A Lake Hiawatha man has filed suit against Passaic County Community College, a business professor and a dean, alleging he was publicly called a “racist” and effectively pushed out of a course after a Trump 2020 flag was visible on his bedroom wall during an online class.
Justin Caiazzo, 29, filed the complaint Sept. 23 in New Jersey Superior Court against the college, professor Gladys Harris and dean Peter Hynes, claiming the July 2021 incident violated his First Amendment rights.
According to the complaint, Harris halted a business statistics class after noticing the banner in Caiazzo’s background and demanded he remove it immediately. Caiazzo says he had not brought up politics during the session. When he asked what was wrong with the flag, Harris allegedly told him it was “offensive,” called him a “racist” in front of the class, and then removed him from the Zoom call after he declined to take it down.
Caiazzo says the fallout continued into the next class, where Harris allowed other students to talk over him while refusing to let him speak. When he later asked her about tutoring options or a chance to discuss what had happened, the lawsuit states she told him to look for help on “tutor.com.”
Concerned the episode would damage his education, Caiazzo brought his complaint to other college officials, including Hynes. The college opened an investigation but ultimately sided with Harris, according to court papers, concluding that Caiazzo’s “political expression was disfavored.” The complaint says the college never offered him any meaningful remedy, such as switching classes or receiving a “no credit” grade.
Caiazzo ultimately withdrew from the course, which the lawsuit says he did “at his own expense rather than continue under conditions regarded as hostile, unfair, unconstitutional and academically untenable.” He is seeking unspecified damages for educational harm, emotional distress and humiliation, and his attorney says the withdrawal prevented him from graduating.
“Our client was wronged on many levels,” attorney Marc Calello said.
“There’s a difference between an opinion and a fact . . . regardless of what side you’re on,” Calello added.
Calello argued the case illustrates a broader pattern of academic institutions suppressing certain viewpoints rather than fostering open debate.
Passaic County Community College, Harris and Hynes did not respond to requests for comment.
