Ex-Mahwah Teacher Faces 4th Student Sexual Assault Allegation

MAHWAH, NJ — A former Bergen County educator is now facing four claims that he sexually assaulted underage students while employed by Mahwah and Waldwick Public School Districts.

Three of the four lawsuits were filed against Healy for alleged acts of abuse that took place across the 1980s while he was employed in Waldwick, but the latest of them was filed against Mahwah Township Public Schools and theater production non-profit Small Town and Fancy Players.

The lawsuit states that around 1989, while the unnamed plaintiff was a student at Mahwah High School, and a participant in a theater production put on by Small Town and Fancy Players, Michael Healy was the director of the play.

On a ride home from one rehearsal, Healy offered a ride to the plaintiff, but soon directed him to lift up his shirt, and then began touching him and performing "oral sex" on the then-high school student.

The suit alleges that Healy "sexually abused" the student over the course of four years, and did so during each theater production that the plaintiff participated in.

According to a lawsuit filed against the Waldwick Public School District and Waldwick High School, this wasn't the first instance of alleged sexual abuse by Healy.

In 1987, while Healy was a substitute teacher and cafeteria monitor at Waldwick High, he "cornered" a student while the minor was using a urinal in a school bathroom.

Additionally, the suit states that Healy "sexually abused" at least two other Waldwick students. According to New Jersey court records, there are two other lawsuits that have been filed against the district which mention Healy by name.

What stands out from the Mahwah lawsuit is the naming of another teacher, James Campodonico.

The lawsuit states that Healy told Campodonico, who was the choir teacher at the time, that the Mahwah student was a "vulnerable minor," and alleges that he admitted to Campodonico that he was "sexually abusing" him.

Rather than inform the school administration, Campodonico "began openly flirting with Plaintiff at school and attempting to engage in a sexual relationship with him," the lawsuit said.

In all cases, the lawsuits state that the schools and organizations are at least partially at fault for these abuses, alleging negligence and violations of the Child Sex Abuse Act.

But these instances of alleged abuse never stopped Healy from advancing in his career. In addition to his move to Mahwah, Healy was hired as an assistant principal in Maplewood.

However, Waldwick has now filed a lawsuit against Healy in the wake of the allegations, claiming that officials had no knowledge of the abuses, and that these alleged abuses were detrimental to the district's standing in the court of popular opinion.

It's unclear if he is still an educator in the state, but the lawsuits say Healy does still work with kids.

An online profile seems to confirm that he does, as a Boonton-based magician for hire.

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