Former Briar principal claims 'smear' campaign

PERKINS TWP. — A former Briar Middle School principal is alleging in a lawsuit that Perkins Schools' superintendent, the district treasurer and board members participated in a smear campaign against him last school year.The lawsuit was filed Nov. 20 in the U.S. Northern District Court in Toledo. Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick has been assigned the case. As of Monday, no hearings have been scheduled, according to the court docket.Matt Cox, who has more than 18 years of experience as an educator, resigned from his position July 31.The trouble began around Jan. 18, according to the lawsuit, when Cox told superintendent Jodie Hausmann he intended to take leave through the Family Medical Leave Act to care for his father, a previous Perkins Schools principal. On Jan. 19, he sent Hausmann another email saying he needed to care for another family member.He is alleging due process and first amendment violations, libel, slander, FMLA retaliation, putting the situation in a false light, publicity to Cox's private life, intentional infliction of emotional distress, intentional interferences with a business and contractual relationship, constructive discharge and breach of contract.On Jan. 25, Hausmann and district attorney D.J. Young gave him a notice for a pre-disciplinary meeting on Jan. 27 "regarding the intention to non-renew and/or recommend to terminate," the lawsuit stated.The allegations against Hausmann and district officials in the lawsuit include:• That Cox was denied an extension of the Jan. 27 meeting to obtain an attorney and prepare.• That Hausmann falsely claimed she directed him to implement "progressive discipline" for a student involved in potential bullying. The incident involved a social media post outside of school.• That Hausmann falsely claimed Cox refused her order that he or assistant principal Jeff Thom attend an eighth-grade Washington, D.C., field trip• That Hausmann claimed Cox was being insubordinate because he refused to ask a choir director to allow her to talk in support of the school levy campaign prior to a choir concert. Cox, then the treasurer of the levy campaign, was concerned it violated state laws restricting the use of public funds to support the passage of the levy and Hausmann would allow levy opponents to "advance anti-levy positions."• That Hausmann falsely claimed he suggested she move a staff meeting along because the staff was losing interest.• That Hausmann told a community member to file a complaint against Cox to heighten her false accusations against him.• That Hausmann accused him of misjudgment for not sending her a notice of discipline concerning a cafeteria fight that occurred minutes before the Jan. 27 meeting.• That Hausmann and board members created a public record for his personnel file falsely stating he didn't properly terminate his contract with Perkins Schools.During the Jan. 27 meeting, Cox asked Hausmann to provide direction so he had clear expectations moving forward, but she refused, according to the lawsuit.At the end of an unannounced disciplinary meeting with Cox on Jan. 30, Hausmann placed him on administrative leave and had the district's school resource officer, Tonya Corbin, remove him from the administrative building and escort him to Briar Middle School to collect his belongings. Corbin also escorted him from Briar Middle School.When the Register contacted Hausmann earlier this year about the incident with Cox, she didn't provide many details. "It was something I needed to address. I would not expect it to lead to termination of the principal," she previously told the Register. "I don't anticipate board action with anything regarding this matter."After the Jan. 30 meeting and in April, Cox requested to an audience when meeting with board members to discuss Hausmann's scheme. At both times, the board denied the request, according to court documents.When Cox was seeking another job, Hausmann refused to discuss his employment with the district to prospective employers, according to the court documents. Cox seeks "compensatory damages, including pencuiary losses, emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience mental anguish along with losses, back pay, front, pay, attorney fees, punitive damages, reinstatement, costs, and any other legal or suitable relief" appropriate, the court document states. Before working for Perkins Schools, Cox was the principal of Holt Crossing Intermediate School, located near Columbus, from 2012 to 2015. He graduated from Perkins High School in 1994.Hausmann did not return calls Monday seeking comment. Reach reporter Caitlin Nearhood at nearhood@sanduskyregister.com, follow her on Twitter @CaitlinNearhood and on Facebook.com/CaitliNearhoodBriar Middle School principal Matt Cox puts a trio of signs in the trunk of a car Saturday afternoon. Cox and other Perkins Schools staff handed out nearly 800 signs in support of the Perkins Schools levy campaign.Register photo/LUKE WARK Perkins Schools superintendent Jodie Hausmann.