By MELISSA WALKE; Des Moines Register (IA); August 11, 2009

Des Moines school district officials in the past 2½ years have paid almost $400,000 to settle lawsuits or pending lawsuits. …..Des Moines' top settlements, excluding those for workers' compensation, were: …. - $104,000 in July 2008 to Linda Rupe, who was a school bus driver and leader of the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. As part of the settlement, Rupe agreed to withdraw her grievance as well as those she had filed on behalf of other bus drivers, and to leave the district and not seek re-employment.