STATEN ISLAND — The lawsuit against a priest and school principal who allegedly unleashed vulgar, sexist, and homophobic rants on his staff was tossed out by a judge.
A judge ruled that Father Michael Reilly, principal of St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School, did not legally create a hostile work environment or discriminate against staff with his tirades, the New York Daily News first reported.
"[Reilly] may not always demonstrate the morals and principles aligned with such a well-respected Catholic institution, the law does not impose liability upon him based on the allegations," Manhattan Judge Erika Edwards wrote in her decision this week.
"[The] plaintiffs continue to fail to sufficiently allege that Father Reilly or any of the other defendants took any adverse employment against them because they were older staff members."
Reilly, Vice Principal Robert Richard and Dean of Men Greg Manos were sued by three staff members of the school last year who claimed they created a hostile work environment for them and discriminated against them because they were older.
The suit — filed by Lawrence Boliak, Maureen Smith and Thomas Rhodes — claims that Reilly called his workers "f-gs," "tw-ts" and "b--ches."
The members said Reilly called one elderly woman a "vodka sh--tng b--ch," and threatened to kick an African-American teacher "back to the jungle."
Despite the alleged remarks, Edwards ruled the suit failed to prove Reilly took specific actions against staff members because of their age, and that the discrimination "was too general".
"The judge correctly found that the claims had no merit," said Mark Goidell, lawyer for Reilly. "The judge also correctly determined that the plaintiffs were untrustworthy and had provided wholly inconsistent and various versions of the events."
The attorney for Boliak, Smith and Rhodes did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
