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Elizabeth School District to Pay $1.78M to Teachers to Settle Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Elizabeth

The Elizabeth’s School District has agreed to pay seven teachers $1.785 million, to settle their sexual harassment lawsuit against a former principal.

According to the 2016 lawsuit, the female teachers alleged that Carlos Lucio, the principal of Dr. Antonia Pantoja School No. 27 from 2008 to 2015, kissed or attempted to kiss them, sent them numerous inappropriate text messages, gave unwelcome massages and pulled their hair.

The teachers claimed that when they rejected Lucio’s advances, he would allegedly show up unannounced to their classrooms and would watch them through their classroom windows in an intimidating manner and even placed them on improvement plans.

The lawsuits states that after the teachers reported the harassment to the Elizabeth School Board in 2015, an investigation was launched. Following the investigation, Lucio reportedly signed a “Last Chance Agreement” document, where he agreed to participate in sensitivity training and not to make “sexually inappropriate or gender-based comments.

Officials say in June 2016, Lucio resigned from the district.

Finally, on Dec. 28th, the settlement approved the $1.785 million to be paid by the district’s insurance carrier.

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