Whistleblower Journal: The Look

Season 1: December 2019

Part 1        “The LOOK”

Author: Heidi Weber, For Profit Higher Ed Whistleblower

If you’ve gotten to this website, and to this blog post, you’ve likely already heard my whistleblower story. I feel like I’ve shared my story a thousand times by now, and I actually don’t mind that at all, because I made a decision to own it, with the hope that every time I tell it, it helps inspire or just give a little boost to someone else going through the agonizing choice or process. (Although Matt, my husband, thinks that I just like telling my story because I need to ‘catch up’ on my “words per day” for the 3 years that I couldn’t talk about it at all, during the case.)

Seven years later, finally, at this point, I specifically watch for “the look” on people’s faces. Especially those in my hometown as well as the small town that we live in right now. I tell them my incredible story of this life changing process I endured. I did the right thing. I’m a whistleblower.

However, It was not always that way.

After the jury trial, I couldn’t wait to finally be able to share and talk about all these things that happened because I was so proud of everything that I had gone through and the difference it made to tens of thousands of people’s lives. I didnt know at the time how much more significant it was. Most whistleblowers get no vindication, yet still suffer all the life crushing retaliation effects, however, I survived….and had gotten through this horrible battle single handed when the odds were so far against me. Making the decision to speak up, losing my career for telling the truth, and going through being a target, the humiliating retaliation, and the long legal process, was going to help “my” students. Not to mention, it just felt so great to finally feel some vindication & closure to this.

So, you have to understand, when I would tell people my story, the initial reaction, (and most times the continued way they treat me, well,  it definitely took me by surprise. I learned a valuable lesson very quick, to shut up. I’m guessing that if you ask any other whistleblower, they will tell you the same thing.

I told my friends and our families first. I could finally share with them everything that we had been through over the last few years. These are our friends and families. Matt and I grew up right down the road from each other and our families have been friends and neighbors for years. These are people who love me and have known me most of my life. These are people that I have spent holidays, celebrated birthdays, and people that I love dearly. Their reactions were not at all what I thought they would be. Talk about being in the Twilight Zone.

How could that be? Maybe they didn’t hear me or maybe I didn’t explain it correctly?

I was so confused and even started to be made to feel ashamed in some instances. I had to keep reminding  myself, (or Matt would hug me and say), doing the right thing and/or telling the truth to save others, is NEVER anything that any person should ever feel shame over.   

Let me explain…..

To Be Continued.