NEW ORLEANS — A former Algiers school principal fighting a sexual harassment charge lost his bid to have the case against him dismissed last week when a federal judge declined to toss the lawsuit.
U.S. District Court Sarah Vance, on the bench in Louisiana's Eastern District, denied former William J. Fischer School Principal Stanley Green's motion for partial summary judgment on the issue of intentional infliction of emotional distress. Green is being sued in his personal and professional capacity, along with fellow defendants Algiers Charter Schools Association (ACSA) and William J. Fisher School by William J. Fisher School teacher Lindsay Armond Garcia.
"The Court denies Green's motion because a reasonable jury could find that Green's actions were extreme and outrageous, that Garcia suffered severe emotional distress, and that Green acted intentionally," Vance said in her 23-page order issued Oct. 11.
U.S. District Court Sarah S. Vance
Green had claimed in his motion that Garcia could not prove her claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress against him.
In the same order, Vance applied the Ellerth/Faragher defense and granted an ACSA motion for summary judgment the issue of damages under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Garcia opposed both motions.
Garcia has alleged that Green sexually harassed her during the 2016 school year when Garcia was a fifth- and sixth-grade social studies teacher at William J. Fisher School. Beginning in August of that school year, Garcia alleges that she had Green had a "series of interactions" in text, notes, over the phone and in person in which Green said he wanted to "snatch someone" and "keep them for a period of time," according to the background portion of Vance's order.
Green was placed on administrative leave in December 2016. ACSA hired an independent third-party investigator to examine Garcia's allegations, and Green was allowed to return to work in January 2017 after attending one-on-one sexual harassment training. Green was placed on administrative leave again that month and then fired after Garcia submitted additional information to the investigator.
Garcia sought counseling for depression and anxiety and in August 2017 filed her lawsuit, claiming negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and assault and battery.
In March, Vance ruled that Garcia couldn't maintain her sexual harassment allegations in court because William J. Fisher School had investigated her complaints and that her claim against Algiers Charter Schools Association should be dismissed. At the time, Vance also dismissed some claims against Green, but ruled sufficient evidence exists to support an intentional infliction of emotional distress claim.