New Jersey school district hit with multiple lawsuits after firing gay superintendent

A New Jersey school district faces legal action from three separate lawsuits filed this year, following the firing of its openly gay school superintendent.

In a lawsuit filed in May, John Berenato, the former superintendent of the Manchester Township School District, accused the district of sexual orientation discrimination that led to his firing in November of last year.

He accounted experiencing “open hostility and bias” and claimed that the district had caved to “local political pressure” that sought to prevent “those with different sexual orientations” from working in the district’s administration.

According to court documents, board members expressed religious beliefs in opposition to homosexuality and discussed fears of Berenato “pushing a gay agenda.” 

The complaint alleges that Diane Pedroza, the current superintendent, expressed not wanting the district’s curriculum to become “too gay.”

In a second lawsuit filed in September, the district’s former director of special services, Bridget Antonucci, alleged being “subjected to a hostile work environment and ultimately terminated.”

Antonucci, who identifies as straight, said she was labeled as “a member of the rainbow community” because of her support of Berenato, the complaint stated.

According to court documents, Antonucci was with Berenato when he received “disgusting derogatory texts regarding sexual acts” from district board members.

The alleged discriminatory conduct left Antonucci “shocked wondering how elected officials could act so despicably,” according to the complaint.

A third lawsuit was filed against the district on Oct. 28 by Lori Burns, the district’s former director of early childhood education.

Burns, an out lesbian, was the only LGBTQ district administrator as of February, according to court documents. She submitted her resignation in May.

Burns’ complaint alleges that her sexual orientation was a “motivating factor” for “harsh, hostile and exclusionary treatment,” and that the school board’s concerns about Berenato were also held for Burns.

One incident cited in the lawsuit was an October 2023 board meeting to discuss transgender student policy. Burns and Berenato were both in attendance, and, according to court documents, “derogatory and homophobic” comments were made during the meeting and transgender people were characterized as “dangerous” and “predatory.” 

Berenato’s lawsuit also alleged that there was “open animosity toward policies in place to protect LGBTQ students in the District.”

A spokesperson for the district said that it “can not provide any comment or information regarding pending litigation.”

Manchester Township School District serves about 2,900 students from pre-kindergarten through high school in Ocean County.

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