JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — Already embroiled in legal action against five of its agencies, the Missouri Baptist Convention now faces litigation by a former employee.
Former controller Carol Kaylor filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Baptist Convention, its executive board and Executive Director David Clippard. The lawsuit, filed Jan. 21 in St. Louis, lists three counts — libel and slander, gender discrimination, and retaliation. Clippard fired Kaylor April 10, 2003.
In a telephone interview, Clippard said the defendants had not received official court documents as of Jan. 26.
According to legal documents, libel and slander charges stem from statements published in The Pathway, the convention's newspaper, that contend Kaylor was “fired for misconduct” and that she was dismissed “for her involvement in the unauthorized tampering with the executive director's computer and e-mail files.”
Court papers also refer to a speech Clippard delivered to messengers during the 2003 annual meeting in St. Louis. Although he did not refer to Kaylor by name in the speech, he said, “A former staff member was caught and confessed to involvement in and conspiracy to tamper with personal data on my computer in my office. I walked in and caught 'em red-handed.” The count alleges Clippard's statement “was clearly understood as referring to Kaylor.”
The court documents note that the former controller mistakenly sent an e-mail meant for another staffer to Clippard instead and tried to retrieve it with the help of employees who were authorized to deal with technical issues.
The lawsuit also contends that Kaylor signed a confession only after Clippard detained her in her office after hours and refused to allow her to leave until “she signed the document Clippard had prepared.”
The suit charges that Clippard “regularly degraded, demeaned and belittled Kaylor and other women … by referring to them as 'Sis' and similar names, excessively touching them and placing his arms around them ….” The lawsuit also notes that he “engaged in a systematic campaign to eliminate women from key administrative positions.” The retaliation count includes coercion to sign a confession and her termination.
Kaylor seeks reinstatement of employment and benefits or the difference in pay level between the MBC salary and comparable jobs elsewhere. She also asks the court to require the defendants to change their practices and seeks attorney's fees and court costs.
Kaylor filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last year. She withdrew the EEOC action on Oct. 24 in order to file the civil action.
The Missouri Baptist Convention continues to pursue legal action against Missouri Baptist College, Windermere Baptist Conference Center, Missouri Baptist Foundation, Word&Way and The Baptist Home because the five entities chose to elect their own trustees rather than to allow the convention to appoint them.
-30-