Two teachers who were fired over a janitor’s allegations that he witnessed them engaging in sexual encounter in a classroom have sued New York City’s Department of Education.
Cindy Mauro, who was last week terminated from her position as French teacher at Brooklyn’s James Madison High School, filed suit against the department with the intent of being reinstated. Alino Brito, who was fired earlier in the month, filed a similar suit a few weeks ago.
The firing of the women and subsequent lawsuits stem from a November 2009 accusation by a janitor who claimed he witnessed the teachers entangled in a partially nude “inappropriate” sexual encounter. Both teachers were reassigned shortly after, then recently terminated following further review of the janitor’s claims and witness testimony. Mauro and Brito maintain that Mauro was offering medical assistance to Brino, who is diabetic and was feeling ill.
“Not one witness who testified said they SAW Ms. Mauro in any state of undress or committing a sexual act,” said Michael Valentine, an attorney for the teachers. “Nobody saw anything.” Valentine says the teachers’ story could be validated by a now-destroyed surveillance tape.
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