Remember the prominent New Jersey high school athletic director who spoke positive words about Adolf Hitler during a presentation on leadership last month? Turns out he likely has a history of saying inappropriate things.
NJ Advance Media has learned of a 2017 lawsuit in which Joe Piro, who serves as Nutley High School athletic director and president of the state's 113-team Super Football Conference, was accused of telling a female student-athlete in his office, "You have great legs, great calves and a great ass ... for sports." The lawsuit also claimed Piro touched her in an "intimate spot" under the guise of showing her a basketball move.
Related: Prep AD Apologizes for Calling Hitler a 'Good Leader'
The school district agreed to pay the student-athlete $72,500 to settle the case, according to court filings, in which Piro denied the behavior and the school district admitted no wrongdoing.
Nutley school district attorney Marc Zitomer said this month the school fully investigated the allegations, but he is "unable to divulge the results of that investigation or what action, if any, was taken in response."
Unlike Piro's Hitler comments, which drew nationwide media attention, the lawsuit and settlement surrounding the incident in his office went largely unnoticed, NJ Advance Media reports.
Piro, 47, who returned to work this week after serving a suspension for the Hitler comments, declined several opportunities to comment when reached by phone by NJ Advance Media.
