Ocean county teacher sues school district, claims retaliation after reporting bullying, student safety concerns

A former law enforcement instructor at Ocean County Vocational Technical School alleges he was suspended, hit with tenure charges, and ultimately fired after repeatedly raising concerns about student bullying, harassment, and alleged misconduct within the district.

A longtime Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS) instructor has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the school district, its Board of Education, Ocean County, and several current and former school officials, claiming he faced years of retaliation after speaking out about issues affecting students.

Robert Yaiser, a retired New Jersey State Police major who began teaching law enforcement at OCVTS in 2015, filed the complaint Tuesday in Ocean County Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges violations of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), wrongful termination, hostile work environment, and civil rights protections.

Claims center on student complaints and public allegations

According to the lawsuit, Yaiser says students and parents began bringing concerns to him several years ago involving bullying, harassment, racial slurs, student safety issues, and alleged misconduct by school employees.

The complaint alleges that students reported being bullied after making complaints and that some believed concerns were not being properly addressed by school administrators. Yaiser also claims he repeatedly raised concerns to school officials, the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, law enforcement agencies, and other government entities.

Among the specific allegations outlined in the lawsuit:

Yaiser claims he reported complaints from students who said they were subjected to racial slurs and bullying.
He alleges female students reported being harassed by a history teacher and that he brought those complaints to administrators.
The lawsuit states Yaiser publicly addressed the Ocean County Board of Commissioners and OCVTS Board of Education regarding student safety concerns, alleged misconduct, and transparency issues.

Lawsuit alleges retaliation followed

Yaiser claims that after raising those concerns, he became the target of disciplinary actions by district officials. The lawsuit alleges he was suspended multiple times, removed from a head teacher position that included a stipend, subjected to tenure charges, and eventually terminated.

The complaint further alleges that after he spoke publicly about the issues, his classroom filing cabinet was broken into and personal items were stolen. Yaiser also claims he later received threats through his school email account.

In the filing, Yaiser states he “consistently opposed, refused to participate in, reported, and/or disclosed what he reasonably believed to be violations of law, regulations, and public policy concerning student safety.”

The lawsuit also alleges that “Defendants retaliated against Plaintiff, including through suspension, falsified tenure charges, hostile work environment, a continuing pattern of antagonistic behavior and termination, because of his protected CEPA activities.”

What happens next

The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages and benefits, damage to Yaiser’s reputation, emotional distress, attorney’s fees, and other damages. It also seeks relief available under New Jersey whistleblower laws, including potential reinstatement and back pay.

The defendants had not yet filed a response to the complaint as of Wednesday. The allegations contained in the lawsuit represent claims made by the plaintiff and have not been proven in court.

Key Points

• Former OCVTS instructor Robert Yaiser has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the school district, county entities, and several officials.
• The complaint alleges retaliation after he reported student bullying, racial harassment, safety concerns, and other alleged misconduct.
• Yaiser claims he was suspended, subjected to tenure charges, and ultimately terminated because of his reports and public advocacy.

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