A prominent and well-liked Harlem principal has been reassigned after she reportedly had a lesbian romance with one of her assistant principals—including hook-ups at the school during school hours—then gave her subordinate a poor review. Crystal Simmons, founding principal of the Academy for Social Action, turned to New York Police Department and Department of Education officials for help after Assistant Principal Candy Jones allegedly threatened to kill her, according to a report quoted in the New York Daily News and the Post.
Jones said that she and Simmons began having a sexual relationship in August 2007, the report said. Simmons confirmed that, but said she noticed a decline in Jones’ work ethic and began to keep a record of her performance in Nov. 2009. By June 2010, Simmons asked Jones to resign and then gave her a "U" or "unsatisfactory" rating, according to the report. That same month Simmons filed a complaint with SCI and the NYPD about receiving a death threat from Jones.
Simmons "reported that Assistant Principal Jones had threatened to kill Simmons if Jones received a "U" rating," the SCI report said. According to the report, the school’s Community Associate Chante Alexander confirmed that Jones threatened to kill Simmons. "Jones explained to Alexander that it was easy to purchase a gun down south and that her father had already purchased one for her," the report said. "Jones also informed Alexander that she had spoken with her sister about caring for her son if something were to happen."
Simmons filed a complaint with the NYPD but the case was closed because no police officers witnessed the harassment, reports the Daily News. Also: "Jones insisted she was only 'kidding' about killing Simmons and was comparing her situation to an article involving a female correction officer who gunned down her lover."
The "joke" refers to Kim Wolfe, the Black lesbian Long Island correction officer accused of killing her ex-girlfriend and uncle in June during a shooting rampage. Wolfe faces murder, kidnapping and assault charges.
The New York District Attorney and the state Education Department are reviewing the case.







