Make New York Post a Preferred Source A New Jersey student claims he was branded a “racist” and forced to drop an online course after his woke community college professor spotted a “Trump 2020” flag hanging on his wall during a Zoom call.
Justin Caiazzo, 29, is suing Passaic County Community College, business professor Gladys Harris and dean Peter Hynes, arguing his First Amendment rights were violated during a July 2021 online class.
Caiazzo, of Lake Hiawatha, was blindsided when Harris allegedly stopped her business statistics class after spotting the Trump banner in his background, according to the Sept. 23 complaint filed in New Jersey Superior Court.
The professor called out the flag in the background. Courtesy of Marc Calello Harris demanded he immediately take it off the wall, bringing the entire class to a halt, court papers claimed.
When Caiazzo — who says he hadn’t raised politics during the class — asked what was wrong with the flag, Harris called it “offensive,” according to the complaint.
She then slammed him as a “racist” in front of his classmates and ultimately booted him from the Zoom call when he refused to remove the pro-MAGA banner, the lawsuit said.
Caiazzo claims the confrontation affected his treatment in the class.
During the next class, Harris allegedly allowed other students to speak over Caiazzo while refusing to let him participate, according to the complaint.
After that session, Caiazzo said he asked Harris if there were any opportunities for tutoring or to discuss the tense exchange.
But Harris snarkily replied that he should get help on “tutor.com,” the lawsuit said.
The college allegedly sided with the professor. Google Worried that the confrontation would hurt his ability to pursue his education, Caiazzo sought help from other school officials, including Hynes.
College officials launched a probe, but ultimately backed Harris — blaming Caiazzo and claiming his “political expression was disfavored,” court papers said.
Official also never offered him any “meaningful relief,” such as allowing him to transfer to another class or opt for a “no credit” grade.
Instead, he was forced to grin and bear it — and ultimately dropped the class because he believed the damage was irreparable.
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“[He] ultimately withdrew from the class at his own expense rather than continue under conditions regarded as hostile, unfair, unconstitutional and academically untenable,” court papers said.
Caiazzo is now demanding unspecified damages for educational harm, emotional distress and humiliation.
“Our client was wronged on many levels,” Caiazzo’s attorney, Marc Calello, told The Post.
Caiazzo wasn’t able to graduate because he was forced to drop the course, his attorney said, and argued that his case speaks volumes to how academic institutions meant to foster debate and meaningful discussion are increasingly censoring certain views.
“There’s a difference between an opinion and a fact . . . regardless of what side you’re on,” Calello said.
The college, Hynes and Harris did not return The Post’s requests for comment.
