Image Credit: Adam Fagen / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A former University School of Nashville (USN) student is being sued by the teacher who she accused of sexual harassment and grooming last year, leading to his termination at the school.
Dean Masullo taught literature as well as other subjects, including Queer Cinema, for 15 years at USN. He also served as faculty advisor for the school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance.
After being placed on leave without pay immediately after the allegations last May and then fired three months later, Masullo is now accusing alumna Gidgie Bass of not only forming an “unhealthy” attachment with him but also says that her “lies” led to his career and reputation as an English academic being ruined.
Bass, who was over eighteen at the time of the allegations, says that the suit filed in Davidson County Circuit Court on August 19th is unfounded. In a statement she gave to The Tennessean, Bass said that she stands by the facts that she provided USN.
According to the allegations, Masullo began his predatory behavior towards Bass by first isolating her with independent study periods during which they would watch movies alone in a classroom. The grooming escalated to inappropriate touches, “uncomfortable” hugs, attempting to hold her hand, and kisses to both her cheek and forehead before culminating in an attempt to lure her into his hotel room during a school trip.
After reporting Masullo to her advisor and several USN teachers, school leadership became involved and hired an attorney from a firm known for representing employer interests in labor or employment matters. According to requirements of the Southern Association of Independent Schools, in cases of sexual misconduct, a school must engage three parties: lawyers to represent the school, a crisis response team for the student, and an independent investigative team. USN supposedly neglected to obtain the last two.
Last September, legal representation for Bass wrote USN a letter detailing the events that had transpired and requesting both clarification on USN’s stance on the issue and an apology from USN’s administration for its poor handling of the matter.
Bass stopped receiving any information regarding the investigation of Masullo soon after her initial report of his misconduct. Other USN alumni reached out to Bass claiming to have experienced similar situations, but when she relayed this information to the attorney that USN had hired, he stated that there was no plan to reach out to anyone else who had been similarly abused.
USN had Masullo sign a separation agreement paying him nearly $30,000 in severance and which also required him not to sue the school or any of its affiliates.
A USN spokesperson has said that they are shocked and saddened to hear of the lawsuit against Bass. According to the school, their extensive and independent investigation of Masullo’s behavior violated multiple USN policies.
USN has since developed a “care plan” that provides support to alumni, parents, staff, and students that were impacted by the investigation.
That plan, along with a full report from the investigation can be found here.
Investigators concluded that Masullo was “clearly to blame for engaging in and concealing conduct he knew was inappropriate and in violation of multiple School policies.”
While some staff at USN thought that Masullo’s behavior was sometimes strange, no one was aware of the full extent of his inappropriate conduct,which was consistent with grooming, and “had no place in the school setting, and should have resulted in his swift termination.”
Despite USN’s lawyer telling Bass that they would not pursue the testimony of any other affected alumni, the investigators did make themselves available for any students past or present to come forward with relevant information.
Investigators also found no fault with any of Bass’s actions.
Sources:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/fired-university-school-nashville-teacher-100254721.htm
https://usn.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/392/download/download_10436552.pdf
https://usn.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/392/download/download_10642239.pdf
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
“Education” is terminally infested with dimmercraps like him.