Lawsuit prompts protestors to WC presidential luncheon

Sep. 22—Outside the Alkek Fine Arts Center on the Weatherford College campus Thursday stood a line of residents, students and former staff, holding protest signs as ceremonial festivities inside were readied for the annual WC Presidential Luncheon.

"Farmer is despicable," one sign read, a reference to college President Tod Allen Farmer.

"Stop giving predators privilege," read another.

The incident came weeks after a former WC employee filed a lawsuit against the college.

Shelley Gipson claims she was the victim of sexual harassment and discrimination by President Tod Allen Farmer, according to the lawsuit filed Aug. 22 in the Northern District Court of Texas.

"[Weatherford College], by and through the actions of its President Tod Farmer, violated Title VII, as amended, by harassing Plaintiff and/or creating a hostile work environment, and/or discriminating and/or retaliating against Plaintiff in connection with compensation, terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of Plaintiff's gender," according to the document.

Those present for Thursday's protest told the Weatherford Democrat it's not an isolated incident.

Shantee Siebuhr, a former instructor at Weatherford College, said she left in August of 2021 due to a not-conducive work environment after being transferred from one position to another because of her appearance, namely her weight and tattoos.

"Because of the good work that I did, it put me in the public," said Siebuhr, who was featured in the Weatherford Democrat for her success as an advisor for the school's Phi Theta Kappa honor society chapter, among other things.

"At that point, I needed to be moved out of my position and slowly but surely, any opportunity that came about, I got moved," she said.

In addition to the moves, Siebuhr said she was also given additional duties with no change in pay, to the point where she had to look elsewhere for work to be able to provide for her family.

"I asked my colleagues if I should stick it out because I wanted to — I do love this institution, I was a student here — and I loved my students because they are the heart of Weatherford College," she said. "What I was told was as long as Dr. Farmer was in charge, I was going to continue to get the duties I was getting without the pay and the recognition until I left. And so I did."

Gipson was employed at the college from Sept. 14, 2020 to July 26, 2021 and claims Farmer, who was married at the time, indicated that he wanted to know if they were ever going to be "more than professional" during a December 2020 meeting. After rejecting his advances, Gipson claims she was transferred to several different departments, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit states Gipson reported the workplace harassment and discrimination with the Title IX compliance officer and Human Resources around February 2021. After a conversation with Farmer in July 2021 regarding being moved to another department, Gipson was told Farmer "should have done a better job of being a boss and 'educating [Gipson] on the politics of the college,'" according to the lawsuit.

Andrea Owen was one of two students who held up the "predators" sign Thursday.

"I'm a sexual assault survivor, and I believe in coming out to support and let people know that they are not alone," she said.

Courtney Thom said she worked with Gipson while attending Weatherford College.

"I'm here in support of her, and what happened to her is absolutely unacceptable," she said.

Siebuhr too said she witnessed the treatment of Gipson while working with her at the college.

"I knew what she went through and knew nothing was being done about it," Siebuhr said. "I felt like small potatoes compared to what she went through and if nothing was being done about hers, there was nothing that was going to be done about mine.

"When you see how many people [Farmer has] hurt and nothing's being done, I totally get it," she said of people afraid to come forward for fear of retaliation. "Which is why I quietly just left.

"I want justice for Shelley, I want justice for our students, what they have to go through knowing the person that's in charge. Now's the time that it's all coming out and still nothing's being done."

Scott Butler, a Weatherford College alum, said he emailed the board in April to let them know about the allegations.

"It's time the women who have been affected got their justice," he told the Weatherford Democrat. "We're here for the actions of the president, and the inactions of the board of trustees — to bring attention to the culture of the workplace."

Weatherford College trustees met in regular session on Sept. 8, but took no action regarding the suit.

A motion for partial dismissal WC attorneys filed Sept. 12 was denied Sept. 14.

When reached for comment following the suit's original filing, WC Attorney Dan Curlee told the newspaper the college, as a practice, "does not disclose information concerning ongoing litigation in order to carefully pursue our defense or about employment matters in the interest of the privacy of the employee."

The Weatherford Democrat filed an open records request with college officials seeking any and all complaints naming Farmer that sought a Title IX investigation.

Curlee said there were no records, with the exception of Gipson's complaint, in the possession or under control of Weatherford College.

A second public information request was submitted for any records or communications generated by Gipson's complaint, as well as any investigative materials and/or reports in response.

"On advice of Weatherford College's outside insurance counsel and [pursuant] to Texas PIA 552.103, Weatherford College respectfully declines to provide records, at this time if any exist, that may be related to the complaint filed by Shelley Gipson," WC Attorney Dan Curlee wrote.

The Weatherford Democrat also requested any settlement agreements WC entered into in response to claims against college administrators from March 2018 to present.

The college provided documentation of a settlement following a charge of discrimination filed by Lisa Welch with the Texas Workforce Commission's Civil Rights Division.

Welch, who taught at the college for nine years and served as the Life Sciences department chair for five years, filed the claim in August of 2019 after she received a notice of the decision to not renew her position at WC.

"The alleged reason for the recommendation is pretext and the actual reason is retaliation for my protected conduct of fighting for equal pay for a female direct report, and retaliation for my complaints of discrimination by my supervisor," according to the discrimination charge.

Welch received a written warning in January of 2019 for a bonus point policy during which students could gain extra credit for academic courses by donating specific sums of money in the form of gift cards or items to a local pantry. Welch had previously been asked to negate the practice, according to the document, and did so, according to affidavits from WC colleagues.

Welch said she was warned in December that administrators were "going to make a big deal out of the bonus policy and use it as a basis to get rid of me because of general concerns and personal conflict the administration has with me," according to her complaint.

Welch said she began working to equalize contracts and resolve equal pay issues within her department for two of her employees and, when she was unable to resolve them, began addressing her concerns in writing and escalating them through the administration.

"I also believe this is one of those issues which I carried to the administration as the "messenger" for which the non-renewal of my employment contract is in retaliation," according to her complaint.

Welch and the college ultimately reached a settlement agreement, signed Nov. 18, 2019, whereas WC agreed to pay Welch a sum $75,000 on the condition that Welch withdraw her EECO charge, resign from the college and not seek further employment with the institution.

"Weatherford College is made up of so many employees that just want to help students become who they are meant to be," Siebuhr said. "And they are dictated by a man who only cares about appearances and how others view him and his college. He has made that clear by both his words and his actions."