USN sues teacher fired over sexual harassment allegations

The former University School of Nashville English teacher was fired after a student accused him of grooming and sexually harassing her. Now his former employer is facing a lawsuit accusing him of failing to answer questions as part of the investigation.

The school is asking the court to compel Dean Masullo, the former teacher, to cooperate in the investigation, which he said he agreed to when he signed a separation agreement with the school in July.

In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Davidson County Chancery Court, the school alleges that Masullo committed “multiple and significant violations of USN’s employment policies.”

The lawsuit also states that Masullo refused to cooperate with an internal investigation because “a criminal investigation was allegedly pending.” A school spokesman said the student’s attorney, a school administrator and several faculty members sent letters about Masullo’s behavior to the Nashville District Attorney’s Office.

No charges had been filed in Davidson County as of Thursday afternoon, and Metro Nashville police did not say whether an investigation had been opened.

The private school entered into a separation agreement on July 19 with Masullo, who had worked there as a high school teacher since 2009, the lawsuit says.

Student accuses teacher of misconduct, says school response failed her

In August, an attorney who represented the student and said Masullo groomed and sexually harassed her sent a letter to the school’s board of trustees on her behalf. The letter sharply criticized the school’s response to the student’s allegations. The Tennessean is not identifying the student’s identity in this story because victims of sexual harassment are not identified by name.

The letter, obtained by The Tennessean, details the allegations against the teacher. It said Masullo developed a close relationship with the student and increased his emotional and physical advances toward her over the course of several months. It was said that he always found ways to spend time alone with her, holding her hand, pulling her in for long hugs and giving her a long kiss on the cheek while holding her tightly. It also said he gave her unwanted gifts and handwritten notes and told her he loved her.

When the teen told a mentor and later school administrators what had happened, the letter says, they acted quickly and launched an investigation into the allegations. School leaders immediately flew to Delaware to suspend Masullo and take his place on a school trip he was accompanying.

However, according to the letter, the student and her parents received no information about the investigation afterward, even though the school administration and the school’s attorney repeatedly promised to keep them informed.

According to the lawsuit, the university confirmed that Masullo violated some of its policies and terminated his employment. The separation agreement provided Masullo with about three months’ salary, or $28,443, and required him to cooperate with the school and its attorneys “with respect to any past, present or future legal or regulatory matters” related to his employment, it said of the lawsuit.

The school is launching a new investigation but says Masullo will not participate

Although the student and her family are not trying to sue the school, they said in the letter they hoped the board would take action and take responsibility for the situation.

The letter sent to the board was dated August 22nd. About a month later, the lawsuit says, the school hired investigators from national law firm Barnes & Thornburg to investigate the allegations against Masullo and the school’s response.

On Sept. 28, investigators contacted Masullo to arrange an interview, the lawsuit says. A day later, Masullo’s lawyers sent an email to investigators saying he would not answer further questions, citing what the lawsuit describes as an “alleged ongoing criminal investigation.”

University School says Masullo is violating the terms of the separation agreement and is asking the court to order Masullo to cooperate with the investigation and pay back the money he received from the separation agreement, as well as attorneys’ fees and interest.

“First, Masullo should abide by his termination agreement and participate in the new investigation,” the school said in a statement sent to The Tennessean on Thursday. “Second, because Masullo violated the terms of his termination, he should pay back to the school the three months of salary he received to prevent him from filing litigation in the future. USN seeks truth and clarity on this painful matter.”

The Tennessean received no response after leaving a voicemail and sending a text message to a phone number associated with Masullo.

The board apologizes to the school community and provides updates

The University School of Nashville sent a Sept. 20 letter to the school community apologizing for its response to the student’s allegations.

“This year, we have not provided the support that every single person who walks through our halls deserves,” reads part of the letter, calling the student “incredibly courageous and courageous” for her actions reported.

The letter said the school had fired its current attorney and hired a new one to launch an independent investigation. It was also announced that a website would be set up to provide updates on the investigation.

The Tennessean also obtained a second email from board members to the school community dated Oct. 9. It explained the lawsuit and explained that Masullo was paid in part to avoid future litigation. It said the investigation would continue with or without Masullo’s involvement.

Alex Little, the student’s attorney, objected to the school’s payout to Masullo.

“When the USN board found out about the payment, they should have informed the school community and fired everyone involved in the approval. They did neither,” Little said in an emailed statement to The Tennessean. “Even weeks after our letter, the board appears unable to make tough decisions.”

Evan Mealins is The Tennessean’s justice reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMe A Lins.

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