Former official accused of harassment

By Greg Rivara

Former DeKalb Superintendent Jack Deere isn’t out of hot water yet.

Deere was implicated in a civil suit filed Monday alleging sexual harassment of a present school district employee and a former employee. The suit was filed in DeKalb County Circuit Court.

Robyn Rhodes, Deere’s executive secretary, and former assistant superintendent JoAnn Desmond accused Deere of coming on to them, rubbing against their bodies and other violations in a 10-count harassment suit.

The suit details more than 30 incidents.

The women are seeking more than $15,000 in compensatory damages. They also are seeking punitive damages, which could range from $150,000 to $200,000.

In the 21-page lawsuit, the women claim Deere rubbed his pelvis and penis against their buttocks and pelvis on separate occasions.

The women claim they noticed a wet spot on Deere’s crotch after these and other incidents.

Charges against Deere and the board include violating the equal protection claim, a right to privacy and due process. The women charge the alleged acts were done on purpose while Deere was told the acts were not welcomed.

Both say the harassment caused them emotional distress and put them in constant fear and apprehension of being touched.

The suit also charges Deere and the board with assault and battery, invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, breach of implied contract and reckless hiring and supervision.

Rhodes charges that during a six-month employment period, Deere made 16 sexual harassment offenses.

Comments like “you look so sexy,” “you have really cute legs” and “you really frustrate me” are cited in the suit.

Desmond claims Deere harassed her since he came into the post in 1986. The harassment began three months after he started, Desmond claims.

Some of the comments Desmond charges againt Deere include “I fantasize about you” and how sexy she looked.

In addition, the two women are seeking to void the agreement the board made with Deere to buy out his contract.

The board bought out Deere’s contract for $170,000 earlier this year after complaints about his performance.

The women claim buying out the contract goes against public policy and practically condones Deere’s alleged actions.

Further charges claim Deere made derogatory remarks about female members of the school board and how they were frustrated because they weren’t getting enough sex.

The lawsuit charges some of Deere’s alleged illegal comments were how he hired good-looking personnel because he made hiring decisions based on sex and how good a worker Desmond would be if she was a man.

The board is charged with disregarding and indifference to Deere’s former harassment conduct at other jobs.

Additionally, the suit claims the board should have made a better attempt to encourage a complaint procedure, failing to adopt a harassment policy and failing to promptly discipline Deere.

DeKalb’s Gallagher, Klein and Brady are representing the women.