A New York school superintendent is in potential trouble after allegedly taking inappropriate photos of female teenage colleagues. The superintendent was working as a lifeguard over the summer at Robert Moses Beach. It's something he's done since 1995.
56-year-old Superintendent Dennis O'Hara allegedly took several suggestive photos of female teenage colleagues. He sent one of these photos to his supervisors at the state Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. According to the school superintendent, he was trying to inform his superiors that his colleagues weren't wearing the proper swimwear. He said that their swimsuits weren't to regulation.
"My weekend lifeguard employment was called into question by NYS over the manner in which I registered a complaint about the way in which some lifeguards wear their bathing attire while on duty and whether they are in the official uniform," O'Hara wrote in the letter to the school community. "The method in which I registered this complaint included a photo of a lifeguard on duty."
School Superintendent Fired From Lifeguard Gig
However, authorities have a different story. An officer told the New York Post that O'Hara only reported his female lifeguards after they found out he was taking photos of them. "Once the guy's called out, he's saying it was all about the girls being out of uniform," said the source. "That's a good one."
After the issue came to light, his bosses asked him to resign from his position as lifeguard at the end of July. Meanwhile, O'Hara is also Islip's Superintendent of Schools. He released a letter about the incident. He said he "followed the chain of command, seeking assistance in addressing an uncomfortable situation and something I believed unprofessional."
O'Hara also expressed his excitement and honored at the "the opportunity to present the facts to officials with the Office of NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and expect this matter to be fully resolved." O'Hara also apologized to all of the community. He said, "While I believe my actions were appropriate, I apologize to the Islip Board of Education and the Islip school community for creating this distraction."
O'Hara's letter noted he was willing to address "questions about my leadership as your superintendent," and added "I accept and will faithfully respond to any concerns that are raised. I remain fully committed to my primary obligations as your superintendent."
Meanwhile, Islip's Board of Education is investigating the school superintendent's actions over the summer.
