SCHOOL
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN MODESTO SAY THAT THEY WERE SEXUALLY
HARASSED AND THEY HAD TO DEAL
WITH SEXUAL MISCONDUCT BY THE
PRINCIPAL AND AFTER THEY SPOKE
UP, THEY WERE FIRED.
THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO US TO
SHARE THEIR STORY.
TAKE A LISTEN.
MY NAME IS ALPHARETTA.
>> IN 2016, THESE TWO MEN FILED
LAWSUIT AGAINST THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT, CLAIMING THAT DURING
THE TIME WORKING AS CUSTODIANS
AT MODESTO THEY WERE VICTIMS OF
WHISTLEBLOWER RETALIATION,
WHISTLEBLOWER RETALIATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND EVEN SEXUAL
HARASSMENT BY THE SCHOOL
PRINCIPAL.
PRINCIPAL. >> SHE GOT ME SCARED AND
NERVOUS.
NERVOUS.
NERVOUS. I TOLD MY SUPERVISOR.
SHE IS TOUCHING ME.
SHE IS TRYING TO SCHMIDT I DO
NOT KNOW WHAT SHE IS TRYING TO
DO.
DO.
DO. WHAT
DO. WHAT DID HE SAY?
MY GOOD LUCK TO YOU GUYS.
YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN., THE
LAWSUIT STATES THAT THEY MADE
INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL COMMENTS
IN FRONT OF THE MEN ON A
REGULAR BASIS AND DIRECTED THEM
TO UNWELCOME TOUCHING.
THE HARASSMENT CAUSED HIM
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS FOR WHICH
THEY HAD TO SEEK PSYCHIATRIC
TREATMENT.
TREATMENT. >> THEY PUT ME ON ANXIETY
MEDICATION.
MEDICATION. I SUFFERED FROM NIGHTMARES AND
SIDE EFFECTS FROM MEDICATIONS.
IT HAS RUINED MY QUALITY OF
LIFE, MY SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AT THE TIME.
I DO NOT EVEN HAVE A GIRLFRIEND
BECAUSE I HAVE A HARD TIME
DEALING WITH CERTAIN THINGS
BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: THEY SAY AFTER
REPORTING THE BEHAVIOR TO THE
DISTRICT SUPERVISOR, THEY TAKE
THEIR CONCERNS TO THE DISTRICT.
>> THEY WENT UP TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT AND ON THOSE
GRIEVANCES, AND SAID THAT WE
ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
SHE IS HARASSING US.
CAN YOU PLEASE TRANSFER US TO A
DIFFERENT SITE.
DIFFERENT SITE. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
WHEN THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME
THAT HE HAS SPOKEN TO THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THE WORK
ISSUE.
ISSUE.
ISSUE. THEY HAD REPORTED THE SCHOOL TO
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AFTER THE
DISTRICT BEGAN USING HIS THERMO
COMPACTOR MACHINES THAT MELTED
STYROFOAM LUNCH TRAYS WHICH
GAVE UP FUMES MAKING THEM FEEL
SEPARATE THEY ASKED FOR
RESPIRATORY MASKS BUT THEY WERE
NEVER GIVEN THEM.
THE DISTRICT WAS PENALIZED $750
AND THEY SAID THAT THEY FELT
TARGETED EVER SINCE.
>> SINCE THEN, THEY WERE
TARGETING US BY BAD
EVALUATIONS, WRONG WRITEUPS.
AND WHEN IN 2016, HE WAS LET GO
AND IN 2017, LYLE WAS AS WELL.
>>> IT IS OUR ALLEGATION THAT
IT WAS CONTINUATION OF THE
RETALIATION.
RETALIATION. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A REASON
TO GET RID OF THEM AND THEY
DID.
DID.
DID. >>
DID. >> WE WANTED TO KNOW IF ANYBODY
COULD BACKUP THE CLAIMS.
WE GOT IN TOUCH WITH LAUREN NEW
YORK, FORMER PRINCIPAL AT THE
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WENT ON
TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT.
HE HAD ONLY POSITIVE TO SAY
ABOUT THAT WHEN HE WERE -- THEY
WERE HIS EMPLOYEES.
>> THEY WERE TOP-NOTCH.
THOSE TWO GUYS -- I COULD NOT
HAVE GOTTEN A BETTER DAYTIME
AND NIGHTTIME.
AND NIGHTTIME. >> Reporter: THAT WE CALLED
MURRAY.
MURRAY.
MURRAY. THIS IS LIZ CALLING YOU BACK
TO SEE IF SHE WOULD RESPOND TO
THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
ALLEGATIONS.
ALLEGATIONS. SHE JUST HUNG UP ON ME.
SHE SAID THAT SHE WAS NOT AT
LIBERTY TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AND I
SHOULD CALL THE LAWYERS AND THE
ATTORNEYS AND SHE HAD NOTHING
FURTHER TO SAY BUT I TRIED TO
ASK HER IF SHE WAS STILL WITH
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SHE
HUNG UP AT THAT POINT.
>> Reporter: THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT DECLINED TO BE
INTERVIEWED DUE TO PENDING
LITIGATION BUT A LAWYER SENT A
STATEMENT SAY THAT THE LAWSUITS
HAVE NO MERIT AND ARE SIMPLY
COSTING THE PUBLIC AND THE
DISTRICT UNNECESSARY LEGAL
FEES AND TIME.
IT ALSO ACCUSES THEM OF
ATTEMPTING TO IMPROPERLY USE
THE PRESS TO ADVANCE
QUESTIONABLE CLAIMS.
QUESTIONABLE CLAIMS. WHY NOW?
WHY NOW?
WHY NOW? WHY ARE YOU SPEAKING OUT NOW?
>> I THINK IT IS TIME.
I. IT IS TIME.
PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT STUFF
LIKE THIS HAPPENS.
AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL,
TOO.
TOO.
TOO. THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN.
>> Reporter: BOTH MEN SUFFER
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION FOR WHAT
THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED.
THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE
INSPIRED TO SHARE THEIR STORY
AFTER SEEING OTHERS COME
FORWARD AS PART OF THE ME, TOO
MOVEMENT.
MOVEMENT.
MOVEMENT. >> HOLLYWOOD, POLITICS, NOW
SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVEL,
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO JUST STEP
UP, TALK ABOUT IT,