DAMASCUS, Md. — A middle school security assistant, who was fired from Montgomery County Public Schools, is suing the district. The civil rights lawsuit filed in the U.S District Court for Maryland, alleges “sexual harassment/gender based discrimination and retaliation.”
Former staffer Scott Wilson is accusing the principal of John T. Baker Middle School in Damascus of making a number of unwanted sexual advances toward him.
Dr. Louise Worthington supervised Wilson’s employment as principal of the school, where he worked as a security assistant from 2007 through 2017.
Wilson alleges the incidents began in 2014.
According to the lawsuit, on one occasion, “Dr. Worthington took Plaintiff’s keys from him and then put them in her underwear. Dr. Worthington then walked away from him and made him follow her to her office.” The suit reads Worthington gave back the keys and made inappropriate comments.
The lawsuit states Wilson reported the instances to a security supervisor, but “there was no follow up and nothing further was done.”
After that, court records said Worthington began to retaliate against Wilson.
“Furthermore, Dr. Worthington blackballed Plaintiff at four other schools where he attempted to gain new employment,” according to the suit. “In each instance, Plaintiff was determined to be highly qualified but after his interviews and reference checks, Plaintiff did not receive job offers.”
Wilson’s attorney wrote an unrelated incident was used as ammunition to fire him from MCPS.
In Feb. 2017, Wilson was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and false impersonation of a police officer. Wilson maintains he “immediately” notified his supervisors. The charges were ultimately reduced, and he was sentenced to two years of unsupervised probation.
MCPS alleged it did not learn of the arrest until months later, according to court records. Wilson was ultimately placed on administrative leave “at the same time his allegations of sexual harassment were reported to more senior supervisors.”
He was fired from the district in Jan. 2018.
“Terminating Plaintiff from his long term position with MCPS is not only a gross overreaction to Plaintiff’s mistake and arrest, but Defendant also used the arrest as subterfuge in light of the other facts in this case, namely in retaliation for reporting Dr. Worthington’s sexual advances and harassment,” the suit maintains.
Wilson alleges his physical and mental health have suffered.
A lawyer for Wilson wrote the former security guard filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which issued a “right to sue letter.”
The suit asks for about $1 million in damages.
WUSA9 reached out to Dr. Worthington for a comment on the lawsuit. She directed us to the MCPS Office of Communications.
“MCPS is unable to comment on pending litigation, however, it is important to note that MCPS takes all complaints of harassment seriously,” wrote Gboyinde Onijala. “At the time of the complaint, Mr. Wilson’s claims were thoroughly investigated and based on what we determined in our investigation, those claims were found to be unsubstantiated. MCPS is filing a motion to dismiss this lawsuit.”
MCPS reports it continues to employ Dr. Worthington as the principal of Baker Middle School. She has been in that position since 2005.
WUSA9 also reached out the Wilson’s attorney for a comment, Neil Hyman wrote "Neither my client nor I have any further comment on this matter."
