UPDATE: LPSS Whistle-Blower Files Federal Suit Against Admins
Five administrators at the Lafayette Parish School System have been named in a lawsuit filed in fe
deral court for sexual harassment and other complaints.
Court documents show former LPSS Schools of Choice Marketing Director Azadeh Yazdi filed the suit in the US Western District of Louisiana court system on April 14, naming the following individuals as defendants in the suit:
- Lafayette Parish School Board
- LPSS Superintendent Dr. Donald Aguillard
- LPSS Chief Academic Officer Annette Samec
- Former LPSS Schools of Choice Director Robin Olivier
- LPSS Schools of Choice Enrollment and Recruitment Manager Barbara Pippin
- LPSS World Languages Specialist Tia LeBrun
Court documents list Danielle Boudreaux of Baton Rouge-based law firm Hammonds, Sills Adkins & Gudice as the attorney representing the defendants. Yazdi is being represented by Lafayette attorney Lane Roy--who has also represented Dr. Pat Cooper--who won a suit against LPSS for wrongful termination.
Olivier--who said she plans on resigning on July 1--is currently on medical leave. Samec also said she is on medical leave with no definite date of return.
Yazdi claims after she reported violations of state and federal law related to the School of Choice program, she was targeted by Samec and Olivier.
The court document filed against the administrators of the program lists several issues that Yazdi reported to her superiors that were not addressed.
The Schools of Choice program--that fills spots in 28 school sites in numerous curriculum concentrations--was designed to be populated by students regardless of race, creed, ethnicity or friendship. Yaxdi says Samec and her subordinates chose students based on personal preferences and told other students (and their parents) that the programs the students applied for were already full--denying the students chosen the right to enroll in their preferred program(s).
When Yazdi approached Samcd and Olivier with reports of the violations of state and federal law, she says Samec amended Yazdi's personal files to subsequently lead to Yazdi's termination.
The sexual harassment claim stems from a meeting in Samec's office between herself and Yazdi. The claim reads as follows:
On an occasion when Annette Samec was with the plaintiff alone in an office, and after, there had been disagreement over a number of items, Samec, who had invited plaintiff into her office, stated, "I don't know how Robin [Olivier] was able to to focus during a meeting among the three of us, because I could not stop staring at your legs. Skirts are okay to wear, but just be mindful that your legs can be a distraction.
She implicates Aguillard in the complaint for his failure to address the violations. The complaint goes on to say, not only did Aguillard ignore the reports, but "..on recommendation of Samec, reprimanded plantiff and eventually terminated her services..."
Read the full complaint by clicking the link below:
Stay tuned to KPEl 965 and right here at kpel965.com, as we will bring you the latest on this story as the legal proceedings continue.
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