Manhattan, October 13: Brett Kimmel, a former principal at a Manhattan public school, is accused of grooming and sexually abusing a female student “nearly every day,” according to a federal lawsuit. The accuser, now living in Maryland and identified as Jane Doe in court documents, claims Kimmel groped her, pressured her to perform oral sex, and attempted sexual intercourse just before her 18th birthday.

NYPost reported that the alleged abuse began when the girl was in eighth grade at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School. Kimmel reportedly “set his sights” on her, bombarding her with inappropriate texts and emails daily during her freshman year, later asking for shirtless selfies. This harassment continued even after the victim’s older sister confronted Kimmel about his behaviour in summer 2012. US Shocker: Teacher Who Appeared on Good Morning America TV Show Jailed for Having Sex With Teenager in Arkansas.

Additionally, Kimmel is accused of driving the victim to and from school, molesting her during these rides throughout her sophomore and junior years. In her April lawsuit against Kimmel and the New York City Department of Education (DOE), she claims the prolonged abuse resulted from the DOE’s “negligent supervision,” citing its failure to train staff to recognise and report inappropriate behaviour. US: Math Teacher Pleads Guilty to Having Sex With 16-Year-Old Student in Missouri, Placed Under House Arrest Until Sentencing.

The Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools stated there are no reports on file for Kimmel, who earned USD 182,844 in fiscal year 2015 and left the DOE in the fall of that year. The plaintiff chose to sue years later to hold Kimmel accountable. Kimmel, now an education consultant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has denied the allegations and seeks dismissal of the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2024 06:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).