For 25 years, Barbara Hodges was second-in-command of admissions at Girls Preparatory School. But in January 2014, she learned she would soon be answering phones.
A lawsuit filed Wednesday by the 66-year-old Hodges claims the former assistant admissions director was told in 2014 she would be made a receptionist, because she "got 'tired' at certain events because of her age."
At first she agreed, because she was reportedly told it wasn't a demotion, just a title change. She would keep her $52,000-plus annual salary and still be allowed four weeks of vacation, as long as the fourth week was docked from her pay.
She also was told she would have "more job security as a receptionist," according to the lawsuit.
Shortly thereafter, the school hired a new assistant director of admissions who was 20 years younger than Hodges, the lawsuit said.
And when the next year's contract came up in March 2015, the school had lowered Hodges' pay to $45,000 - and told her it would drop to $36,000 the next year. And her four-week vacation arrangement would not continue.
Hodges wrote an email to her superior documenting the assurances she had reportedly been given about changes to her pay and vacation time. That email was forwarded to the board of directors, according to the lawsuit.
Her other option would be to take a severance package of roughly 26 weeks of pay - one week for each year she worked at the school.
Hodges is asking for damages due to mental anguish, emotional distress and humiliation. She's also asking for back- and front-pay and court costs.
On Wednesday, Hodges declined to comment on the case.
Girls Preparatory School Head Autumn Graves was not available for a comment Thursday afternoon, according to a staff member who returned a phone call.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.