For 12-27-92 
Boycott Baseball? Ok, Fine -- But You Go First 
It Doesn't Seem So Long Ago That Kirby Puckett Created A Fuss By Becoming The 
First Baseball Player To Collect A $3 Million Salary.

What About 
Those Raises?

By CHARLES H. BOGINO; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, December 21, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 





SCRANTON -- A Tunkhannock math teacher who says she has endured more than
five years of her principal's unwanted sexual advances has filed a lawsuit
seeking $100,000 from the school district. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the suit filed in federal district court in Scranton, Gail I. Cole
charges that Middle School principal Russell Hons sexually harassed her over a
nearly six-year period by touching her, trying to kiss her, cajoling her to
sit on his lap in his office and making sexual remarks to her. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The suit alleges that Hons began making advances toward Cole about a year
and a half after she began working at the Middle School, where Hons is
principal. Cole, who has been employed in the Tunkhannock district since 1979,
was transferred to the Middle School in February 1985. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hons later tried to retaliate against Cole after she complained about Hons'
behavior earlier this year, according to the lawsuit. Cole alleges that after
she filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Hons
continually watched her in her classroom and as she stood bus duty and
attempted to have her transferred from the Middle School to an elementary
school in the district. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cole says she was intimidated by Hons' actions because "he had formerly
told (Cole) that he had gotten even with other people that he no longer wanted
in his building by transferring them to other schools." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cole and Hons still work at the Middle School. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Among the specific harassment accusations Cole levels in the suit, she says
Hons: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Frequently" rubbed her back or arm in private and in the presence of
students and other teachers; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Entered her hotel room without permission when they were both at a
convention, then refused to leave; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Made repeated personal, unsolicited calls to Cole's home. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Cole, who is married, also alleges that Hons on one occasion questioned
what attraction Cole had for her husband, then remarked that the husband "must
be good in bed." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Several attempts to reach Hons were unsuccessful Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Tunkhannock Area School District Superintendent Kent Kresge said Thursday
that the district responded to the complaint filed through the state Human
Relations Commission earlier this year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "And they decided to take no action," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But Cole's lawyer, A. Martin Herring, said the complaint filed with the
state was merely a formality required by law before a discrimination lawsuit
is filed. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's not that they didn't take any action because the case was without
merit, it's that we asked them not to take any action," said Herring, of
Philadelphia. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kresge said that he had not yet seen a copy of the lawsuit and that he
would not take any action or comment on it until he had received one.

Dec. 18, 1992 Tunkhannock Teacher Sexual Harassment Suit For Page 3a 
Tunkhannock Teacher's Suit Alleges Sexual Harassment 
A Middle School Principal 
Allegedly Tried To Kiss And 
Fondle One Of His Teachers, 
According To The Lawsuit

Dec. 18, 1992 Tunkhannock Teacher Sexual Harassment Suit For Page 3a Tunkhannock Teacher's Suit Alleges Sexual Harassment A Middle School Principal Allegedly Tried To Kiss And Fondle One Of His Teachers, According To The Lawsuit