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Expelled by Liberty U after reporting abuse

Hello my name is Sarah Leitner.  I have had to sue Liberty University because they were unable to keep me safe at an internship site in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision. Then, I was told via email that it was "grace" that I was allowed to stay in the program. At the same time, I was dealing with PTSD from everything that had happened at the internship site, as well as from Liberty University's responses, and lack of responses, to what had occurred.

When I returned to internship, I was not allowed to withdraw when I faced catastrophic family problems. Three months later, I was expelled after a sex offender made false claims. In January 2019, after asking for all documentation about my case from Liberty University via FERPA, I found many, many misstatements, such as that I was expelled for having a Psychology Today profile without having a license.  This was clearly untrue as I was, and am, a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in the state of South Carolina.  Many students in the PhD program support themselves as a counselor so I am sure many students also had a Psychology Today profile.

After asking for mediation many times before and after I was expelled, I realized the only way to seek remediation in this situation - and to prevent it from happening to others - was to sue. I filed in Federal Court, Western District of Virginia on May 15, 2019. I am presently waiting for the judge to rule on the Defendant's request to dismiss. 

For more information on this case, please email me or look at https://thouarttheman.org/2020/06/10/phd-student-sarah-leitner-notifies-jerry-falwell-of-abuse-that-occurred-at-an-authorized-internship-site-after-the-school-of-counselor-education-of-liberty-university-denies-the-abuse-occurred-and-lat/ . You may particularly be interested in the Expert Witness report that is attached as it details the significant PTSD that occurred to due to Liberty University's negligence.

I am looking for funds to hire a lawyer, as estimates I have gotten have ranged up to 100K. I am hoping that 50K will be enough. I have already had significant expenses, to include the cost of filing a lawsuit ($400), multiple overnight packages at around $30 or more each, and the cost of serving the lawsuit on all defendants (~250+).

Thank you so much for looking at this and for donations and we work together to remediate this situation, as when it recurs is capable of causing great harm.

Organizer

Sarah Leitner
Organizer
Goose Creek, SC

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