Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Teacher Suspended for Faking Terminal Illness


Ashley Barker, a first-grade teacher in Florida, has been suspended without pay while her employer investigates whether she faked a terminal illness so that she could leave early and take days off.

According to ABC News, Barker's termination letter stated that during the past year the school had reviewed approximately one hundred and twenty email messages sent by Barker—messages in which Barker said that she and her father were ill. As a result, the school principal allowed Barker "days off and flexibility to leave early.”

The school district is keeping mum on what tipped them off that Barker may have been lying. Was it Barker’s Facebook page? (I wouldn’t rule that out). Maybe a jealous coworker? (I definitely wouldn’t rule that out.) Who knows?

The school board informed Barker that she would be recommended for termination. My first thought was, “Oh really? Not for a psychiatric evaluation?” I mean, who does this? Barker is appealing the decision.

(Actually, I do know an employee who lied to his employer about studying for a Master’s degree and the need to take classes during the day. The employer granted the flexible schedule request, and the employee wasn’t taking any classes! He was merely lying his ass off.)

I suppose there are some facts not yet released that would make Barker look like less of a sociopathic schemer (and by the way, isn’t it really, really bad luck to lie about a sick parent?) and I'd like to know had Barker been granted FMLA leave? If so, what medical provider completed her paperwork? Who in the district reviewed the paperwork? Were Barker and her dad ever sick? Was Barker in the middle of some weird psychological study about the lack of humanity in the workplace? You know, workers tell their employers they have a terminal illness and then see how badly employers behave? (Hmmm ... there are plenty of sad but true stories, there. No need to manufacture any.)

Interesting.

I don’t understand these people who carry on such protracted cons for so long. I’d be terrified of being found out. Once I went on a job interview near my place of business during my lunch period, and I was scared to death of “getting caught.”

Well, if the district’s findings from its “Personnel Investigator” turn out to be valid, it’s bye bye for good for Ms. Baker, I’m sure.

Meanwhile, here’s today’s tip. Don’t lie to your employer about having a terminal illness!  It’s bad luck, in bad faith, and will get you booted to the unemployment line with a bad rep. Okay? Don’t say I never gave you any good advice.

2 comments:

  1. The thing is, since you watch a lot of my political shows, and just things like that, people are just so evil, and so stupid and disgusting. After 9/11 charities collected thousands of dollars then pocketed. They did it after Katrina. After Hurricane Sandy. People do all kind of terrible things, maybe they don't believe in anything, I dunno. Some of them have gotten caught, but I don't know why people don't have consciences or believe in karma. People get away and do all kinds of horrible things, and nothing happens to them. I always believed in what comes around goes around, but it doesn't seem to be. People do terrible things, they cheat, they lie, they steal, and nothing happens to them.

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  2. I had forgot when you seemed shocked about that woman lying about a terminal illness, I forgot to tell you, to me this is the epitome, our troops are dying, to me in a senseless war, losing their limbs, PTSD, and yet there are organizations, I know, i give to a couple. But this one organization, CNN did a big expose and found out they weren't giving anything for our troops, except military shoes, coconut M&M's, we literally saw these things on the table, some junk. And the organization that helps the veterans, said there is nothing they can do with this stuff. They need money or things that our veterans need. So that is the epitome to me, and I don't know how much I believe, I do things right because I do things right, and it makes me feel good. For instance many years ago, me and Roy were coming out of a Modell's at 5th and Olney. I didn't see it, Roy saw this woman drop her wallet. He saw the wallet on the ground, and presumed it was a woman walking ahead, but couldn't get to her, she was gone. There were hundreds of dollars in it, and a welfare card. This was maybe 13 years ago. Roy told me to take it, he didn't want to be tempted to keep it, since we had bad luck in our lives. We knew she had came out of Modell's, we gave it to the manager there, hoping he did the right thing. Thinking back, I wish we had given it ourselves. I remember going to work the next day, and my coworkers said I was going to have such good luck, you just wait. And I didn't something really bad had happened. So, it doesn't seem like people have bad luck when they do bad things, they don't even care, they don't feel guilty, or anything.

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