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School district pays $55K to settle gay employee’s harassment claims
Updated Jan 14, 2021;
Posted Jan 14, 2021
Joseph Longo III, a Salem City School District employee, settled his 2018 lawsuit over claims he was being harassed because he is a gay man and a foster parent. (Provided Photo)
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A South Jersey school district has paid an employee $55,000 to settle a lawsuit in which he claimed he was harassed and discriminated against as a gay man and a foster parent, including being told by co-workers that he needed to “find a woman” and that he was not a “real parent.”
Joseph Longo III sued the Salem City School District in 2018 alleging violations of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, citing harassment based on sexual orientation and familial status and gender stereotype discrimination.
SALEM Equity for all.
That’s what the school board pledged with the recent addition of a Commitment to Human Relations Statement in student handbooks for Salem schools.
Superintendent Sean Kirkland said it’s “a commitment to treat everybody the same. That’s making sure our curriculum represents everybody.”
The school board approved adding the statement to all current and future student handbooks at the November meeting after hearing comments from three former Salem grads who collaborated on the commitment to equity initiative.
Libbi Williams and Jessica Schmidt both graduated in 2009 and Shani Jones graduated in 2003.
All three talked about working with the district to ensure equity in both policy and curriculum and putting together an advisory committee representing diverse values to act as a conduit between the district and community.