After raising concerns about sexism, safety, and discrimination, a longtime Belleville High School teacher and union vice president filed a lawsuit against district administrators on Monday, claiming she was subjected to a hostile and punitive work environment.
According to the case, which was filed in Essex County Superior Court, Deana Arena has been employed by the Belleville Board of Education for 21 years. Most recently, she spent half of her time in the classroom and the other half watching kids at their work locations.
Arena says that a group of male administrators harassed, threatened, and forced her to take medical leave in an attempt to discredit her as she was about to become the first female president of the district’s teachers union.
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