It’s really difficult being in charge of one of our city’s fair high schools—every stray comment you make about how sexy the copy machine looks is taken the wrong way! Every sexy photo you put on Facebook might end up plastered on the walls of your school! So principals should know better than to make sarcastic comments or jokes when dealing in sensitive areas—which is what former Principal Nancy Casella has now learned the hard way.
Casella was forced to retire from her position at Information Technology High School in Long Island City this month after three DOE investigations found that she allegedly made several discriminatory comments about Jews, blacks and gays, as well as several inappropriate sexual quips. According to the probes, here are some of the offensive remarks she allegedly made:
- At a 2010 meeting with assistant principals, Casella said: “Whose d–k do I have to suck to get any work done?”
- While discussing her hiring practices with an employee, she said: “They’ve got it all wrong. They think it’s blacks that I don’t like — it’s Jews.”
- She told a subordinate who wanted a position outside the school: “You know they’re only hiring gays. You’re not gay, so [you’re] not getting [the] job.”
- In reference to revoking a subordinate’s parking privileges, she said: “If I can’t get that black bastard outta here with parking, I’ll find a way.”
Casella told investigators that some of those comments, specifically the one about hiring practices, was a joke. Although the offensive remarks seemed to be the tipping point, the most serious allegation against Casella is that she rigged parent surveys to boost her school’s rating, something she was under investigation for over two years ago.
But one parent told the Post this was a witch hunt by some assistant principals who didn’t like her: “Never, ever have I heard her get out of line or conduct herself inappropriately,” he said. Based on a post on the always-reliable Rate My Teachers, it was well known that there was tension with her assistant principals: “This lady has been the principal for 2 years. All of the teachers talk about her behind her back. The assistant principal all think she’s dumb. What’s really sad she does know any of our names.”
