Students hold protest at Nashville private school after response to alleged sexual harassment by teacher

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Dozens of students walked out of a Nashville private school on Wednesday morning to demand two of the top school administrators step down.

The walkout comes after a former student reported a teacher allegedly sexually assaulted her last spring. She said they failed her and tried to bury what happened.

The students crowded the front steps of the University School of Nashville with signs and chants asking the Director of School, Amani Reed, and Assistant Head of School, Quinton Walker, to resign.

The USN alumna spoke in front of her former classmates on Tuesday and said she felt unheard by leadership when she reported the alleged sexual assault by former teacher, Dean Masullo.

“For the past several months since I reported to the school what happened to me with English teacher Dean Masullo, they have violated a ton of policies, and they have broken trust again and again,” said the victim.

The school said Masullo was terminated in July. But the victim said after that, she and her family never got updates about the investigation when they were supposed to.

“It seems to me like each decision they make are bad decisions and have not helped promote a strong community USN is known to have in the past,” said a USN parent that WSMV4 spoke with on Tuesday after the protest.

He said he feels like the school administration is keeping him in the dark.

“This has been a constant theme, but it is communication from Amani Reed,” said the parent. “He is the director of the school, for now, and it has been consistent that his communication has been poor.”

The USN said they opened a new investigation in a letter to the school. They also said they alerted the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office, created a new task force, and a school safety committee since the report.

However, the parent WSMV4 spoke with said the actions were delayed.

“Had they taken good steps early on to navigate a strong community and make a decision to help bring the community up, they wouldn’t have a protest on their front lawn,” the father added.

USN is also suing Marullo in a new lawsuit. It said he is not cooperating with their new investigation they opened this fall, but Masullo is not participating due to an “alleged pending criminal investigation”.

“They should have done that first investigation the way they were supposed to,” said the victim. “But I am glad they are doing this new one, so they can gain a better scope of what actually happened.”

The victim said she is not the only one who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Masullo, and she wants the school to be a safe space going forward.

“I don’t have the option of leaving this behind,” she said. “My sisters still go to school there. My friends go to school here.”

USN said students who participated in the walkout will get one unexcused absence for a class period. They also said faculty were allowed to participate if they chose.

WSMV4 tried to reach out to Masullo and did not hear back.

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