A private K-12 school in Nashville is under fire from students, faculty, and parents for its handling of allegations that a former club sponsor engaged in sexual misconduct and sought to distance students from their families.

The University School of Nashville (USN) has been the subject of intense criticism in recent weeks, with parents, students, and alumni calling for new leadership. They argue the school mishandled accusations that English teacher Dean Masullo, who also sponsored the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club, sexually harassed a student. Several faculty members have also expressed concerns, pushing for greater transparency.

The student, a 2024 graduate of USN, accused Masullo of grooming her emotionally and physically. She claimed that during her senior year, after she turned 18, Masullo attempted to escalate physical interactions. In a letter sent to the school in August, her attorney alleged that Masullo “abused his position to touch her in a sexualized way,” detailing several inappropriate behaviors. Though the student was sexually harassed, the letter clarifies that she “escaped without sexual abuse.”

The letter also highlighted a broader pattern of inappropriate conduct toward students in the GSA club, which Masullo led for nine years.

“He would pick favorite female or gay male students, text them in inappropriate ways, touch and hug them inappropriately, and take students to see movies outside of school and unrelated to school activities,” the letter stated. “In nearly every case, the target of his behavior was a female or gay student, often a member of the GSA, and he would attempt to estrange these students from their parents.”

In one particularly troubling instance, the letter alleged that Masullo asked a female student for graphic details about her sexual experiences.

The student also criticized the school for ignoring her efforts to address the situation, suggesting that leadership tried to downplay the incident. Other members of the school community have voiced similar frustrations, demanding an independent investigation into the accusations.

USN officials confirmed that Masullo’s employment was terminated in July, following his suspension in May while the allegations were investigated. However, parents are pressing for more information about the terms of his termination.

 

In response to the growing backlash, USN Board of Trustees President Eric Kopstain announced on September 13 that the school would hire an independent law firm to investigate “new allegations of sexual contact made first by the alumna’s attorney and further alleged by recent letters from USN faculty to the Board of Trustees.”

“Although the investigation resulted in Dr. Masullo’s termination from USN, new information provided in letters recently received by the Board revealed general suspicions and new accusations of sexual contact concerning Dr. Masullo and the alumna that were not communicated during the initial investigation,” Kopstain wrote in a letter to the community obtained by The Daily Wire.

Kopstain also stated that the school had requested Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office to investigate the matter further. He added that the USN board would be reviewing its current policies on sexual harassment in light of the allegations.

“We apologize that our prior communications have disappointed so many of you. We regret that our communications and actions have not adequately addressed your concerns,” Kopstain said.

The school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club, according to its website, aimed “to raise awareness of issues surrounding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and other non-binary identities.” In a past interview with the school, Masullo expressed his hope for a future where the GSA would no longer be necessary, saying, “I look forward to a day when the GSA has outlived its usefulness — when the world that we seek to create becomes a reality.”

The club also organized an annual event where members refrained from speaking for a day to stand “in solidarity with LGBTQ youth across the city, the state, the nation, and the world,” according to Masullo.

Concerns about GSA clubs have emerged nationwide, with some parents voicing fears that the clubs focus too much on sexual identity and that certain teachers may withhold information about students’ participation from their families.