In a controversial move, John Jay College of Criminal Justice is set to reinstate [1] anthropology professor Ric Curtis next year following a scandal involving allegations of drug dealing and inappropriate conduct with students.
This decision comes after an arbitrator ruled in favor of Curtis, despite the serious accusations leveled against him.
The scandal, initially exposed by The Post in 2019, led to the proposed dismissal of Curtis and two other faculty members after an internal investigation at the taxpayer-funded City University of New York school.
They were accused of turning their workplace into what was described as “The Swamp,” engaging in drug use, drug sales, and sexual misconduct on the school’s Midtown campus.
Arbitrator James M. Darby, in an 85-page decision dated August 5, acknowledged Curtis’s “reckless and risky behavior” but opposed the termination, suggesting that a year-long unpaid suspension and further training on CUNY’s policies would suffice.
Darby stated, “CUNY – in no uncertain terms – was justified in taking this matter very seriously,” yet he also remarked, “I cannot accept CUNY’s position that termination is the only appropriate penalty here.”
The allegations against Curtis were severe, including distributing substances with heroin residue and smoking marijuana in his office, amidst an environment cluttered with various illicit drugs like MDMA and synthetic marijuana.
Moreover, Curtis was reported to have used misogynistic and sexually charged language towards students, which he did not report as required by school policies.
However, the arbitrator cleared Curtis of accusations of “pimping out” his students, suggesting his comment about female students meeting a prospective department head was likely made in jest.
Darby also noted that the school had possibly been aware of Curtis’s drug use and possession of paraphernalia.
Karol Mason, president of John Jay, expressed disappointment with the arbitrator’s decision but confirmed the school would adhere to it under the collective bargaining agreement with the faculty union.
In a letter to the school community on May 15, Mason emphasized the continued commitment to a safe educational environment and adherence to CUNY policies.
David Gottlieb, representing former students Naomi Haber and Claudia Cojocaru who first brought the allegations to light in May 2018, described the decision to allow Curtis’s return as “confounding.”
The two had filed a civil lawsuit against CUNY and the four professors in 2019, accusing them of creating a “cesspool of sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment, and illegal drug use.”
The school had initially placed the accused professors on paid leave, leading to a protracted legal and arbitration process, during which they continued to receive their salaries.
The case even attracted the attention of then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, though it did not result in criminal charges.
Ultimately, the lawsuit was settled in 2021 with CUNY paying out over $609,000, though the accused professors were not required to contribute financially to the settlement.
Curtis, continuing to assert his innocence, has also filed a lawsuit against CUNY for gender discrimination. These legal proceedings remain ongoing.
Curtis’s lawyer, Robert Herbst, argued that the school’s efforts to terminate his client were baseless, claiming that the internal investigation had exonerated Curtis from any physical sexual misconduct or unwanted advances.
Herbst stated that Curtis is eager to return to teaching, citing his significant contributions to the academic community at John Jay.
As the case continues to unfold, the college community and public alike are left weighing the implications of the decision, with many concerned about the message it sends regarding accountability in educational institutions.