Former Fitch High School Teacher Sues For Discrimination

A former teacher at Fitch High School has filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the Groton Board of Education, saying he was harassed because of his sexual orientation, then lost his job after he complained.

Scott Sturman, who worked in the New Beginnings Alternatives program, filed the suit in New London Superior Court in December, 2011.

On May 7, the lawyer for the Groton Board of Education asked for an additional extension of time until June 6 to respond. Lawyer Rachel Ginsburg, of Rose Kallor, LLP in Hartford, also filed an objection to requests that the board produce certain information.

The school board asked a judge in Feburary to refuse Sturman’s request for a jury trial. Judge James Devine denied he board's request on March 16.

According to the complaint, Sturman said a fellow teacher in the New Beginnings program harassed a student in the class, making homophobic comments and calling him a “faggot”.

Sturman, who is gay, said he then confronted the teacher about the remarks, and he was also harassed about his sexual orientation. The suit said a police officer assigned to the school joined in the harassment, telling students after one commented on Sturman’s sunglasses, “Never argue fashion with a gay guy.”

On Oct. 2009, the lawsuit said Sturman discovered a graphic message on the classroom whiteboard and complained.  Central office staff took a picture of it, and the fellow teacher in New Beginnings was reprimanded for allowing it to remain on his whiteboard for more than a day, the suit said.

But the suit said the harassment continued, and the fellow teacher made a sexual remark, then threatened that he had “law enforcement” on his side. Sturman then learned that there were complaints about his teaching, the suit said.

Ultimately, he complained to Paul Pattavina, the New Beginnings Alternatives supervisor, about a hostile work environment, the suit said.

On March. 26, 2010, the suit said Fitch High School Principal Joseph Arcarese hand delivered Sturman a letter of “non-renewal” for the next academic year.

The suit said the board of education retaliated against Sturman “by permitting the harassment to continue unabated and by not renewing his employment," and that the board failed to conduct an investigation until after he filed a complaint with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities in May, 2010.