The former assistant principal at a New Jersey high school is suing after being told to downplay his gay and Jewish identities at work.In his lawsuit, filed September 8 in Camden County Superior Court, David Francis-Maurer claims that at the beginning of the 20242025 school year, former Cherry Hill East High School principal Daniel Finkle told him to leave his identities at the door. Francis-Maurer told local New Jersey news site 70and73.com that he believed Finkle was referring to his gay and Jewish identities. Related Principal mysteriously disappears after showing girlfriends photo to colleague To me, the statement appeared to suggest that I should, at minimum, reflect on whether I am being too public with my identities and should ratchet back the extent to which I discuss them and/or make reference to having a husband, he told the outlet.As 70and73 and NJ.com report, Francis-Maurer was informed in May that his contract would not be renewed for the 20252026 school year. His lawsuit alleges discrimination and that his firing was retaliation for reporting Finkles comment and other policy violations. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today According to NJ.com, Francis-Maurer submitted a six-page complaint to Cherry Hill Superintendent Kwame Morton in February. Along with Finkles comment about his identities, Francis-Maurer also alerted Morton to Finkles failure to follow proper protocols in enforcing student drug testing, fieldtrip approvals, and addressing reports of students suicidal ideation. Francis-Maurer was then placed on a performance improvement plan, which Morton said in a letter was due to his having missed teacher evaluations and creating divisions by resisting feedback. In his lawsuit, Francis-Maurer says those claims are untrue and were a cover for a calculated campaign of retaliation, according to NJ.com.When the school community became aware that Francis-Maurers contract had not been renewed this spring, parents and students organized a walkout in protest. Cherry Hill East administrators accused Francis-Maurer of encouraging the demonstration, which he denies in his complaint, citing clear evidence online that parents and students were organizing the walkout, and placed him on administrative leave. NJ.com reports that parents and students also urged administrators to reinstate Francis-Maurer at a July Cherry Hill Board of Education meeting. According to 70and73, 15 members of the Cherry Hill East math department also sent a letter to Morton in May expressing their belief that Francis-Maurers dismissal was a mistake.Along with reinstatement, back pay, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney fees, Francis-Maurer is seeking corrective action by the Cherry Hill school district to stop and prevent retaliation at the workplace, according to 70and73. The complaint also characterizes Francis-Maurer as a whistleblower and as such is specifically protected from retaliation by New Jersey law.At its core, this case underscores the essential role of whistleblowers, as plaintiffs protected conduct embodies the vital role that whistleblowers play in upholding accountability and ethics in the workplace, the complaint reads, according to 70and73. Rather than appropriately address plaintiffs concerns, however, the [Cherry Hill Board of Education] defendants disregarded said complaints and instead subjected [Francis-Maurer] to a calculated campaign of targeted retaliation. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that on Tuesday, a day after Francis-Maurers lawsuit was filed, Cherry Hill East notified parents that Finkle would resign in November. He has reportedly taken a position as an educational leader at another New Jersey high school.In a statement, a spokesperson for Cherry Hill Public Schools declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said that the district denies allegations of wrongdoing, according to NJ.com.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.