Officer Used School Cameras To Sexually Harass, Stalk Somerville Teacher: Lawsuit

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A special education teacher has filed a lawsuit against the Somerville Public School District alleging she was the victim of continuous unwanted sexual harassment by a school security officer.

The instruction assistant of special education at Van Derveer Elementary School filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Superior Court on Feb. 7.

The lawsuit alleges that George Fazio, the school security officer, "repeatedly harassed Plaintiff in the school and outside of school by contacting her many times and making unwelcome comments to her, sending her unwanted text messages, following her to her car, writing her 'love' letters, and using the school's surveillance cameras to stalk her while she worked."

Somerville Superintendent Richard Brockel told Patch, "The District has no comment on pending litigation."

The woman claims the harassment began in late 2022 and she asked Fazio to cease all contact with her in January 2023.

The lawsuit claims the teacher reported the harassment to the district administration and included copies of the text messages from Fazio to her where he admitted to watching her on the surveillance cameras and had romantic feelings for her.

The teacher also alleges she shared a three-page letter written by Fazio to her that said "I would want to be with you 100% of the time" and "I need you and I need to have some contact with you."

However, the teacher said she faced retaliation from the school district "in the form of changes to the conditions of her employment an false and unfounded pretextual allegations of wrongdoing levied by the administration."

Retaliation claimed in the lawsuit includes moving the teacher to preschool; false accusations that she had improper communication with the parents of a student; false accusations that she had improper communication with a former student; and a pretextual substandard review.

"Defendants unlawfully retaliated against Plaintiff and otherwise took adverse employment action against her because she reported and objected to conduct that was in violation of the law and public policy," states the lawsuit.

The teacher is seeking compensatory damages for lost wages and benefits, damages to emotional distress, punitive damages, attorney fees, and more.

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