Child & Family Services Agency Employee Who Blew
the Whistle on Children Sleeping in the
Agency's Office Building Files Federal Lawsuit
April 28, 2006
Today, former veteran Child & Family Services Agency (CFSA) employee
Shirley Tabb filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia, Deputy Mayor Brenda Donald Walker, and Public Affairs Officer Mindy Good, charging violations of her constitutional rights, as well as violations of the District's Whistleblower Protection Act.
Shirley Tabb was summarily terminated in October 2005 less than 2 weeks after she publicly disclosed that some foster children in CFSA's custody regularly slept in the agency's offices because of inadequate emergency/foster care placements.
Ms. Tabb stated: "This lawsuit is a first step toward restoring my career and brings further attention to some of the serious deficiencies that still plague CFSA. I hope that my challenge to CFSA's culture of fear and intimidation will pave the way for other employees to safely report problems."
Under unique provisions of the District's Whistleblower Protection Act,
Ms. Tabb is requesting that the Court impose $1,000 civil fines and take disciplinary action against Deputy Mayor Donald Walker and Mindy Good.
Ms. Tabb is also seeking reinstatement, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages.
CFSA has been under Court supervision for over a decade because of its substandard foster care and adoption programs. The revelations by Ms. Tabb upset CFSA officials because they have been attempting to convince the Court and Court Monitor that substantial improvements have been completed in the agency's intake and investigations program. However, the problem of children sleeping in the agency's office building as well as significant backlogs in intake and investigations has demonstrated that significant aspects of the agency's program are still substandard.
