by
A gag has turned into a nightmare for John Stanton.
Stanton, former principal of Anchor Bay High School in St. Clair County, is suing the district for being forced out. His lawsuit alleges he was fired from another job in Livonia because of the gift, and that he even attempted suicide as a result.
Stanton gave a wooden penis as a departing gift to a female security guard as a joke. She was transferring to another district site.
According to the case filed in U.S. District Court in January, the guard confiscated the wooden penis from a student who made it in a workshop.
On her last day, Stanton gave her back the wooden penis as a joke. District administrators found out and forced him out.
The suit says officials alleged that the security guard was embarrassed by the gift and that she and her husband were upset, and she cried all weekend after rceiving the item.
Stanton, who is suing Superintendent Leonard Woodside, alleges his constitutional rights were violated when he was forced to resign in June 2017.
The suit alleges that on July 11, 2017, Stanton received a phone call from the security guard "who, while weeping, informed Mr. Stanton that she never made a complaint against him and had no issues with the gift she had been given and she was sorry that he had to resign."
The legal pleading says that the guard says she and her husband had laughed about the gift.
Stanton became principal of Churchill High School in the Livonia School District in August of 2017. But the suit claims the St. Clair County district notified Livonia that Stanton was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint. After three days on the job, the Livonia district asked him to resign. He agreed.
The suit states:
"Immediately following the August 7, 2017 meeting with the Livonia School District, Mr. Stanton attempted suicide and was hospitalized for nine days, after which he was informed that his contract would be taken to the Livonia School Board for termination. Instead, Mr. Stanton formally tendered his resignation."
The suit goes on to say parents have been told that he was investigated and fired for sexual harassment, which has further hurt his reputation and ability to seek employment.
