By Cameron Kerkau, Managing Editor.
Two current Delta College students have sued Delta College and former psychology instructor Jonathan “Brent” Fonville, alleging sexual harassment.
The suit comes from the law office of Glen N. Lenhoff on behalf of Plaintiffs Emily Mason and MaCayla Jablonski.
“I think there was very serious sex harassment in this case, and I look forward to presenting the case through the court system,” Lenhoff told The Collegiate. “I think sexual harassment in the academic community is a real problem in society, and I do believe sexual harassment certainly happened here,” says Lenhoff, of Flint. The plaintiffs declined comment.
In the lawsuit filed in Bay County Circuit court earlier this month, the plaintiffs claim they were subjected to an offensive environment and that Fonville’s conduct amounted to intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Mason and Jablonski claim that the harassment began at the conclusion of an introductory level psychology class which Mason and Jablonski both attended. Fonville was the instructor for the class, which ran from January of 2015 to April of 2015.
The women allege that Fonville allegedly created a sexually hostile education experience for them at Delta. The complaint states that Fonville, who no longer works at Delta College, began sending overtly sexual and flirtatious text messages to both plaintiffs in May of 2015 until October 2015, including a link to a website which features pictures of penises.
The Collegiate was unable to reach Fonville for comment.
In its response to the lawsuit, filed in court on Wednesday, Delta College attorneys deny that Mason and Jablonski were discriminated against. It further denies that the alleged conduct substantially interfered with the students’ education.
In October 2015, the suit claims, Mason and Jablonski reported the harassment to two instructors, a dean, the campus equity officer and campus police chief.
The complaint states that “defendant Delta knew, or should have known, that the said sex harassment was occurring and took inadequate measures to stop it.” The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages from the college and Fonville for the conduct.
In Delta’s answer to the complaint, it admits that the plaintiffs reported Fonville’s behavior on Oct. 22, 2015 to an instructor, and that the college took “prompt remedial actions to appropriately address the Plaintiff’s complaints.” Delta further states that it thoroughly investigated the complaints upon receipt.
No trial date has been set.
*Editors note: Macayla Jablonski, editor- in-chief of the Delta Collegiate, is a plaintiff in this case. She did not take part in the assigning, writing or editing of this piece.
