Matthew M. Lentz, the former chief financial officer and acting district president of the Upper Moreland School District, filed a lawsuit on Monday, June 3, alleging discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination.
Lentz claims he was discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual orientation and disability, according to the Pennsylvania Record. In his written complaint, he also allegedly subjected himself to a “hostile work environment” by Superintendent Susan Elliott, who was hired in July 2022.
The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Elliott made derogatory comments about working in a “man’s world” and undermined Mr. Lentz’s authority by excluding him from important meetings and decision-making processes.
Lentz first reported Elliott’s conduct to Board Chair April Steinback on Nov. 7, 2022, and subsequently filed a complaint in January 2023 to both Steinback and UMSD Attorney Kenneth Luce, according to the lawsuit.
In late March 2023, Lentz filed an internal Title IX complaint alleging a hostile work environment because of his gender and sexual orientation.
In August 2023, the school district hired Dr. Yi Wang to conduct an independent medical evaluation of Mr. Lentz. Dr. Wang reportedly diagnosed Mr. Lentz with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and recommended up to 12 weeks of leave with accommodations upon his return.
The Record states that the district disputed the findings of Dr. Wang’s investigation into remote work accommodations, after which Lentz “felt compelled to resign effective Aug. 25, 2023. UMSD publicly misrepresented this move as a resignation.”
According to the Record, Lentz is seeking compensatory damages under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) and the Pennsylvania Human Rights Act (PHRA) for emotional distress, damage to his career and other losses.
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