Damage to Professional Reputation and Recourse in U.S. Courts<\/h2><\/span>

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I have been blackballed after I was fired. I tried to work with the major hiring organizations to clear my name and tried to activate my file and prepare to attend a hiring fair. I was told I would not be accepted as a candidate by the organization that hosted the fair where I was hired by the school that abused me. While I was not accepted as a candidate, the school did attend their fair despite the fact that they have many current and recent cases pending against them for mistreating teachers.<\/span><\/h3>\n

In regards to damage to professional reputation I discovered that since the consequences of the Director and School’s actions have more bearing in the U.S. in regard to professional reputation, the U.S. is a more proper venue for litigation.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Everything the school told these organizations, I am not absolutely positive of, but I have e-mails indicating \u201crumors\u201d and other indications of derogatory statements. However, one of the major problems in the International Educational Community is that disinformation and inaccuracies are circulated behind \u201cclosed doors\u201d. Why was I an acceptable candidate previously and now am no longer able to pursue my chosen profession? How many other teachers have been unjustly and secretively \u201cblackballed\u201d?<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>

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Accountability and Liability in U.S. Courts.
\nWho Can Be Held Accountable?<\/p><\/h2><\/span>

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One of the major differences between the U.S. and other countries (as far as I know) is that in the U.S. individual members of the Administration (including Directors, Associate Directors, Heads of Human Resource, etc\u2026) may be held personally financially liable for damages. While it varies slightly from state to state, there is generally no \u201ccollective liability\u201d for Board members who govern a 501 (c). Even unpaid individual members of the Board may be held personally financially liable for the school’s actions\u00a0if it is determined that they were personally negligent<\/span>.\u00a0For example, if a member of the Board was notified of the problems and failed to act or was negligent and the result was substantial damage to the reputation of an individual, that Board member may be found personally financially liable.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>

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Securing Legal Representation<\/h2><\/span>

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Began by using the internet to review attorneys’ web sites and selected attorneys that I thought practiced the type of law that applied to my situation. I then send a short letter to selected lawyers in Massachusetts – the state in which the letter of agreement was signed – and to lawyers in Washington, D.C. – where the school is registered as a Non-profit.<\/span><\/h3>\n

A few lawyers agreed to take the case but the retainer and hourly wage was beyond my current financial situation. I did find a lawyer willing to take the case on a contingency basis. He advocated setting up a private negotiation with the school. He suggested that we pursue damage to reputation, look for financial irregularities, consider debarment (loss of U.S. tax exempt status for the school\u2013 used for securing tax deductible donations and matching grants from corporations) and consider using the press.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>

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My Letter to Attorneys<\/h2><\/span>

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Here is how I began my letter: Hello. My name is ______________ and I am searching for legal representation for a suit involving wrongful termination, retaliation and damage to professional reputation…..<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>

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When Schools Make No Effort to Change,
\nLitigation May Be the Answer<\/p><\/h2><\/span>

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One would think schools with many poor reviews posted to the ISR web site would want to correct the problems brought to light by its professional faculty. The fact that these schools continue to receive similar reviews, year after year, signals they have no intention of aligning themselves with acceptable labor practices. Hopefully litigation will send the message that they are not beyond accountability and as such, I hope my case guides schools, not in compliance, to understand the need for change.<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div>

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