Former Wayland Union Schools Assistant Supt. James English is striking back at Kalamazoo Public Schools after being fired several months ago as assistant superintendent of business and operations.

The Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education fired English, last December, claiming he paid more than $91,000 to an outside organization without board approval.

English’s attorneys claim he was fired in retaliation for whistleblowing.

They said he had “noticed unusual accounting and spending practices by the Board and certain administrators,” making unlawful payments and compensation practices.

The suit maintains an investigation of English was a “sham” and it was interim Cindy Green recommended his ouster. It also claims English’s actions were done under the direction of former Supt. Rita Raichoudhuri, who resigned in December.

English was accused of spending $91,000 to help create a Kalamazoo Public Schools Foundation without board approval and hired an outside contract worker as the finance director, also without board approval.

English was assistant superintendent for business and operations at Wayland Union Schools, but left the local district with former Supt. Eivor Swan and another administrator, Mark Washington, under a cloud of suspicion of improperly using retirement funds. He and Swan in 2011 were ordered to pay back more than $70,000 in combined erroneous payments made to them for accumulated unused sick days after leaving the district the previous year. English was ordered to pay back $40,693 he received for unused sick days and overpayment of employee step increases.