Lauren Posey, 26, of Leonia claims in a lawsuit students snapped pictures of her from behind.
TEANECK - A former substitute teacher at Teaneck Community Charter School claims she was sexually harassed by male students and then released from her contract after complaining to administrators about the incidents, according to a lawsuit.
Lauren Posey, 26, of Leonia claims in court papers filed last month that a male eighth-grader named "William" and other male classmates took pictures of her from behind as she wrote on the white board on April 16, 2015.
Posey reported the incident to Vice Principal Sonia Torres, who is also the school's anti-bullying coordinator, but Torres told her she was unable to do anything because the "photos were taken on the students' personal phones," the suit states.
Torres told Posey similar incidents had occurred at the school the year prior, the lawsuit states.
Two weeks later, Posey claims she was writing on the white board again when she heard the students "laughing and making noises."
"The students were silent when (Posey) asked what they were laughing about," the suit states.
After class ended, three female students approached Posey and told her the boys used their cell phones to snap pictures of Posey from behind. The girls told the substitute the boys were "gross and rude," the suit states.
Another female student later told Posey that one of the boys was "masturbating during class," the lawsuit claims.
Posey then contacted her union representative and a meeting took place between Posey, the rep, Torres and school administrator Anthony Calandrillo, according to the suit.
During the meeting, Posey presented Calandrillo with a statement she wrote describing the incident.
"So you are trying to tell me that they are being sexually inappropriate?" the administrator allegedly said.
"Yes," Posey said.
Calandrillo allegedly told Posey the incidents would be investigated. But no one followed up with her, according to the suit.
Days after the meeting, Posey learned her contract with the school would not be renewed.
Posey's last day at the school was June 23, 2015, the suit states.
The lawsuit claims after she was terminated, the school board continued to hire substitutes and other classroom aides.
The lawsuit, which was filed under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, claims a hostile work environment due to Posey's sex. The suit claims retaliation and accuses Torres and Calandrillo of aiding and abetting harassment.
Posey is seeking compensation for lost pay, emotional distress, "physical manifestation of emotional distress," embarrassment, humiliation and punitive damages.
School administrators have not returned calls and emails seeking comment.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.