Razor Ribbon:

Irrevocable Impact

Sexual predator.  The words rolled over and over in my mind.  I would have used the words stoic, reserved, quiet, or even cold.  But not sexual predator.  Yet, The Manchester Union Leader printed those words in big bold letters to describe me.

Where did the idealism go that so defined my career?  Where did my sure and constant adherence to professionalism go wrong?  How could someone like me who lived for the principles of fairness, firmness, and consistency get tangled in such a nasty mess?  A very sad, defeated image reflected back to me as I gazed one last time in the mirror before walking out the door to go to work in my razor ribbon house.

I am a lesbian and allowed that to be known.  In 1997, my lifestyle became the focal point of a lawsuit designed to embarrass the department and destroy my career.  Since retiring, I have begun to put my life back together and reach a place of contentment.