A New Jersey community college student says he was labeled a “racist” and forced to leave an online course after his professor noticed a “Trump 2020” flag behind him during a Zoom class.
Justin Caiazzo, 29, has sued Passaic County Community College, business professor Gladys Harris and dean Peter Hynes, alleging that the incident violated his First Amendment rights during a July 2021 class.
Caiazzo, who lives in Lake Hiawatha, said he was caught off guard when Harris allegedly interrupted her business statistics class after seeing the Trump banner in his background, according to a complaint filed Sept. 23 in New Jersey Superior Court.
The professor demanded that Caiazzo remove the flag immediately, bringing the class to a standstill, the court filing alleges.
Caiazzo, who maintains that he had not introduced politics into the lesson, asked why the flag was a problem. Harris reportedly called it “offensive,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that Harris then called Caiazzo a “racist” in front of his classmates and removed him from the Zoom session after he declined to take down the pro-MAGA banner.
Caiazzo claims the confrontation changed how he was treated for the remainder of the course.
At the following class, Harris allegedly allowed other students to talk over him while preventing him from participating, the complaint states.
Afterward, Caiazzo said he asked Harris about tutoring options and whether they could discuss the confrontation.
Instead, Harris allegedly responded sarcastically that he should seek assistance through “tutor.com,” according to the lawsuit.
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Concerned that the dispute could jeopardize his education, Caiazzo contacted other college officials, including Hynes, for help.
The college investigated the matter but ultimately sided with Harris, blaming Caiazzo and saying his “political expression was disfavored,” court documents allege.
Officials also allegedly failed to offer “meaningful relief,” such as permitting Caiazzo to transfer to another section or receive a “no credit” grade.
Caiazzo said he was left with no practical option but to continue under the circumstances, eventually withdrawing from the course because he believed the harm could not be repaired.
“[He] ultimately withdrew from the class at his own expense rather than continue under conditions regarded as hostile, unfair, unconstitutional and academically untenable,” the court papers state.
Caiazzo is seeking unspecified damages for alleged educational harm, emotional distress and humiliation.
“Our client was wronged on many levels,” his attorney, Marc Calello, told The Post.
Calello said Caiazzo was unable to graduate because he had to drop the course. He also argued that the case highlights what he described as a growing tendency among academic institutions, which are intended to encourage debate and discussion, to suppress certain viewpoints.
“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 respond to The Post’s requests for comment.