Former HCC instructor sues over sexual harassment allegations

Hoo boy.

Robert Glaser

A former Houston Community College instructor is suing the community college system, its chancellor and a board member for $15 million, alleging that the college system retaliated against her for reporting that she was being sexually harassed by a board member.

Patricia Dodd, who is suing for compensation and damages (including lost income and benefits; attorney’s fees and court costs; and mental anguish), filed a Title IX complaint with HCC in May, stating she had been sexually harassed by board of trustee member Robert Glaser since November. Dodd, who has taught HCC for more than eight years, said Glaser pledged to help her with issues at her job in exchange for a sexual relationship, which she describes as “quid pro quo” sexual harassment.

The 50-year-old English instructor also contended in the July 8 suit that HCC Chancellor Cesar Maldonado knew about the harassment but did nothing to stop it. She claimed that Glaser was emboldened by his friend Maldonado, who also had a sexual relationship with one of his female direct reports who is married.

Both Glaser and Maldonado are named as defendants in the lawsuit, which describes a culture of sexual misconduct at the college with little consequence or correction. An attorney representing the community college said that Dodd was dismissed because she didn’t report two arrests.

Dodd alleged that Maldonado “repeatedly turn[ed] a blind eye to other male supervisors’ sexually harassing actions toward subordinate female employees” and attempted to intimidate HCC law enforcement investigating claims against him in order to protect his job. Dodd’s attorneys name at least six employees who Dodd asserts have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or sexual harassment, and at least three individuals who have allegedly helped cover for such incidents.

“Sexual exploitation and harassment of female employees at HCC is grotesque and widespread. The two most powerful policymakers at the college are male — defendants Glaser and Maldonado — whom both have engaged in repetitive, flagrant, sometimes grotesque bullying and vile sexual exploitation of vulnerable subordinate female employees at the college,” stated Dodd’s attorneys Ben Hall, George J. Hittner and James Ardoin in the court document.

Maldonado said in a written statement that the allegations against him are false — that he had not had an affair with a direct report, nor had he any prior knowledge of a relationship between Glaser and the instructor.

“I was not aware of any inappropriate relationship between Trustee Glaser and any college employee until recently, at which time I reported the information to the board and to appropriate regulatory authorities,” Maldonado wrote. “The college and I take all such allegations very seriously and I expect an objective and thorough investigation.”

See here and here for some background. Dodd says her firing was in retaliation foe filing the sexual harassment complaint against Glaser. The attorney for HCC says it was because she failed to inform the college of two arrests, both for assault and both since 2019. All I can say at this point is that this is a big mess. I hope we get to the bottom of it quickly.

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2 Responses to Former HCC instructor sues over sexual harassment allegations

  1. Jason Hochman says:

    That’s a lot of mental anguish rolled up in that figure. I’ve tried to get an attorney to file a suit against CNN for the mental anguish (Trump Derangement) that they have caused, but nobody wants to take it up.

  2. Bill Daniels says:

    [Chris Rock] fif’teen million dollars?!?! Who the Hell she think she is….Chelsea Clinton?!?! [Chris Rock]

    I’ve seen her picture, and she ain’t all that.

    Pic here:

    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x8SUpHnhDkw/maxresdefault.jpg

    Weird how the more that comes out, the worse it looks for this woman? TWO arrests for assault? Oopsie, I accidentally whacked you over the head with a shovel on two different occasions! LOL.

    I’m sensing this is another Jussie Smollett style fiction and attempted shakedown. Let’s remember that Creepy Porn Lawyer Avenatti is in prison right now for this same kind of bullshit extortion scheme. If, as i suspect, this violent Karen is lying, just like the two Republican congressional staffers, I hope she gets arrested for a 3rd time and prosecuted.

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