‘Life After Lockup’ Melissa Picariello Sues School For COVID Policy

Melissa from Life After Lockup / YouTube

Life After Lockup star Melissa Picariello has sued her daughter’s school based on their rules for COVID-19 vaccinations. This came after the school denied her daughter, Isabella, a nursing internship. She refused to get a COVID-19 vaccination, which was required with the reasoning being “sincere religious beliefs.”

Here is what you need to know about the lawsuit and the school’s response.

Life After Lockup star sues when daughter denied nursing internship

Melissa Picariello was a star of Life After Lockup and Love After Lockup and the story of her relationship with Louie played out on the show. Both Louie and Melissa have kids, and it is Melissa who is in the news now thanks to her daughter. She has just filed a lawsuit against her 17-year-old daughter Isabella’s school for denying a nursing internship when she wouldn’t get a COVID-19 vaccination.

Melissa and Louis from Life After Lockup / YouTube

According to Melissa’s lawsuit, Brandywine denied Isabella a nursing internship because she refused to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The reason given was “sincere religious beliefs.” As a result of the denial, Melissa sued Brandywine, who owns the senior living and memory care facility where Isabella wanted to intern.

Melissa claims that this denial violates the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD). She wants “compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs of suit, and such other relief as the Court may deem proper and just.” The reason given was “emotional distress, including suffering embarrassment, humiliation, indignity, and other mental anguish” (via Starcasm).

School responds To Life After Lockup stars lawsuit

However, Brandywine has responded to the Life After Lockup star’s lawsuit. They have three reasons they believe it should be dismissed. Two of the reasons have to do with laws as well, and the third reason is because of a problem with Isabella’s initial denial to get vaccinated.

According to Brandywine, the law Melissa stated does not cover a student who wants to be an intern. The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination only applies to employers and employees. Isabella was not an employee. The second claim is that there is legal precedent to allow senior living and memory care facilities to mandate vaccinations to protect their patients.

The third reason had nothing to do with the laws and had everything to do with Isabella’s rejection of being vaccinated. She said it was for “sincere religious beliefs.” However, Brandywine said that neither Isabella nor Melissa said what the religious belief was that prevented her from getting vaccinated. They just used it as a blanket reason not to get vaccinated.

What are your thoughts on Life After Lockup star Melissa Picariello’s lawsuit for her daughter?  Does the senior living and memory care facility have the right to protect its patients against the unvaccinated? Does Isabella have the right to intern there regardless? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Shawn Lealos
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