28 year old teacher Oliver Fell began grooming a 14 year old student online over Christmas break using Snapchat. In March, the student reported to Haile Middle School Principal Irene Nikitopoulos. The student provided a recording of one of the messages involving a nude photo that was taken from another student’s phone.
The principal is known for conducting her own “in-house” investigations, as she’s calling it in the video. Parents on a local FB page have discussed how the principal has a history of doing this in a way that is intimidating and produces the results she wants. After her “investigation” into the situation, she determines that the other students don’t corroborate the story and the teacher has denied the Snapchat account being hers and the principal verifies this by looking at her IG account.
The principal brings in the parents to tell them their son is being suspended for making “false allegations” against the teacher. The parents ask how she determined it was false and she reassures them she would take action if LE found otherwise. The officer informs the principal that an investigation will take months.
The parents express concern that their son is being disciplined without a full investigation, that it’ll send the wrong message to other kids if it’s true, and that kids are at risk if it’s true. The principal repeatedly states she’d be fired if she didn’t get it right so she’s confident enough she did.
The parents finally contacted CPS because the school didn’t. The investigation comes back that the Snapchat was from the teacher’s account and some of the messages are recovered. She’s arrested in June.
The school district called it a “learning curve” and the principal wasn’t fired. The video it just one facepalm after another, especially the end when the principal starts to doubt her decision and has an internal dialogue aloud:
“My job’s on the line. If I get this wrong and there’s a teacher harassing a student then I messed up…that will get me in a lot of trouble if I don’t get it right… I want to make sure I got this right. I can’t mess this up… I don’t want a teacher that sends kids pictures like these… I mean, the headlines would be- I’d lose my job… You’re not filming are you?”
by whteverusayShmegma
21 Comments
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The district either needs to lose their funding or can her sorry ass
Who actually gives a shit about a suspension? It’s a few days off school…I consider it a reward, actually.
Edit: I consider it a reward in THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, because the school is in the wrong, and from the perspective of a teenager, being suspended under false circumstances feels like a reward, rather than a punishment. Loosen the pearls a bit, jeeez.
The fact the principal didn’t automatically try to protect the child ought to be criminal.
She was more concerned over the teachers reputation. Fire her and keep her away from children!
Edited to say: yayy for the mom, sticking up for her kid, she saw through the b.s. and said “yep, I believe my son”! and boo to the administrator for ‘closing the investigation’ before the police even had a chance to do anything and she said in her dismissive tone, “we spent a lot of time on this today”
Are you FUCKING kidding me? How is this shithead still employed?
I swear humanity is in direct threat in every direction and people looking at it like “yay!”… i cannot understand!
Time for kids family to lawyer up.
Not a lot of ambiguity here. Kid got pictures. How is this a problem?
Edit: The woman needs to go to jail
I’m not sure if it’s a good idea to post the teacher’s name prior to charges being filed. Couldn’t it interfere with his right to a fair trial? It’s a problem whether he be guilty or innocent.
This is the problem with institution. Those at the top would rather protect the image of the institution, rather than those they serve
Principal needs prison time.
Teacher needs prison time.
Anything else is a joke.
Just throw them in prison.
What an amazing lawsuit this will be…
Along the same mentality lines as the kid who’s been bullied for years being suspended first time they fight back.
Great job 🖕
Check the teacher and the principles hard drives. My opinion it looks like collusion
Principal*
Welp, time for a lawsuit. Sounds like a slam dunk
The stark difference between those who should be in leadership roles versus the unqualified who bully their way into these same roles for power/control/ego.
The system is now filled with corruption and exploitation, and it defends itself at whatever cost.
Republicans probably already have a gofundme setup to protect the teacher
So disturbing to hear them casting doubt based on bullshit like being afraid of the teacher or not reporting right away.
Lawsuit against the school district. Parents need to protest in front of the school gate to get the principal fired.