Three claim sexual harassment at Norfolk church school

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06:15 PM EDT on Thursday, July 29, 2004

Reported by: Natasha Barrett

Three women have filed sexual harassment lawsuits against Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk and several employees of its Christian school system.

The women - one a volunteer and two paid employees - worked in the school cafeteria. They claim they were victims of sexually explicit remarks and gestures. They also claim they were fired after saying something.

In lawsuits filed this week, Ruby Pagan claims her manager and supervisor made lewd gestures and inappropriately touched her.

She says she initially tried to ignore the comments, but they kept on. She says he tried to discuss the comments with her supervisors, even writing several letters. But one of the responses, a letter from the school principal, told Pagan to never return. It says, "If these instructions are not followed, the appropriate authorities will be notified."

Then, last month, Pagan's sister and mother were fired.

"I was released because they said I was hateful toward her and also I didn't meet the standards. What the standards mean, I don't know," said Carmen Diaz, Pagan's sister.

Court papers say they were fired because Pagan had complained.

The lawsuit also alleges: racial discrimination because the three are hispanic; age discrimination because the mother is 69 years old.

Each woman is asking for more than $450,000 in damages.

"It's about being right. It's about I was mistreated, but I'm not the only one,” said Pagan.

The administrator, elementary school principal and the pastor's father, who is the cafeteria director, are named in the lawsuit.

Ishmael Calderon, a lawyer for Calvary, would only say, "This is a surprise, but the best way to deal with it is to go before the court."