A third woman has filed a lawsuit against the Fort Lee school district, alleging a now-retired teacher repeatedly sexually harassed her when she was a student more than seven years ago.
The now 22-year-old woman, who is not being named by NJ Advance Media, alleges Howard B. Sidorsky inappropriately touched her on many occasions when she was an 8th grader at Lewis F. Cole Middle School during the 2017-2018 school year.
Interim Fort Lee Schools Superintendent Diane Collazo and two board of education members didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from NJ Advance Media.
The lawsuit alleges the student was subjected to “sexual overtures, sexual harassment, abuse, assault, offensive touching and contact.”
In addition to groping the girl’s thigh inappropriately, the teacher touched her neck, back and bra strap, the suit alleges.
The teacher also made inappropriate comments, telling her “you look good” and “you look sexy baby” according to the suit.
Besides touching the girl inappropriately at school, he also made physical contact with her at a community center, the lawsuit alleges.
Sidorsky also allegedly gave her preferential treatment by sending answers to tests to her cell phone.
The lawsuit claims the school district knew or should have known about Sidorksy’s behavior and didn’t protect the girl.
Last year, two other former students sued the Fort Lee school district, alleging Sidorsky also harassed and touched them.
Filed in March 2024, the lawsuit claims Sidorsky victimized one student in 2012 and the other in 2017. One student was in seventh grade and the other was in eighth grade when the incidents occurred, the lawsuit alleges.
After a municipal court found Sidorsky guilty of harassment in 2018, the teacher filed an appeal in state court, according to court records. The state court upheld the guilty verdict in 2019.
He then appealed to the state Superior Court’s Appellate Division in 2020, where a panel of three judges said “there is no reason to disturb defendant’s conviction for harassment,” according to a copy of the opinion.
Sidorsky was placed on paid leave by the school district in 2018. He had his teaching certification revoked by the State Board of Examiners in 2020.
He was approved in 2020 by the Public Employees’ Retirement System Board to receive a deferred retirement effective Feb. 1, 2023.
Both of the women who sued in 2024 said they suffer from anxiety, depression and continued emotional distress as a result of the sexual abuse they experienced.
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