Hinsdale South Retaliated Against Student: Lawsuit

DARIEN, IL – The mother of a Hinsdale South High School student who was cut from the varsity basketball team filed a lawsuit in federal court last week.

Erin Savage claims the school retaliated against her son, Brendan Savage, after he complained in May that then-head varsity coach Michael Moretti was bullying and humiliating him. Her lawsuit was filed the day before Thanksgiving.

After the complaint, the lawsuit said, Moretti was demoted to freshman coach and replaced by Michael Belcaster.

In June, Hinsdale High School District 86 responded to the complaint. Then-acting Superintendent Chris Covino said the district did not substantiate that Moretti bullied Savage.

But Covino, who left for another district in July, said the district found the coach's interactions had been inappropriate and inconsistent with the high standards of professionalism expected of employees.

He said the district would not tolerate any retaliation in connection with the complaint.

In an interview Tuesday morning, the Savage family's attorney, Steven Glink, said he was notified that the district was allowing Savage back on the team. He said that was after the school board discussed the matter behind closed doors Monday night.

"They decided to do the right thing," Glink said.

For now, Glink said, the lawsuit continues.

"Certainly one of the things I'll wait to see is if they give him appropriate playing time," the lawyer said. "If they put him on the team and don't play him for one second, that's as much retaliation as if they are cutting him from the team."

District 86 spokesman Chris Jasculca said the district does not comment on litigation. He would not confirm whether Brendan Savage was on the roster.

Before making his complaint, Brendan Savage was considered a standout player on the varsity team for the last two years, according to the lawsuit. He was named all-conference his sophomore and junior years.

Savage was also named Athlete of the Week and a three-point shooting winner.

Earlier this month, players tried out for the varsity team, with Belcaster listing students who made it shortly afterward. The lawsuit described Belcaster as Moretti's "close personal friend."

According to the lawsuit, Brendan Savage appealed the decision to a number of officials, including interim Superintendent Linda Yonke. His appeals were rejected.

The lawsuit claimed the school retaliated against Savage, saying it violated his constitutional rights to free speech and equal protection of the law.

Named as defendants are the school board, Belcaster, Yonke, Principal Patrick Hardy, Athletic Director Art Ostrow and Cheryl Moore, assistant superintendent of human resources.

The lawsuit is seeking at least $75,000, plus attorney's fees.