Christopher Durnford, principal of the York Prep Academy on the Upper West Side and also the school’s girls volleyball coach, was fired over winter break for allegedly sleeping with a student. What is it about sexy school time in this city? To make matters worse, he was known to the students as a butt-patter. (Careful, Coach!) If that wasn’t complicated and embarrassing enough, Durnford was fired by the school’s co-founder Ronald Stewart, whose daughter, Jayme, is Durnford’s wife. Busted!
The New York Post reports:
While students said Durnford and the girl were unusually close while she was still enrolled, a source close to the school said nothing improper happened until the girl had turned 18 and graduated last June.
Stewart dismissed his son-in-law immediately after learning of the improper relationship, the source said.
Both as a father and as a boss, he really had no other choice. But what took so long? Even the students were aware of the transgressions: “People knew about it last school year,” said one. “She used to go to his office last year a lot — more than she should.”
Durnford’s wife Jayme told the paper she’s having “a very rough time.” Hopefully she’ll heal; Durnford will never work in this town again.
Scandal at prep school [NYP via Gawker]