LGBTQ+ ally claims wrongful discharge by N.J. school district

Judge gavel and rainbow ribbon of LGBT pride on gray background.
(Photo: Adobe Stock)

An ally of the LGBTQ+ community recently filed suit against the Manchester Township School Board in New Jersey, claiming her advocacy for a gay superintendent cost her a job.

On Sept. 30, Bridget Antonucci filed a 19-page lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court, Ocean County, suing the school district and various officials.

Antonucci worked for the district from January 2022 through May 2024 as director of special services. She was a vocal supporter of John Berenato, the district’s superintendent who was allegedly subjected to antigay bias and harassment before his firing in November 2023.

Antonucci’s lawsuit alleges that Berenato’s successor ignored her requests for medical accommodations and subjected her to harassment after she was injured in an accident in December 2023.

In May 2024, Berenato filed an antibias lawsuit against the school district which is currently being mediated. Antonucci’s lawsuit claims Berenato was subjected to antigay bias and when she spoke up for him, she was retaliated against and eventually fired.

Antonucci’s lawsuit reiterates Berenato’s claims of pervasive bigotry within the school board and the school district toward the LGBTQ+ community and other groups, including Hispanic and Jewish people.

Antonucci’s lawsuit accuses Berenato’s successor as being antigay and opposing a “rainbow” atmosphere within the district. The lawsuit says the district is “poisoned with bigotry, bias if not hate” against the LGBTQ+ community and others.

“[Antonucci] was present with Mr. Berenato when [school-board] members sent him disgusting derogatory texts regarding sexual acts. This discriminatory conduct was not only devastating to Mr. Berenato but also left [Antonucci] shocked wondering how elected officials could act so despicably. In no uncertain terms, the Manchester Board of Education acted to remove Mr. Berenato from the District because he represented a lifestyle the majority of MBOE members rejected out-of-hand,” Antonucci’s lawsuit states.

“Upon information and belief, the MBOE rejected Mr. Berenato’s lifestyle based on their conservative Christian beliefs as well as their fear that he would establish a District environment which would indoctrinate District students in the LGBTQIA2S+ community,” the lawsuit adds.

The lawsuit adds: “Antonucci never entertained any desire to indoctrinate students into any particular lifestyle choice, but she was always sensitive to the dictates of those State Board of Education policies of diversity and inclusion which she earnestly believed had the force of law.”

The lawsuit goes on to claim that multiple district officials didn’t respect LGBTQ-friendly state policies. “Defendants resented tolerance and inclusion and shunned those District administrators and employees who supported the unequivocal policies of this State requiring this very tolerance and inclusion.”

“[Antonucci] was not only identified as a member of the rainbow community by virtue of her vocal support of Mr. Berenato, but also of the mandated New Jersey curriculum which highlights and promotes diversity, including economic diversity, equity, inclusion, tolerance, and belonging in connection with gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, disabilities, and religious tolerance; as well as the political, economic, and social contributions of persons with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people at the middle and high school level,” the lawsuit continues.

Moreover, Antonucci alleges that Berenato’s replacement told the staff at Manchester Township Middle School that Berenato and Antonucci were “ruining Manchester,” and that administrators began a campaign to get rid of them and others who supported Berenato, according to the lawsuit.

Antonucci alleges that after she suffered a concussion in an accident at work in December 2023, school officials treated her unfairly, including overly scrutinizing her work, harshly evaluating her, not being flexible with her work schedule, and withholding benefits — allegedly due to bias against her.

“In short, [Berenato’s replacement] failed to accommodate [Antonucci] in her post-concussive state and, by so acting, worsened [Antonucci’s] condition,” the lawsuit states.

Antonucci was notified in April 2024 that her contract was not being renewed. She claims her contract wasn’t renewed because she “had promoted tolerance and inclusion along with former Superintendent Berenato.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory pay and damages. A jury trial has been requested. Neither side had a comment.

“Thank you so much for reaching out,” said Dina Silvestri, a district spokeswoman. “The Manchester Township School District cannot provide any comment or information regarding pending litigation.”

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