WARREN (WWJ) -- A lawsuit has been filed against a school in Warren after a substitute teacher allegedly watched porn in front of middle school students.
Marko Law has filed a lawsuit against the Academy of Warren Foundation and the Academy of Warren Middle School.
The lawsuit accuses the school of gross negligence and Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act violations for the alleged failure to protect a 10-year-old child, referred to as "A.E." in the lawsuit, from sexual harassment.
The lawsuit says that on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, Francesco Iaquinta of Livonia was working as a substitute teacher when he was caught watching porn on his phone and touching himself in front of a computer class of 10-year-old kids.
Warren Police were called to the school and Iaquinta was arrested on site. He was charged criminally by the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office with distributing sexually explicit material to a minor, which is a felony, as well as disorderly conduct.
But Marko says that the Elliot Larsen law puts the burden on the school to protect children from being subjected to sexually hostile environments, WWJ's Charlie Langton reports.
Attorney Jon Marko, who represent the a child and and his mother in this lawsuit said, in a statement: "A school is supposed to be a safe place, a place where children can learn, grow, and thrive without fear. That is the most basic promise a school makes to its students and their families. The Academy of Warren broke that promise in the most disturbing way imaginable. Instead of a safe learning environment, A.E. was subjected to something no child should ever have to see. He deserves justice, and we will fight until he gets it."
There was no immediate response to a request for comment on the lawsuit from the school.
Related
