The former director of the career center at Hazleton Area School District has sued the district and its superintendent in U.S. District Court, alleging he has not been paid for almost three months in violation of his contract.
Thomas Viviano, Lehighton, alleged in the 10-page lawsuit filed May 27 in Scranton that Superintendent Francis Antonelli and other district officials were trying to destroy his career without cause or reason.
"(Viviano) has been subjected to a conspiracy perpetrated by high officials of the District to destroy his career," according to the lawsuit. "(The district) did not have good cause to stop (Viviano's) pay and benefits and to take actions against him intended to destroy his good name and reputation."
He asked for unspecified monetary damages plus interest, costs, attorney fees and punitive damages. He also demanded a jury trial of the case.
In the lawsuit, Viviano alleged he signed a three-year contract with the district on Sept. 4, 2013, but that the district is ignoring it in an effort to get rid of him, an effort that included a false March 31 letter from Antonelli saying he had resigned.
"Antonelli knew (Viviano) had never resigned his employment," the lawsuit reads in part.
The district and Antonelli are ignoring Viviano's contract and denying him his pay and benefits without a hearing, according to the lawsuit.
"There is no legal basis or logical rationale to explain the course of conduct and actions being taken against (Viviano) by the Defendants," the lawsuit reads in part.
Viviano also alleged that even though he has a fine reputation in the state as an educator, Antonelli and the district are trying to destroy that.
In addition to depriving him of his pay and benefits, the defendants' actions are inflicting mental anxiety, distress, humiliation and loss of reputation, among other damages, according to the lawsuit.
"The actions of the Defendants ... were taken with malice and in bad faith," thereby justifying punitive damages, according to the lawsuit.