I am Shara Thompson, the first female firefighter hired in the Town of Addison, Texas, Fire Department (Addison) in 1992. I was proud to break barriers and open doors for women, especially after passing Addison's original high-bar male agility standards. Yet, I endured significant hostility, gender bias, sex discrimination, isolation, gaslighting, sabotage, and gang bullying. Upon my hiring, the men treated me like I was inferior and slandered my reputation to others behind my back. Not only did they make it an environment impossible to work in, but also impossible to just be present as a woman. After contacting the EEOC for help, Addison promptly retaliated and subjected me to a covert setup with unequal treatment and heavy, intimidating scrutiny, then wrongfully terminated me for allegedly not being able to apply information like a man and "lacking changing dynamics," meaning the Addison firemen thought I was a ditzy female. I had just won a national leadership award from my university. Even under intense scrutiny, I did nothing wrong. Addison broke their own peer-review policy, chain-of-command policy, fire department SOPs, and town employee handbook policies to make this happen. 

I filed a federal lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in 2001 for a hostile work environment, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. However, Addison used its power to silence me, placing a gag order during the lawsuit's discovery phase, preventing me from speaking about incriminating documents to the public and the injustice I faced. More egregiously, Addison promoted the very individuals and fire chiefs involved in my illegal treatment. Addison refused to give me my pension, telling me I did not deserve it and to go find another career. The settlement was barely a year's salary/benefits. My termination permanently damaged my firefighter career and reputation, disqualifying me from rehiring. I lost my hard-earned firefighter certifications and paramedic license due to other fire department policies on termination ineligibility. Addison also took measures to erase me from their town's history, with not one shred of evidence that I worked there, but they display photos on the wall of the men who are protected by the gag order against me. On the Addison Fire Department's Facebook page, they celebrate the men who cause me irreparable harm and damage as the trailblazers of the Addison, Texas, Fire Department. 

The citizens of Addison deserve to know the truth. My lawsuit (3:01-CV-0037-M) was covertly removed from the PACER legal portal, thereby denying taxpayers transparency and concealing the facts from the public. This is not just about my story. It's about ensuring that no other person faces the same silencing and injustice when confronting inequality, discrimination, and retaliation.

I am petitioning for the Town of Addison, Texas, to remove its gag order, as it is a silencer for my lifetime with no time limit. This order, which I never agreed to, shrouds the vital truth and hinders justice not just for me, but for everyone who believes in fairness and equality. I want my voice back so I can speak freely about the discrimination and injustice I faced, not just for myself but for every woman in a similar predicament.

I have been asking for them to remove their gag order for almost 5 years, and they ignore me. Addison has said repeatedly that I need to get over it and that the gag order must remain in place because it could harm their public image. They want everything to stay hidden from business investors and stakeholders. The reason I had to remain silent is that the gag order includes language stating that I could face sanctions, including fines and even jail time, if I ever spoke about what Addison did. I was young, and they successfully scared me into silence. 

By signing this petition, you support the removal of the gag order and call for Addison to confront and be transparent about its illegal past actions. Let's ensure that truth and justice are not buried under legal mechanisms aimed at silencing victims. Together, we can pave the way for a more inclusive and fairer community for all. Please add your signature and help me reclaim my voice.

Some men who are still working for the Town of Addison, Texas, are directly involved in this lawsuit. The gag order against me protects their careers and reputations. These men had less seniority than I did, but because of my gender, I held no voice. They easily overpowered me, creating an illegal act of concert by covertly slandering me and deliberately causing others believe I was ditzy and not capable of applying information like a man. This was Addison's malicious legal strategy: to covertly invent lies, viciously attack, elicit others into gang bullying me, and then shift blame. 

Director of General Services Bill Hawley: bhawley@addisontx.gov (972-450-7016).

Bill Hawley was the Assistant Fire Chief at the time. He was deposed in the lawsuit. Hawley helped create the covert setup by telling me there was a documentation issue and stringing me along to make me believe they would allow me to see the report through peer review. This was all a lie. Hawley slandered me and conspired with others in an act of concert as retaliation. 

Admin Battalion Chief John Lage: jlage@addisontx.gov (972-450-7201).

John Lage was a probationary firefighter/paramedic at the time. Lage worked for MMS as a second job. Lage slandered me at both of his places of employment in retaliation, thereby committing an illegal act of concert. Lage broke the chain of command and Addison's policies but suffered no consequences, even as a probationary employee. 

Battalion Chief Rod Williams: rwilliams@addisontx.gov (972-450-7201).

Rod Williams was a probationary firefighter/paramedic at the time. Williams also worked for MMS as a second job. Williams slandered me at both of his places of employment as retaliation, also creating an act of concert. Williams also broke the chain of command and Addison's policies but suffered no consequences, even as a probationary employee. 

Town of Addison, Texas 

15600 Addison Road

Addison, TX 75001

www.addisontx.gov

972-450-7000

The mayor at that time was Scott Wheeler, and Ron Whitehead was the city manager. Wheeler is currently the Texas A&M University-Commerce Dean of the College of Business. 

Others who were directly involved, per the court discovery documents/depositions, but have since retired with full pensions, and/or Addison gave good job recommendations for them to start a second career. These men had less seniority than I did (except Moore), but because of my gender and the fact that I was targeted, I held no voice. They easily overpowered me. 

Noel B. Padden of Addison, Texas. Padden was the fire chief at the time. Padden was involved in the retaliation against me, gleefully and abruptly pulling me off duty and telling me, "You failed to maintain your status," even though he caused the sexist status lowering to happen. This action was unprecedented; no male had ever been treated like this in the fire department. He covertly set me up and spread slanderous gender bias, stating that I was not as smart as the men, as retaliation. Addison deliberately caused my status to be lowered so I would be beneath the men, so they would have reason to terminate me. Padden remained fire chief in Addison for another six years after my termination, protected by their gag order.  He has since retired, receiving his full pension. 

Kurt Anthony Hall of Tioga, Texas. Hall was the EMS training chief at the time. He used his position of power to retaliate and coerce others into agreeing with him that I was a ditzy female who could not apply information like a man, and that I should be terminated. Hall was promoted to assistant fire chief, taking Bill Hawley's position after Hawley became the City of Allen, Texas, fire chief. Hall later took the assistant fire chief position also at the City of Allen, Texas. Hall later took the assistant fire chief position at the City of Southlake, Texas, but was forced to resign after he received a DUI. Hall received his full pension because Addison protected his career and reputation. He is a current member of the Tioga, Texas, city council. CouncilmemberHall@tiogatx.gov (904-437-2351). 

Chris Kellen. He was a firefighter/paramedic who oversaw EMS peer review, which Addison skipped with me. I learned through discovery that Kellen was pressuring Hall to terminate me as retaliation. Kellen is now the EMS Coordinator for Medical City Hospital of McKinney, Texas. 

Will Moore. He was a firefighter/paramedic at the time. I learned through discovery that Moore was pretending to be my helpful friend while at the same time slandering me to others, saying I was stupid and ditzy, as retaliation. He is retired from the Addison Fire Department. 

Many others contributed to my gang bullying and suffered no consequences. There was no accountability for anything that was done to me. 

 

Cassandra Garcia Hernandez is the Addison, Texas, State Representative. She is aware of what the Town of Addison, Texas, did to me and their gag order, but she just ignores me.  Ms. Hernandez is friends with Addison's city leadership and the fire departments.  Her email is: contact@cassandrafortexas.com, and her phone is: 214-239-2682.