By Robert Haugh
Disgraced former City Councilman Dominic Caserta is suing the Santa Clara Unified School District (SCUSD), his former employer. This was expected. We broke the story about how Caserta took the first step to a lawsuit in January.
Caserta was a Santa Clara High School teacher until last year. While running for a seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, multiple allegations of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct came out against him. The allegations came from young campaign staffers and his female high school students.
After the allegations came out, Caserta resigned from the City Council. That was a year ago. He left his high school teaching job at the same time.
Caserta is seeking $38 million from the district according to reliable sources. He thinks that his life was ruined because the district accidentally released his personnel file. In his file, were complaints against him by students.
Caserta is being paid almost $12,000 per month during SCUSD’s investigation about sexual harassment and misconduct. The district cannot say if the investigation has been completed after a year, or how much longer it’ll take.
SCUSD School Boardmembers cannot comment on Caserta’s case. Of the seven board members, only one, Albert Gonzalez, supported Caserta’s supervisorial candidacy.
We also reported that Caserta had filed a complaint against the City in January.
City Hall sources expect him to sue the City, too.
Local attorneys think that Caserta is posturing for a settlement and he really doesn’t want to see alleged victims testify against him at a public trial.
According to our sources, the School Board is divided on whether to settle or go to court.
The City, on the other hand, won’t settle, according to our sources. They would rather put Caserta on trial.
[…] wrote about Caserta filing a lawsuit against SCUSD two years ago. He’s accusing his employer of inappropriately releasing his personnel […]
Dominic should get what he deserves, nothing but the legal bills. He owes all of his students an apology for having to endure his extreme narcissistic behavior. I hope there is no effect on the students long-term mental health.
If the school district doesn’t cave and fights this, all they have to do is paint the picture of the Daper Dom. If the students testimonies are allowed, from what we’ve heard in council chambers they will be very damning. Juries are fairly intuitive and I’m sure they’ll all get douche chills
Nothing!
Devastated friend, Caserta’s new alias!!? He’s the only fool that always makes comments like “Teacher of the year for two years in a row” we know he spent all his free time voting for himself to make that happen. and “He’s much loved by students” the only thing the students love about him is that he’s gone and he can’t sexually harass them any more.
If Mr. Winters is advising his client that he can win this case or that his life would be better after all the allegations are brought to light in a civil trial, I hope he has malpractice insurance.
Can we start a recall campaign against Albert Gonzalez? Anyone with bad judgement should not be serving on a school board!
I don’t live in Santa Clara but have many family friends who do. Some of them have children in the school district. I offer this friendly advice on their behalf.
This would be a civil not criminal case. So Mr. Caserta’s guilt or innocence is not at issue. The sexual misconduct charges do not have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
That being said, Mr. Caserta is actually at a disadvantage in civil court. The jury will weigh many factors including their personal judgements about his guilt — even if there is a reasonable doubt. If they believe he acted reprehensibly, even if the evidence is insufficient, they will likely side with school district.
This a case I would love to defend if I were not retired. The testimony of his alleged victims would be compelling and devastating to any of Mr. Caserta’s claims.
The school district’s defense should be simple:
1. It was human error that led to the release of his personnel file, not lax policy or practice.
2. The damage to Mr. Caserta was also done prior to the release of the personnel file as allegations from his campaign workers, not students, led to the demise of his political career.
Ultimately, a jury would see that Mr. Caserta’s behavior led to the his own demise, not an errant email.
Thank you for the enlightening information regarding the type of trial this would be if it did go to court. You hit the nail on the head in your comment about “a jury would see that Mr. Caserta’s behavior led to his own demise” – absolutely true!
Sounds like Caserta’s attorney is posturing for a settlement. What’s his case?
The school district accidentally released his report? OK. But that’s not a part of some conspiracy.
Caserta was innocent of sexual harassment and therefore deserves millions? Good luck proving that.
Any jury would listen to Caserta’s students and conclude that he’s a sleaze that deserves no money.
School Board members would be idiots to fall for this. Anyone who votes for a settlement should be immediately recalled — or personally sued.
Hi, This is Bill Winters, Mr. Caserta’s attorney. Be assured, Mr. Haugh, that both Dominic and I are ready to take this to trial if we need to. Mr. Caserta’s media trial has been an outright circus and he will get a much fairer trial in court.
I would very much enjoy trying this case.
Mr Winters, Your use of the English language is pathetic at best. As for the circus, it is has been largely orchestrated by Mr. Caserta. I am sure that you and your law firm are the ringmasters. It is going to look extremely bad for you and your client when all the students who Dominic has harassed come forward.
Anyway, your client doesn’t look depressed. After all, he is consulting about travel problems in Prague.
The two employees should get medals for saving the school from a predator. He should get zero.
The two employees responsible for causing this witch hunt should have been immediately terminated, or at the very least Gina Perez, who intentionally forwarded the email to the press. This man’s professional and political life has been ruined. He was Teacher of the Year two years in a row and much loved by the students. I hope he wins every penny of that lawsuit, enough to be set for the rest of his life.
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