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Credit: Pennsbury School District
A third former Pennsbury School District administrator has filed a lawsuit against the district.
Former Fallsington Elementary School Principal Brian Shaffer filed a lawsuit in federal court this week claiming he was retaliated against and had to leave his position in the district. He is seeking lost wages, back pay, and other damages.
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Shaffer is the third administrator to make allegations against the district and Superintendent Dr. William Gretzula. Former special education director Sherri Morett and technology director Kevin Dorsey both have accused the district of civil rights violations in lawsuits that claim retaliation, offensive behavior, and a fractured administration.
Shaffer, who became principal at Fallsington Elementary School in Falls Township in 2013, first filed an U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint alleging discrimination in July 2018. Leading up to late 2018, EEOC complaints were also filed by Dorsey, Morett and Director of Pupil Services Elizabeth Aldridge, who has not sued the district.
According to Shaffer’s lawsuit:
In or about December 2018, after securing a five-year contract, Gretzula said that he would “clean house” and get rid of anyone who filed an EEOC complaint, including Plaintiff.
At an executive session following his contract extension, Gretzula made this statement to members of the Defendant’s board.
On another occasion, Gretzula made the same statement to representatives of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators.
School Board Director Joshua Waldorf repeatedly stated that he would support Gretzula’s retaliation.
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The EEOC initial complaint filed by Shaffer was dismissed by the agency and he opted not to pursue those claims further in court at that time.
On April 15, 2019, Shaffer had an interaction with a kindergartner that was handled “professionally and in accordance with all of his responsibilities as principal,” according to the lawsuit.
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On May 6, the Pennsbury School District suspended Shaffer and alleged he screamed and grabbed the student.
Shaffer’s lawsuit states the claim was false and that the district and Gretzula should have known the allegation was untrue.
The lawsuit claims the district found out about the mid-April incident on April 24, 2019 and did not suspend the principal until weeks later.
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The school district notified the Falls Township Police Department and Shaffer was cleared of wrongdoing following an investigation, the lawsuit states.
Shaffer claims that the district failed to appropriately investigate the allegations and interview people who were present.
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The lawsuit alleges that Gretzula was not interested in determining what happened and was looking for a reason do get rid of Shaffer.
According to the lawsuit:
Defendant was aware that Plaintiff (Shaffer) was in the process of adopting a daughter. Defendant knew that claims of child abuse jeopardized the adoption.
Plaintiff legitimately feared that Defendant would find an excuse to discharge him, if not for the April 15, 2019 interaction, then for some other reason.
Accordingly, in order to preserve his career and his livelihood for his family, Plaintiff resigned his position and accepted employment as Principal for another school district with substantially less pay and benefits.
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Shaffer notes that resigning from his job “was not voluntary.”
Shaffer filed a second EEOC discrimination claim and amended it earlier this year. Shaffer received a right to sue notice from the EEOC this month.
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The district issued a statement Wednesday evening in advance of the story being published:
This is actually the second time that former principal Brian Shaffer brought an EEOC charge against the District. The first time, as Mr. Shaffer himself acknowledges in his lawsuit, the EEOC dismissed his claims, and he chose not to pursue those charges in court. Now, when the EEOC terminated its investigation into his second set of claims against the District, Mr. Shaffer has decided to sue.
The District stands behind our Superintendent, Dr. Gretzula. The School Board proudly rated Dr. Gretzula’s performance during the unprecedented 2019-2020 school year as Distinguished. The claims made in Mr. Shaffer’s complaint attributing statements to Dr. Gretzula, or any individual Board members, are patently false. Any attempt to paint Dr. Gretzula’s insistence of student safety above all else as ‘retaliation’ is beyond the pale. The District looks forward to defending this lawsuit vigorously in court.
Earlier this year, Board President T.R. Kannan also stated the district stands by Gretzula and heralded his time at the district. He said the board would “not stand for Dr. Gretzula’s good name being tarnished.”
Starting in late 2018, LevittownNow.com began reporting on problems in the district and has continued reporting on the claims and lawsuits.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
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The first article on potential problems and EEOC complaints in the district broke in December 2018. Hours later, the school board swiftly moved forward a vote to give Gretzula a new contract through June 30, 2023. The contract increased the administrator’s pay from $176,683 to $192,000. Board President T.R. Kannan and members Christine Toy-Dragoni, Gary Sanderson, Debra Wachspress, and Joshua Waldorf voted to keep Gretzula, while Vice President Christian Schwartz and members John Palmer and Jacqui Redner voted down the employment agreement. Board member Nancy Lawson was not at the meeting.
Pennsbury has spent thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds on lawyers and internal investigations related to the district’s mounting problems. The district is also fighting release of an internal investigation on allegations of “kickbacks” that this news organization is seeking.
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The lawsuits against the district have caused board member Debra Wachspress to end her high-profile run for congress after it was alleged she used highly-offensive terms. Wachspress admitted to using one offensive term in recounting a story from her childhood 42-years-old ago and stated the other allegations were from a “fraudulent” lawsuit filed by Morrett.
In the wake of reporting on Dorsey and Morett’s lawsuits, students held a protest outside the Falls Township high school in Feburary.
Following the protest, Gretzula appeared to hold back tears and stated it was “really hurtful” and “painful” that the high school students walked out to protest the administration and him.
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“Please don’t read a headline from reporters who only want to make money and not pursue truth without integrity,” Gretzula said at the same public board meeting.
LevittownNow.com stands by its reporting, which follows journalistic standards and ethics.
Previous Reporting:
- EXCLUSIVE: Documents Pennsbury Fighting To Keep Hidden Alleges ‘Kickbacks’
- Superintendent Calls Student Protest ‘Hurtful,’ Board Members Comment On Lawsuits
- Students Protest After Troubles In Pennsbury
- Debbie Wachspress Ends Campaign After Use Of Offensive Language Comes To Light
- Pennsbury School Board President Reacts To Lawsuits, Claims Of Misconduct
- Lawsuit Claims Congressional Candidate Used Offensive Terms In 2018
- Two Former Admins File Lawsuits Against Pennsbury, Claim Discrimination
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