Two incidents happened to me at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD. And they just swepted them under the carpet. Fearful of losing my job and the lack of knowing my civil rights nothing was done. The district never educates their employees about their rights. The first incident took place at the business office in May of 2002, where I was working as a secretary for the finance department. I was sexually harassed by my boss, and when I reported it to the Chief Financial Officer, (Janet Robles) she in turn reported it to Human Resource Officer(Dodi Cox), and a level 1 Grievance was filed, or I was lead to believe that it was, I was naive and didn’t any better. The Human Resource Officer(Dodi Cox) said she would take care of me, and that no one had to know about it, that she would find a position for me and transfer me there. She did and I continued to work for the district, for 3 more years, just not at the business office. The person that sexually harassed me continued to work at the same position, he did not have to start a new job or position he was not unconvinced at all and remained with the district, everything was shoved under the carpet. I in turn had to go to a new job, new environment, and re-train myself because no one trained me for the new position. And I worked at a public school setting for three more years.

When I was employed there the principal of the school asked me to pay her daughter who also employed there at the school, for days that she had not worked, she at other times would tell me, oh my daughter didn’t get a paycheck this month, hinting that it was my fault. And around April or May 2005, the principal asked me to change records that were already signed, by the employee and that where already in our school district system, she asked me to commit a lawful act (it was reported to human resource office Dodi Cox). One of my duties was to enter absences for the employees of Sgt. Leonel Trevino Elementary, and sent them payroll. Well payroll was calling because it was due, and the principal was holding it up because she wanted me to make those changes, I didn't know what to do so I called Dodi Cox the person in charge of human resources, and also considered our boss. I told her what was happening. She told me not to make the changes and to write a memo stating what I had been asked to do. She said she would keep it in my file and if any thing ever happened, that would protect me from ever losing my job. She asked me not to repeat this to anyone. Again she said no one needed to know about it. Somehow my conversation with Dodi Cox over the telephone got to a board member, because the next morning I was asked to go by the business office to talk to Dodi Cox. When I got there she asked me if I had told anyone about our conversation and I said no, because I hadn't. She told me that a board member had called her that morning, and the principal of the school was going to be suspended. They did their investigation and found that prior to my transfer to that school, the principal was not reporting days she had been out sick and some other things, that to this day I’m not aware of. She was then terminated and a new principal was hired.

When the new principal came in, she right away demonstrated a dislike or a dissatisfaction for everything I did, always looking for errors in my work, I think she had already been advised by Human Resource Office (Dodi Cox). So we didn’t start with a clean slate. She started calling the business office to report me on procedures of my job and just nicking on things to find things wrong. Back in May 2002 when I was first transferred there, no one trained me I trained myself, and I worked there three years without any problems. Now to the new principal nothing is to her satisfaction, she did one day say that we were all at her back and call. She started having me do her personal calls to the doctors office or calling her maid at home, ordering things over the telephone for her personal use, taking time away from my job. I did ask her to use discretion about asking in front of other employees, because other employees were making fun of me. I felt she was trying to belittle me, in front of other employees. When I confronted her, she started to harassed me even more, to belittle me in front of others, and defame me by calling my superiors to make me look bad, when 3 years before everything was fine.

Then I was thrown out of my office after three years. She said she needed the office. In the mean while all my files and paper work was moved to different places, my file cabinet was in the nurses's office, my computer wasn’t moved to the new location, and I was working out of a big box, just to try to help me keep all the important paper together. I felt un-welcomed by the principal and harassed, I felt she wanted me to get fed-up and quit. I didn’t want to upset her because I needed my job. So I didn’t complain, I just did as I was told.

Being the secretary of the school, I was practically responsible for everything, bills needed to get paid, receiving merchandise, balancing the activity account, three different payrolls, that and many more responsibilities to many to name. This went on during Christmas, and when we left for the holidays, she said, when we return you need to be completely out of that office. She was subjecting me to constant intimidation, attacking me everyday. Immediately after returning from the holidays, the rest of my stuff was taken out and I was put in the front office with the clerk, where she is receiving all the incoming traffic from parents, students, teachers, anyone visiting the school. The principal would try to damaged my reputation by calling my superiors by making up things. I felt harassed everyday, just hoping it would go away by itself, I was to scared of losing my job.

But the inevitable was going to happen. I did miss my payroll deadline due to chaos caused by the principal. I called payroll department to explain what was happening to me, and they extended the deadline one day, I had to have it ready that day in the afternoon. Our payroll consists of over seventy to eighty people, and it requires me to gather all their absences and all doctors excuses, personal day request, etc., and then input into the system, after that pull a report and have all employees sign, make a copy , then submit. On that day the clerk was out, the principal said that, while I worked on the payroll, I also needed to greet the incoming traffic, register new students, which on that particular day we had about six for seven new students, answer the telephone, take messages, basically do the two jobs, and have the payroll also ready.

The Principal would deliberately try to annoy or anger me to force me to leave my job, but after 10 years of employment with the district, I was not just going to leave on my own. She caused disruptions in my working environment. Disruptions that made me mess up, and when it did, she fired me. The day before I got fired, I worked all day, with out a lunch break or even a break. At 5:00 pm the Principal said, that I had to work late until I finished my report. I got done at 6:30 pm, and went home. The next day, I was fired, she took me to the business office. There human resource officer Dodi Cox asked me to resign or get fired, she gave me three days, she said I would be fired on Friday 13, 2006, This was on 11006. Meanwhile they tried to make me resign. I felt being lied to and harassed by Dodi Cox to resigning on my own. I left without signing anything that day, and I have since refused to sign paper of resignation. They have also called me from the human resource office, asking that I resign. On Friday 13, 2006 the day, they said, if I didn’t sign resignation papers, I would be fired, I went there to request my TRS funds, again there, I was also approached and asked to resign by the same officer. Also again on that same day I was given exit papers, which in small print referred to, as if I was resigning, so I refused to sign. They said if I don’t sign papers, They will not let me have my check.

They planed to fire me and subjected me to constant interference and intimidation of unwelcome attacks, and damage to my reputation was done by her calling my superiors of not meeting job requirements after 10yrs of service. The main reason I fell I’m being fired is because I have in been a victim of the Whistle blowers Act. I in good faith reported a lawful act, and in retaliation I am getting fired. These are the reasons I suspect they are letting me go, I wasn't trying to cause problems, I have always worked very hard, its not my fault that this things have happened to me. All I've tried to do is to protect my job.

Thank you I cannot find a lawyer to represent me.

Raquel G. Lopez e-mail raqueooo@yahoo.com