LI Students Protest Sexual Harassment Policy Violation: Reports

MANHASSET, NY — Over 200 students at Manhasset Secondary School left class on Friday afternoon in protest of their superintendent allegedly violating district policy on sexual harassment, and calling for his resignation, according to reports.

An independent investigation into a teacher’s complaint that Manhasset Schools Superintendent Vincent Butera hugged her and visited her classroom too frequently, found that he violated the school district’s policy on sexual harassment, reported The Manhasset Press, which broke the story on Wednesday.

Student Kaitlyn Clark told News 12 that the students were calling for Butera’s removal, saying he should be setting the standard for how the student body is supposed to act, “and if he continues to act this way, and we continue to protect people who act this way, we are creating a more hostile environment.”

Neither Butera, or the district have commented.

When contacted for comment Friday afternoon, a representative for a company that handles the district’s public relations said they were not working with the district on the issue.

During a Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Butera spoke about how the law firm assigned to examine the complaint against him found that his attentions were interpreted as unwanted by the unnamed complainant, and violated the district’s policy.

“I was extremely disheartened to learn that my actions were construed by even by one person as anything other than completely professional,” Butera said in a Zoom meeting that has been archived to YouTube.

Butera went on to describe some of the complaints, including that he came too close to the complainant and had a work-related conversation as a deejay played music at an retirement party with over 100 people. Butera said he also hugged the complainant to console her after a teacher died, “as I did with others that day,” he added.

Butera said the complainant told investigators that he came into her classroom too frequently to observe, and also that on another occasion, he took photos of her child who was highlighted at an event, and then asked for another email to send them because the files were too large to send over the district’s email.

He also said that as the district celebrated a significant achievement by a group of teachers, he and other administrators “offered a congratulatory hug” to the teacher and other staff.

“Despite my intent, the independent counsel did find that my attention was perceived by the complainant as unwelcome, and therefore a violation of district policy,” Butera said, adding that his actions and behavior have always been intended to mirror the values and high standards that so many of us, and I, hold dear, and to convey care and concern, and the thought that even one person perceived that differently brings me both regret and sadness, and for that, I have reflected deeply.”

Pat Aitken said that after the probe was launched in September, "appropriate steps were taken consistent with the recommendations of the independent counsel.”

She did not specify what the recommendations were, or whether Butera had been disciplined or not, Newsday reported.

The investigation was kept confidential until it was leaked publicly to The Manhasset Press this week, Aiken said.