the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Leonia NJ, a bombshell lawsuit filed in 2025 accuses former Leonia High School drama teacher James Avidon of sexually assaulting a female student starting in 1998, with the Bergen County school board facing heat for alleged negligence. The unnamed plaintiff claims Avidon groomed her from middle school, escalating to “invasive physical conduct” during private lessons. This isn’t Leonia’s first scandal—similar accusations against another teacher surfaced earlier this year. Here’s the shocking story shaking NJ and what it means for school accountability in 2025!
