Scott High School principal accused of sexual harassment by former teacher

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Dr. Carnell Smith, the principal of Scott High School, has been accused of sexual harassment by a teacher who recently filed a lawsuit against Dr. Smith and the Toledo City School District Board of Education filed.

According to court documents, a former Scott High School teacher accused Dr. Smith of sexually assaulting her from August 2017 to April 2023. The teacher was hired by the district in 2004 and worked at Scott High School through the end of the 2022-2023 school year. For the 2023-2024 school year, plaintiff transitioned to TPS Virtual Academy.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiff states that the harassment began on or about August 17, 2017, when Dr. Smith took a photo of her feet/legs, sent her the picture and said, “Have a great school year!”

The plaintiff claims that Dr. Smith continued to make her uncomfortable by commenting on her appearance and visiting her classroom more than necessary. She claims the principal's comments became more extreme and frequent during the 2022-2023 school year.

According to the lawsuit, Dr. Smith and the plaintiff entered into a dispute in March 2023 after the plaintiff sent an email. Afterwards, Dr. Smith yelled at her in front of other employees, prompting her to email her union representative.

Shortly after contacting the union representative, plaintiff spoke with TPS's acting director of human resources about the incident. The plaintiff also gave examples of cases in which she was approached by Dr. Smith had been sexually harassed.

On April 13, 2023, Plaintiff filed a formal complaint against Dr. Smith, detailing some of the sexual harassment. Examples given in the document include, but are not limited to, Dr. Smith said she should “wear more skirts” or “wear a dress and heels.”

She also stated in the formal complaint that he made comments to another teacher in which he speculated about her sexual activity/history.

During the investigation of the formal complaint, Dr. Smith allowed to continue working as principal. The plaintiff claims that she was forced to continue working with him during the investigation, even though she stated that she did not feel comfortable working for him.

After the school year, she inquired about transferring to another school.

According to the lawsuit, the investigation was turned over to a third-party decision maker for a decision. After reviewing the investigative report, the decision maker concluded that she had been sexually harassed during the 2022-2023 school year and that Dr. Smith had violated board policy.

After the decision, she attempted to return to Scott High School, assuming that Dr. Smith would no longer be there. Dr. However, Smith was not placed on leave or disciplined and also returned for the 2023-2024 school year.

Because Dr. Smith wasn't fired, she decided not to return and transferred to TPS's Virtual Academy.

In November 2023, plaintiff was informed of the panel's disciplinary decision and was outraged, stating that the panel “did not seriously pursue its case against Principal Smith and requested that only minor disciplinary action be taken against Principal Smith.”

According to the lawsuit, the board recommended Dr. Smith's participation in the TPS Adult Social Emotional Learning Program and nothing more.

The plaintiff claims in the lawsuit that she makes less money at the virtual academy than she did while working at Scott High School.

According to the statement of claim, the plaintiff requests that the court award appropriate compensation as compensation for her change of job, as compensation for the loss of the opportunity to work, for future income, for humiliation, embarrassment and loss of reputation. She also seeks back pay plus interest, punitive damages and attorney's fees.

A spokesperson for Toledo Public Schools released the following statement regarding the lawsuit:

“Toledo Public Schools is unable to comment further on matters involving ongoing litigation. However, it is important to note that in the case of (the plaintiff) and Dr. Smith worked closely with his legal counsel and retained two independent investigators to ensure a thorough and impartial outcome. The district is confident in the fairness and accuracy of the process.”

The full 15-page statement of claim can be found below.

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