University School of Nashville students want resignations over sexual harassment response
Around 150 students walked out of class at the University School of Nashville on Wednesday morning to call for the resignation of two school leaders over their handling of sexual harassment allegations against a now-former teacher .
The group, along with a handful of parents and alumni, gathered on the lawn in front of the school along Edgehill Avenue around 11 a.m. The University School of Nashville Student Union for Action organized the event, calling for the resignation of school director Amani Reed and assistant head of school Quinton Walker.
Students led the group in chants saying, "Reed must leave," "protect our kids" and "save our school." At times, they turned to faced the doors of the school, where one student said Reed was inside. The group also marched around the block, chanting with signs in hand as they wound along 21st Avenue South before returning to campus.
Dean Masullo, who taught English at the school for 15 years, was suspended in May immediately after a female student came forward and accused him of grooming and sexually harassing her. Masullo was ultimately fired in July. The student has since graduated. The Tennessean is not naming her, as it does not identify victims of sexual harassment.
In August, the former student's lawyer sent a letter to the school's board of trustees lambasting the response of school leaders to the situation. It said the school failed to hire an independent investigative team, despite Reed's claims it had engaged "third-party experts." The letter also said Walker promised to keep the former student and her family updated on what was happening, but instead deferred to the school's lawyer to communicate with them.
The letter also took issue with nearly $30,000 paid to Masullo as part of a separation agreement. The student union, formed in the wake of Masullo's firing, has also voiced concerns over the school's response and the payment.
"Paying off a predator is not the answer," the former student said at the demonstration Wednesday.
The school said it hired investigators from a business law firm to look into Masullo's actions and the school's response to the allegations roughly a month after the letter was sent. The school's board also formed a seven-member ad hoc committee focused on school safety and called for the formation of a wider task force.
But those actions don't correct the initial response by Walker and Reed, according to the former student. At the walkout, she said their response added to her trauma in a "colossal" way.
"I'm here because I don't have the option of just leaving this behind," she told the group.
Students, alumni, parents press for action
Masullo was paid $28,443 when he was fired, according to the letter. The Tennessean obtained an email sent by the ad hoc committee to the larger school community that defended that decision.
The email said the payment was included in the separation agreement to avoid future litigation from Masullo, which could include lawsuits that involve the former student. The separation agreement also required him to cooperate with ongoing and future investigations into his behavior.
Last week, the school sued Masullo seeking to revoke the payment and accusing him of failing to cooperate in its investigation.
Other students who spoke at the demonstration said school leaders damaged a sense of safety and trust at the school. One of the adults standing with the students held a sign that read: "Stop protecting Masullo and Reed. Students before PR."
The former student said she's tired of board members telling her she's brave and strong for speaking out, and instead wants them to be those things on her behalf by firing Reed and Walker. She also said she worries that the school's response means others may not feel safe enough to come forward if they face similar issues.
"This isn't about me," she said to those gathered. "It's about you."
University School of Nashville sues Masullo, ramps up response to concerns
Masullo now faces a lawsuit from his former employer, which says he won't answer questions for its investigation. The lawsuit, filed last week in Davidson County Chancery Court, said Masullo refused to cooperate in an internal investigation because of an "alleged pending criminal investigation." The school's attorneys forwarded letters from the attorney for the former student, a high school administrator and several faculty members about Masullo's conduct to the Nashville District Attorney's Office.
No charges had been filed against Masullo in Davidson County as of Wednesday and the Metro Nashville Police Department did not say whether an investigation was open. The Tennessean did not receive an answer after leaving a voicemail and sending a text to a phone number associated with Masullo last week.
After the walkout on Wednesday, the school released a statement saying "responsible citizenship" is one of its guiding principles.
"During this difficult time for our school, open dialogue with our community has been crucial in informing the board's actions, including opening a new investigation into all actions regarding this matter, alerting the Nashville District Attorney's Office to our efforts, and establishing a community task force to examine student safety and reporting policies," the statement read.
Last month, the board called for the formation of the task force "to analyze and make recommendations concerning the school's incident reporting and investigatory practices, external and internal communications policies, and student support services," according a school spokesperson. It will include University School of Nashville students, parents, staff, alumni and board members. Members will be announced soon.
"No decisions will be made until the investigation has had the proper time to thoughtfully examine all aspects of this matter," the school said.
