Lawsuit Principal Tried to Get Rid Teacher by Writing a Fake Letter

A Manhattan principal tried to get rid of one of his teachers by concocting — and misspelling — a letter from a “conserned” parent accusing the educator of pedophilia, according to a lawsuit.

The May 2012 missive, allegedly received by the principal and placed in teacher Jennifer Levy’s personnel file, charged her with “improper flirtations with students,” making inappropriate remarks on her Facebook page, and “act[ing] sexy in front of her class.”

But the letter actually was penned by Independence HS Principal Ron Smolkin, Levy claims in a $2 million Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed last week.

It’s the second time Smolkin, 48, has been accused of writing a fake letter to sandbag a teacher.

Michael McPherrin, who retired from the school last year, claims the principal targeted him after McPherrin, a teachers-union rep, tried to suggest improvements at the school.

Smolkin allegedly sent an anonymous, handwritten letter to McPherrin’s co-op board, accusing the teacher and his partner, Andre Lopes, of “lur[ing] young boys” to “infect them with AIDS,” according to the couple’s 2011 Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit. Handwriting analysis later confirmed Smolkin had written the letter, McPherrin charges.

“It’s shocking that this man has not been removed,” said McPherrin, who’s seeking $2 million.

A city Department of Education spokesman said Levy’s allegations are under investigation. The city says McPherrin’s complaint was “unsubstantiated.”

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