing big before a jury and will settle. You wait — the only losers out of this will be the taxpayers.
By WTF on May 20th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
This is so not a story. Who the f@#K cares? Move on… NEXT.
By SPaige on May 20th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
The district should be penalized for wrongfully dismissing Ms. Cole. Administration and board members were all involved in the resignation of a wonderful principal, who was well regarded by the community. The district should also be penalized for allowing the gay bashing Eddie Walker to remain in his current post, although he promised to leave after this year. It seems the job description for a successful principal in D5 should be “has or is regarded as having a mental illness.”
By ts on May 20th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
Fashizzle,
As long as Melissa Cole wins this war, touche’ — it will be worth my portion. Women are frickin’ tired of being sacrificed at the altar of the high-libido-ed male altar of saving face and alimony.
We have careers that “count” and pay the bills, too.
Godspeed to you, Melissa Cole.
Put the screws to ‘em!
By James the Foot Soldier on May 20th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
I support Melissa Cole’s suit 100% – and a lawsuit is exactly what I suggested last summer!
The folks (the entire fraudulent school board – yeah, the one that cried all Fall about the “growth” of the district in order to pass a $250,000,000 bond referendum) that tied her to the stake and lit the match need to be held responsible for their discrimination and selective enforcement of a “morality” clause.
You go girl!!
By Fashizzle on May 20th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
TS — for clarification, I think she deserves to win based on the facts we now have to judge this upon. Since she waited a year to file this I can only assume she has all her ducks in a row.
By BIN News Editorial Staff on May 20th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
She’ll make a (not) great guest on fits radio to discuss her position on the voucher scam, bovine flatulence and criminal domestic violence.
WTF is a genius.
ts needs education. It takes two to jambo, baby. Both were m@r@ns.
James Foot Fungus is a disgruntled voucher scam supporter who probably can’t count to twenty with shoes on. He wrote about “selective enforcement of a morality clause.” If James would wash his feet he could think better.
By Mike on May 21st, 2009 at 12:34 am
WTF- Sorry bro, but you may need to bone up on your news analysis skills and/or your understanding of basic civil jurisprudence. This is most certainly a story on several levels- yet another pompous, arrogant school district displays their hubris in attempting to hush a sex scandal (those stories ALWAYS sell papers and web ads); from a general civil/employment law perspective (for those of us who enjoy that sort of thing) it’s a great example of how NOT to handle a potential sexual harassment situation; and it’s a taxpayer interest piece, since we will all help pay for the settlement Ms. Cole and her attorneys will eventually (undoubtedly) receive.
By Jeffy on May 21st, 2009 at 1:59 am
People are just like mermaids. Except we live on the land and don’t have fins.
By ts on May 21st, 2009 at 8:01 am
Bin News,
The school district officials need an education.
By bluetiger on May 21st, 2009 at 8:33 am
This Clemson fever seems to be prevalent throughout our state’s education system – grade school thru our fine old institutions of higher learning. Sounds like the Adminstrators have all taken lessons or just see how they cnn get away or hide anything. From the strongarmed tactics of ASSO VP “either say yes or suffer isolation, locked in one place for all of your working days at Clemson, constant humiliation or just go away” and, ten has Dept Heads, Asst’s to do his dirty work – cursing, threatening, harassing and abusing. The President ignores, the support groups say “that’s just the way it is here at Clemson, why don’t you find another job?” And, if it doen’t end there, the General Counsel and PR just hide it and threaten anyone who talks or writes about it.
By Bluetiger Response on May 21st, 2009 at 9:38 am
Bluetiger you are right. That is exactly that way it was, and still is in district five. As an administrator, I know that if I speak up I will be slapped down and then may be given “the treatment” by my superiors and the board. The good news is that one of my “superiors” is no longer there, Dr. Lee Bollman. Interestingly enough, as he was let go in the middle of the year, not a word was said by anyone as to why. Nothing was said in the media when the person who was supposed to be the head of instruction for the entire district is suddenly no longer present. His secretary has been moved too.
In district 5 if you step out of the party line, you take you job into your own hands.
We now have Herb Berg who has told in us in no uncertain terms that we will not have any “negative publicity.”
Out with the old in with the old. Same ole’ same ole’.
By James the Foot Soldier on May 21st, 2009 at 11:24 pm
BIN – you don’t read very well do you?
or….you’re too liquored to comprehend basic english….
So bin – you ignorant slut – your assignment – should you choose to accept it: link a post where I’ve supported vouchers in the past 6 months.
By been there done that on May 22nd, 2009 at 3:49 pm
As a FORMER employee of District Five, I have experienced first hand what happens when you “step out of the party line.”
“….Asst’s to do his dirty work – cursing, threatening, harassing and abusing.” Blue Tiger, you are right on the money.
By BT on May 22nd, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Blue Tiger is right on. And about the cover-up with Dr. Bollman and his secretary. And about Dr. Berg telling employees not to talk about any of this.
By just saying on May 23rd, 2009 at 2:31 pm
All I know is Melissa Cole’s legs are way better looking than the ones in your photo.