ADVERSE EMPLOYMENT ACTIONS AND PUBLIC SCHOOL ...

during the 2006-2007 school year he continued to do all the jobs he previously had as the
transportation director.
In October 2006, Nguyen reported these activities to Bill Bodemer, a school board
member. Nguyen also related that Tom and Deborah were also requesting reimbursement for the
same expenses. Nguyen explained that Tom directed her to take the reimbursement money from
various accounts so as to avoid detection. He, according to Nguyen, had also made purchases for
his office furniture from improper accounts and had signed the checks himself without purchase
order approval. Tom was reprimanded by Bodemer and the board for these activities. Tom
explained that Deborah was not being paid more than her contract stated because the extra
money was coming from a grant. Tom, following Nguyen’s report, started to criticize Nguyen’s
performance and outsourced her job beginning in January 2007. He had explained to the district
that outsourcing the job would save the district money.
In February 2007, Nguyen compiled a packet containing records of Tom’s inappropriate
practices and reported the matters to the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI). Both agencies investigated the matter but neither followed through with
criminal charges. During the investigation, Custer met with the both the police and FBI and
explained that he was still performing all the jobs as he previously did, but Deborah was being
paid an extra $9,500 for being the transportation director. Custer would later meet with Deborah
where she would degrade him and his work performance. She also informed him that the lead
bus driver position, in which he served and made an extra $400 a year, was eliminated. However,
Michael Raef was hired as co-lead bus driver that same day earning more money than Custer.
Raef was the husband of Jayne Raef, Tom’s new secretary.
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