Ozark Middle School teacher Shelly Pettit continues her 3rd and final portion of her shocking true story below:
District administrators contacted my doctor to discuss my medical exemption. My doctor is an MD and is not affiliated with Cox Health.
They argued with my doctor and would not accept my medical exemption or honor his advice for my health condition.
CLEAR MASK OPTION
Gerald Chambers gave me a clear mask as an option to try out to see if it would work.
The clear mask that I was given caused me to have breathing issues and anxiety. My doctor told them that I could not tolerate a mask due to my health condition. District administrators never tried to work with my doctor or accommodate my needs. It seems to me this is a violation of ADA. District administrators adamantly refused to allow me to wear a shield like the one I wore the year before.
On August 26, 2021 I received an email from Gerald Chambers stating that they were moving forward and I could return to work if I got vaccinated, masked up, or got tested 3 times a week. All three of these were against my doctor’s recommendations for my health condition. Chambers stated in an email that my doctor did not have a say in this matter. Unbelievable!
RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS
On August 27, 2021 I started using my sick days because district administrators stopped my “paid” leave on 08/26/21. I was not able to return to work because I could not meet their requirements or guidelines, and it was against my doctor’s orders.
Administrators refused to work with my doctor to accommodate my medical needs to return to work. Chambers told me that it didn’t matter what my doctor said because they had given me options (one option – the clear mask and refused to let me wear a shield).
They did not try to accommodate me, but instead, saw this as a way to force me out.
Because my doctor wasn’t one of their doctors– I was denied. I was not the only person treated like a criminal–there were others. Only one other person stood her ground but she too was told to quit or be fired.
LEAVE OF ABSCENCE
On September 15, 2021 I received an email from HR that FMLA had been approved beginning August 13 for 60 days.
On November 8, 2021 I received an email from Dr. Link. He told me that my FMLA was over today and I was given three options starting on November 9, 2021. My three options were:
1) resign
2) show up to work
3) termination
Administrators were pressuring me to put in my resignation by the end of the business day so that I would be in “good standing” with the school district and be employable at other districts.I was
being discriminated against and not being treated fairly as a tenured teacher over a medical issue.
On November 9, 2021 I showed up to work at the JH. I was backed in a corner and given three options (resign, show up to work, or termination). I arrived at the JH at 7:00 am and worked in my room until it was time to pick up my students. Also, I made sure that I had my shield on while I was in the building. It worked fine for me last year, but now it is considered “unsafe.”
I was escorted out of my classroom by two administrators and placed in a small room across the hall around 7:30 am. Administrators told me that I could not be in the building because I didn’t have a doctor’s release and I wasn’t wearing a mask.
I was escorted by Chambers to the principal’s office for a meeting.
Chambers suggested I see a different doctor at Cox Health. He told me that other doctors would disagree and that medical doctors wear a mask with respiratory issues. I asked Chambers if I was being fired and he told me no, but today I was not in “Good Standing” because FMLA ended on 11/08/21. He said that it was a process and if I missed the next 14 days then I would be terminated and not be in good standing or employable. I was infuriated that my situation was considered “not good standing” when
my doctor wouldn’t release me to return to work. Chambers tried to demoralize me into submission. He suggested I get vaccinated, be tested 3 times a week or mask up. All of which were against my doctor’s recommendations. Both administrators were pressuring me to resign and be in “Good Standing” so that I could get a job in the future.
“Administrators refused to work with my doctor to accommodate my medical needs to return to work. Chambers told me that it didn’t matter what my doctor said because they had given me options (one option – the clear mask and refused to let me wear a shield).
They did not try to accommodate me, but instead, saw this as a way to force me out.”
Shelly Pettit, Ozark School Teacher
Those were my only options to keep my position at the JH.
RESIGNED TO RESIGN
My resignation was submitted on November 9, 2021 after being pressured and coerced by administrators to remain in good standing. It is impossible to make important decisions under these circumstances. I had been under extreme stress over not being able to work and my health was affected by PTSD like symptoms – headaches, anxiety, insomnia, etc.
On November 19, 2021 Dr. Bauman announced that masks were no longer required for unvaccinated staff. Very interesting since I was treated like a criminal and was pressured into resigning 10 days before.
GROSS ABUSE OF AUTHORITY
My situation is evidence of gross abuse of authority. I have since become aware that such abuses are rampant within our district. The district uses the same tactics on any staff member that stands up to them. I was targeted from the first incident in 2017 for reporting environmental issues for the safety of students and staff in our building and was continually threatened and harassed causing a hostile work environment until they found a way to force me out of a job in 2021. These administrators used Covid19 to end my employment with the district after 10 faithful years of service. It is also blatantly obvious they used a health emergency to retaliate against me for disclosing the mold issues at the middle school.
Time has proven that this experimental drug poses a huge risk for harm and I was right to stand up to tyranny and listen to my doctor’s recommendations.
CONCLUSION
Despite my treatment for standing up for the safety of students and staff at the middle school, my time in Ozark was filled with many blessings through my relationships with students and staff over the past 10 years. I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life.
NOTE: Anyone with details of their story of abuse from Ozark administrators is urged to contact ChristianCountyTrumpet@gmail.com so we can help you and others!