FAYETTEVILLE -- Former Superintendent Matthew Wendt filed a lawsuit Thursday against Fayetteville's school district claiming he was wrongfully terminated after being accused of sexual harassment.
Wendt is suing to be reinstated as superintendent with all back and future compensation and benefits or to be awarded damages for breach of contract for wrongful termination, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit states that Wendt was a victim of a rush to judgment and his termination was "merely pretextual in an attempt by [the district] to preserve image and relations."
Wendt is demanding a jury trial on all eligible issues, according to the lawsuit.
Damages can be a fluid situation, Wendt attorney Randy Coleman said, and his client is not asking for a specific amount. However, Wendt has been damaged in an amount of no less than $1.15 million, according to the lawsuit.
Justin Eichmann, the School Board president, said late Thursday that he hadn't seen the lawsuit and was unable to comment about it.
Another lawsuit filed by Wendt in early August is pending against Shae Lynn Newman, the woman who accused him of sexual harassment.
The lawsuit seeks no less than $850,000 in damages from Newman, claiming that she intentionally and improperly interfered with the business expectancy between Wendt and his employer and her actions led to his termination.
Newman filed a motion to dismiss Sept. 7, arguing that Wendt fails to state a valid claim.
The motion says Wendt sued Newman because she reported his behavior to school officials.
An investigation by school officials completed in March found that there was no basis for a sexual harassment claim and no action should be taken against Wendt, according to both of his lawsuits.
Wendt contends that materials provided to the media and the public by Newman's attorney, Suzanne Clark, were engineered to favor Newman and present a false picture of the relationship, according to his lawsuits.
The school district further destroyed Wendt's right of confidentiality and privacy granted to him under district policy when Eichmann and board attorney Susan Kendall publicly confirmed that Wendt was the subject of the sexual harassment claim, according to Wendt's lawsuit against the district.
Clark filed the sexual-harassment claim with the school district on March 14. She presented Chris Lawson, district general counsel, with voice recordings of Wendt and copies of text messages between Newman and Wendt that support her client's complaint, Clark said in a news release.
Clark filed a complaint May 25 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the school district and School Board. The complaint to the commission details Wendt's abusive conduct after Newman refused to continue to have sex with him, according to a news release by Clark.
Newman complained that Wendt stalked her, sent her numerous text messages while she was at home and at work, and told her she could be fired for her actions, according to the release.
The board unanimously voted to terminate Wendt's contract June 18.
The board cited a breach of contract by violating district policy. Wendt violated the policy through his derogatory and offensive conduct and communication with a female subordinate employee, according to Kendall.
Metro on 09/28/2018