An Arizona student recruiter is suing ITT after they ignored her complaints of being harassed/sexually harassed by a student. She was ultimately shot by that same student and almost died. One would think would be bad enough, but then Kristen Trease claims the day she came back to work after being in recovery, ITT fired her for “issues related to your performance.”
The Daily Beast reports Trease began working for ITT Tech in 2010, enrolling new students. One of those students was Carlos Webb, who had previously been convicted and on parole for rape, kidnapping, and burglary. He began harassing Trease.
“Mr. Webb consistently asked [Trease] out on dates and interrupted her meetings with other students in order to attempt to engage her in personal discussions,” the complaint states.
Trease complained but the company did nothing. Webb ended up back in prison for removing a house arrest ankle bracelet and when he go out, ITT welcomed the student back. The harassment against Trease got began again—and got worse.
“When [Trease] was not able to obtain an identification badge for Mr. Webb as quickly as Mr. Webb demanded, he confronted her, screamed at her, and told her that when she obtained his badge, she needed to ‘keep it and rub it all over her chest,’” the complaint states.
The claim by Trease also states she was “disciplined” by ITT after she reported the harassment to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), but it’s unknown at this time what the discipline included. The fact that there was any discipline at all is more than off-putting.
On April 24, 2012, after unsuccessfully trying to get his ex-girlfriend to leave the building with him, he turned to Trease, and tried to force her into a car. When she ran, he shot her in the chest. The bullet when through her body and she survived. Webb was arrested the next morning and charged with attempted second-degree murder, kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault, reports the Daily Beast.
The bullet had gone straight through Trease’s chest. It took her several months to recover, and she went back to work on October 25, 2012.
ITT fired her the same day for “issues related to your performance,” according to a separation memo attached to the lawsuit.
She filed a complaint with the EEOC, which found she was discriminated against on the basis of her disability.
ITT handled the above situations in the worst way possible and it’s no surprise the company in the midst of a federal investigation for “predatory lending” and “other shady practices.” The for-profit school is ceasing all operations, nationwide, on Friday. Hopefully, Trease is able to win her lawsuit even if the company files bankruptcy as some lawsuits cannot be discharged with bankruptcy. Either way, ITT seems to be the Dr. Oz and Lifelock of colleges. Wishing Kristen Trease a speedy recovery on many levels.