Woman Hits Philly School District With Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Headquarters of the Philadelphia School District, which faces allegations that Steven Sykes, an assistant principal, sexually assaulted and sexually harassed a woman who works there (Google Maps)

Check phillymag.com each morning for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please send it here.

Philadelphia School District Hit with Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Philadelphia School District employee La’Shanda Wilburn just filed a federal lawsuit against the district, claiming that Steven Sykes, who worked above her as an assistant principal, sexually assaulted and harassed her.

Wilburn, a 38-year-old Germantown resident, alleges that Sykes, who is 53, began his campaign of sexual harassment against her the first day she met him at Martin Luther King High School, in 2021. Wilburn had been working there as a special education aide, and Sykes, an assistant principal, became her supervisor late in August 2021 after he transferred in from a different school in the city. She’d previously decided to transfer into a position as a school safety officer, and she informed Sykes of this at their first meeting.

According to the complaint, what happened next started out with comments like, “I’m going to enjoy you while I have you” and “I miss you already.” Soon, Wilburn alleges, Sykes was communicating with her in a “sexually inappropriate manner on a daily basis,” reads the lawsuit. Sykes allegedly asked for her personal cell, which she felt obliged to give him, and he began contacting her on it.

Wilburn alleges that Sykes, who is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, kept trying to get her into his office alone. In one instance, when she mentioned she was cold, Sykes invited her upstairs to his office to “get some heat,” claims the suit. Then, Wilburn alleges, Sykes encountered Wilburn in a stairwell and gave her an unwelcome hug. She says she tried to pull away but that he wouldn’t let go of her until she shoved her elbow into him.

Soon after the stairwell incident, Wilburn alleges, she showed up early for work and her classroom wasn’t unlocked yet. She says she asked Sykes to unlock it but that he refused and insisted she wait in his office instead. Once inside his office, Wilburn claims Sykes said he needed to move closer to her and that he wanted her assistance with a spreadsheet. And while she was typing on the spreadsheet, Sykes gave her another unwanted hug, according to the suit.

Wilburn says she pushed Sykes away and told him he was going to get into trouble. “I can’t get in trouble by myself,” he allegedly replied before “moving his hands across her breasts and … massaging her shoulders.” Wilburn says she didn’t move, because she was “paralyzed with fear.”

According to the complaint, Sykes then moved to lock his office door with Wilburn inside. She says she immediately asked him to open the door and told him that she needed to leave. But he allegedly blocked the office door and told her she couldn’t leave until she gave him a hug. Wilburn refused and while she was gathering her belongings, she alleges that Sykes came up behind her and “pressed his pelvis into her buttocks.”

Within moments, Sykes allegedly asked Wilburn if she was going to “tell on” him and if she’d be willing to keep the “secret” for him.

Wilburn says she immediately filed a report with the Philadelphia School District, claiming “sexual assault and pervasive sexual harassment,” according to the suit. But in the following days, she says she was forced to continue working with Sykes, who remained her supervisor. Finally, the school district transferred Sykes to an assistant principal position at a different school.

Wilburn began her new job as a safety officer with the district in September 2021 — about a month after she first encountered Sykes — but she says her problems didn’t end there. According to the suit, her supervisor in the safety department was aware of her complaint against Sykes and has retaliated against her repeatedly by screaming at and acting rudely to her in a way in which he does not address the other safety officers, and by repeatedly transferring her from school to school. She says there have been at least seven transfers and that there’s no business reason for them.

“The allegations here are very disturbing,” says David Koller, Wilburn’s attorney. “No employee should have to endure what Ms. Wilburn had to go through. And employers need to make sure that policies they have in place that say it is illegal to sexually harass someone at work are more than just words on paper and that the employers actually protects the victim employee. If you say you have zero tolerance, then have zero tolerance.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Wilburn still works for the school district, Koller confirms.

When contacted for comment, the Philadelphia School District said it does not comment on pending litigation. And a spokesperson for the district refused to even say whether Sykes is still employed there, and in what role. His LinkedIn page indicates that he is a “principal” in the district, and two district sources say Sykes is still working for the district in an administrative capacity. Messages to the district email address for Sykes went unreturned.

Political Movement

Philadelphians suddenly have a lot more sway in Harrisburg. Here’s why.

Mayoral candidate Cherelle Parker just picked up the valuable endorsement of the carpenter’s union.

It now looks like smooth sailing for City Councilperson Jamie Gauthier in the May primary after her only formidable opponent has dropped out of the race.

By the Numbers

10: Number of fugitives wanted for Philadelphia homicides that District Attorney Larry Krasner has asked the public to help bring in.

8: Number of dolphins that washed up on a beach in Sea Isle yesterday. All are now dead.

327: Street number on South Street where the iconic Eyes Gallery is moving after the shop was forced out of its longstanding digs thanks to the fire at Jim’s Steaks.

Sometimes a Headline Says It All

Per the Inquirer: “Philly City Council Is the Least Experienced It’s Been In 40 Years”

Local Talent

Congrats to eighth grader Jack Jiang and fifth grader Arielle Dahan, both of South Philly, for making it to the big Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Congrats (again) to Merion Station’s Melissa Klapper, who made it out of her second night of Jeopardy competition on top. Her two-day winnings? $42,400. Tune in tonight at 7 p.m. on 6ABC to see if she can do it again.

And from the What-a-Showdown Sports Desk …

Last night was the grand finale of the World Baseball Classic, pitting Team USA against Japan. The New York Times had a fun article yesterday about why players enjoy this once-every-four-years affair so much. The Phils’ own Trea Turner got things started for the U.S.w with his fifth series homer — a record!

https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1638326502579138560

But Japan worked a 3-1 lead. USA threatened in the top of the seventh, but a double play put an end to that. In the bottom of the inning, Shohei Ohtani was called safe at first on a fine stop and throw from Turner, which may or may not have been the right call; it stood up on further review, so moot point. But hooray; the next guy up hit into a double play. In the eighth, with one out, also-Phil Kyle Schwarber hit one outta the park! Turner then singled, but J.T. Realmuto (also a Phil, of course) grounded out, and Cedrick Mullins flied out. One-run game.

Devin Williams struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth, with Ohtani — perfect script for this game — warming up in the bullpen. Williams then walked Tetsudo Yamada, who promptly stole second on a perfect throw by Realmuto — an also-debatable call. Who cared, though? Such a great game. Sosuke Genda ground out, and we were on to the ninth. Ohtani faced Jeff McNeil, who took him to a full count and then walked. Woo! Alas, Mookie Betts then hit into a double play. Guess who was up next? Mike Trout, who, like Ohtani, is an L.A. Angel. Teammate vs. teammate! Trout worked a full count … and struck out. End of game. Hey, that’s okay. We don’t have to win everything everywhere all the time.

The Sixers face the Bulls again, this time in Chicago, tonight at 8. There are questions about James Harden’s Achilles’-heel injury; he may be out of commission.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist is one of four finalists for the women’s Naismith Trophy.

https://twitter.com/novawbb/status/1638248404202528768

The Phils’ offense took a breather yesterday as the team lost, 4-3, to the Pirates. Former Phil Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer off Jake Jewell in the sixth. They’ll take on the Rays today at 1:30. And by the way, Brandon Marsh has hirsute competition.

In a 4-3 loss to the Pirates, Phillie Matt Strahm pitched two full innings and then went back out to the mound for a third in an effort to prepare him for a starting or long-innings role.

“He’s gonna be like a Swiss Army knife for us,” Rob Thomson said.https://t.co/to87Ew1E4I

— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) March 22, 2023

The Flyers also played.

All Philly Today Sports Desk coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.