Amador Valley High School principal resigns after probe finds Grindr contact with student, messages referencing ‘Secret School Tryst’
Fey, who has been working in the district since 2022, was informed that she was terminated on February 28 after being placed on administrative leave for months. He initially appealed the decision but eventually accepted a $254,000 settlement last week that included legal fees and back pay.
The investigation into former Amador Valley High School principal Fey began after a former student accused her of engaging in sexual chats through the dating app Grindr. A second person later came forward and claimed that Fey contacted him through the app while he was still enrolled in school.
According to EdSource, the district’s investigation report includes screenshots of messages that Fey allegedly sent from her Grindr account under the name ‘eye emoji’.
According to EdSource, in the communication shown in the report, Grindr user ‘eye emoji’ said, “I really always loved you.” “Didn’t you notice that every time I saw you last year I went out of my way to say hello or smile?”
At another point in the conversation, she says, “Admit it, you’re handsome. You have a subtle feminine side that I’m extremely attracted to.” “I’m not sure why, but I felt like you had confidence in yourself and who you are as a person. I wanted to get to know you and the source of that strength and that your story would help me become a better person.”
According to the investigation, a student told authorities that shortly after the Grindr user began chatting with the ‘eyes emoji’, Fey followed him on Instagram the next day; The student believed that this was not a coincidence.
Another complainant, then an Amador Valley High School student, reported that Fey wrote, via the same “eye emoji” account, “There’s a part of me that would love a secret school reunion.”
“The allegations made against me are false,” Fey said in a written statement released by a public relations firm in San Jose.
According to EdSource, Fey denied being behind the ‘eye emoji’ account, claiming her identity was stolen. His lawyer argued in court documents that Amador Valley High School students had previously impersonated others online. Meanwhile, another former student told investigators she saw the Grindr app displayed on Fey’s phone while she was accompanying him to a school event.
Following previous sexual misconduct scandals, as reported by EdSource, California law requires school districts to report to the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing within 30 days if a licensed educator resigns or is suspended for more than 10 days due to allegations of misconduct. The report should include all relevant findings; Investigator’s determination of probable cause for sexual harassment in the Jonathan Fey case.
The commission then conducts its own investigation, which could lead to the revocation of the educator’s license, preventing future employment in public education. Brown, the Pleasanton school board president, confirmed that the district will submit the required report and fully comply with state procedures.
