While some employees have whistleblower protections for reporting wrongdoings at their jobs, public school employees don't have those same protections. One former Limestone County employee is hoping to change that after being fired for doing what's right.

"No good deed goes unpunished, and that was really true in this case," Shane Sears said.

He is Dr. Mark Isley's attorney. He says his client cannot speak because the whole process has been very emotionally difficult for Isley.

He was fired from Limestone County Schools last year. Isley says he was let go because he reported wrongdoings by his superiors and school board members.

"Nobody would listen to him. He kept saying something was up at the Limestone County Schools," Sears said.

After a year of being ignored, a federal indictment was announced accusing six school leaders in Limestone County and Athens City schools of a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars in state and federal funding.

"Through the indictments, he's fully vindicated. We're hoping now that this has come to light that he'll be able to get a job again," Sears said.

Sears explains school employees don't have whistleblower protections like employees in the private sector. He says Dr. Isley is now reaching out to state legislators in order to prevent other school employees from going through what he went through.

"That is one thing that has to be revised and dealt with, so that public school employees can come forth with information like this and not be terminated and lose their jobs," Sears said.

At this time, it is unclear when the proposal will be brought up to the state legislature, but it will not be brought up during this legislative session.

The six people who were federally indicted in this scheme will have a virtual arraignment hearing on March 4.