Tim Burgess says he had to stay silent while he fought being fired from Ottawa High School. Now that he’s back on the job, he wants the school board and administrators to know two things: they fired him illegally and he wants back what’s his, and they’ve affected his family greatly.
He’s taking the district to court, alleging defamation and conspiracy. The school board last night approved a payment to him from the lawsuit he won to get his job back. The board isn’t saying what the payment amount is. And in keeping with past practices, it’s still not talking about the case.
Stacie Walton of the Illinois Education Association says Burgess should be paid about $1 million to cover back pay, insurance costs, retirement contributions, interest, and taxes on the lump sum. If it’s not close, Walton says arbitration is next. She and Burgess left last night’s meeting before receiving the details. Walton says just litigating the case has cost OHS more than $500,000. Burgess says the money could have been spent on nice things to help students.
The school board fired Burgess in 2015 over allegedly disparaging comments about other OHS employees during a teachers’ union meeting. In a lawsuit he filed last week against OHS, former Supt. Matt Winchester, three current and one former school board member, and three teachers, Burgess alleges a conspiracy to fire him. He claims the other teachers said bad things about him and fed information about what went on in union meetings to the administration.
In the suit, he says working elsewhere for less pay has made him unable to make home repairs, help pay for his daughter’s wedding, obtain medical treatment for himself and family members, and to get counseling. And the lawsuit says he has withdrawn from socializing with friends because of extreme embarrassment and humiliation.
Tim Burgess says it felt good to walk through these doors a teacher again.
You can hear more from Tim Burgess in this interview.