Former Andrean principal sues, claims discrimination

GARY | Former Andrean High School Principal Mary Beth Ginalski filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in federal court Thursday against the school and the Diocese of Gary.

Also named as defendants are Andrean High School President Harry J. VandeVelde III, of Valparaiso, and Dr. Barbara OBlock, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Gary.

Neither VandeVelde nor O'Block returned Times calls for comment.

In her complaint, Ginalski, who was hired as Andrean principal in August 2012, alleges VandeVelde began to usurp her authority and undermine her position as principal upon his hiring as president on Sept. 30, 2013.

Ginalski claims VandeVelde spent significantly more time on duties relative to the role of principal, such as sports and teacher/classroom-related issues, than financial and leadership duties for which she believed he was hired. She contends the Diocese of Gary did not provide a clear list of responsibilities she and VandeVelde were supposed to handle, noting he appointed himself freshman girls basketball coach.

Ginalski stated VandeVelde, meeting with school staff on Sept. 25, 2013, proclaimed himself King of Andrean, and everything that happened there would go through him. She added that VandeVelde sidestepped her authority and inserted himself in an issue between a girls volleyball player and coach, siding with the coach and suspending the player who had done nothing wrong, according to the lawsuit.

In November 2013, VandeVelde moved Ginalski out of her principals office and into smaller, closet-like quarters, where she was isolated and no longer visible to parents and students, the complaints states. And as time went on, she had less interaction with VandeVelde, although he would make frequent comments about her weight, the lawsuit said.

After complaining to OBlock and other administrators, in January 2014, Ginalski said OBlock and VandeVelde placed her on a probationary action plan, but was given no explanation why. Up to that time, Ginalski claims she had received glowing reviews, had overseen the remodeling of a portion of the school and that Andreans ranking from the Indiana Department of Education had risen to an "A" from a D.

Ginalski said she was given more secretarial and menial tasks, but had completed the action plan in the allotted 22-day period although was offered no constructive criticism, according to the lawsuit.

Ginalski's lawsuit stated she was called into VandeVeldes office on March 3, 2014, with OBlock present, and informed she was terminated, the reason being she had not completed the action plan. Ginalski said she was denied her request to finish the school year and soon found her key pass to the school no longer worked and was not allowed to clear out her office, according to the lawsuit.

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Former Andrean principal sues, claims discrimination