Harassment charge undergoing mediation
New Brunswick H.S. principal charged
By SHARON WATERS, the Home News Tribune,
February 12, 2005
Mediation began Wednesday in the sexual-harassment lawsuit by a school security guard against New Brunswick High School Principal Pierre Embrey.
Kim Monique James, 44, charged in the complaint that Embrey commented on her appearance at school, said he wanted to take her on a date, made uninvited phone calls to her home in the city to ask personal questions and requested a sexual favor at school during 2003.
In April or May of 2003, Embrey called James into his office, got down on one knee, "leered at her," and handed her a flower, according to the complaint, which was filed in June.
The lawsuit also names the New Brunswick Board of Education, former Superintendent of Schools Ronald F. Larkin and Assistant Superintendent of Schools Mary Egan as defendants.
The school district investigated James' complaints, found the allegations were unsupported and plans to vigorously defend the lawsuit, school board attorney George Hendricks said yesterday.
"We investigated, we made findings of fact and appropriate remedial action was none," Hendricks said.
"We did our job from our perspective."
Both Hendricks and current Superintendent of Schools Richard Kaplan said yesterday there are no plans to transfer Embrey to another school or into an administrative position.
Hendricks also said there has never been any other sexual-harassment allegations against Embrey in the school district.
"He's an upstanding guy," said Hendricks.
Embrey could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mediation is mandatory but nonbinding. James' attorney, Lawrence Y. Bitterman of New Brunswick, said yesterday he and his client intend to prosecute the lawsuit.
"The New Brunswick Board of Education sugarcoated the entire incident. The investigation, if any, was perfunctory to say the least," Bitterman said.
James, a security guard in the school district since September 1998, requested and received a transfer to another New Brunswick school.
The complaint said Embrey's overtures have caused James to suffer extreme emotional distress and to seek medical attention for depression and other conditions.
James is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Sharon Waters: (732) 565-7270; swaters@thnt.com
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