Joseph Longo III, from Quinton, New Jersey, filed his lawsuit under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination Act, noting that he faced "workplace harassment based upon sexual orientation, familial, status and discrimination and discrimination based upon gender stereotype."
His suit targets the Salem City School District and its employees. Among the employees he names are Pamela Bates-Thomas, director of special services, Dr. Billy Slaughter, school psychologist, Robin Winrow from the human resources department, Superintendent Amiot Patrick Michel and Dale Garner, the transition coordinator.
Bates-Thomas and Garner allegedly told Longo that he "[doesn't] need [to] foster kids, [he] needs to find a woman and have kids with a woman." They also allegedly told Longo that as a single man, he "did not know what he was doing" when it involved raising children.
Lawyers representing the Salem City School District released a statement in April noting all of Longo's allegations are "frivolous, unreasonable, groundless."