Derek Premo, the principal accused of sexually harassing a male teacher at his Manhattan high school, was previously accused of touching a male student inappropriately, The Post has learned.
The prior incident occurred in 2015-16 while Premo was an assistant principal at Life Sciences Secondary School on the Upper East Side.
A student claimed Premo “touched him inappropriately and made him feel uncomfortable,” reporting the allegation to assistant principal Ernest Oliveri, who passed it along to Principal Kimberly Swanson, officials confirmed.
The Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools said it received the case, but referred it to the Department of Education’s own investigative arm.
DOE spokeswoman Katie O’Hanlon said the allegation — along with multiple complaints about Premo’s conduct with students described in a 2017 faculty letter — were investigated “and found to be unsubstantiated.”
The DOE’s handling of the complaints reveals a more lenient disciplinary process for principals. Premo wasn’t removed pending the probe, like teachers facing similar accusations.
In fact, he was promoted to principal at the Lower Manhattan Arts Academy in 2019, and took home $175,765 last year, an additional $30,000 while the DOE transferred Oliveri to another assignment shortly before the end of the school year. The DOE denies Oliveri’s transfer was retaliation.
In June, teacher John Colin filed a sex discrimination complaint with the state Division of Human Rights, saying Premo pressed his groin against Colin’s leg during a staff party.
On the student’s complaint, Oliveri told The Post it was months before investigators visited the school — and they never interviewed him.
“I remember an unusual period of time between filing the report and the investigation,” he said. “Normally these things are investigated right away. That’s a very serious charge.”
O’Hanlon said the principal “immediately reported it and an investigation was launched within days,” adding that school employees “are not privy to every step of a confidential investigation, especially when it involves a minor.”
A three-page May 2017 letter sent to SCI described a litany of complaints about Premo’s conduct with students. It said he “took pride” in persuading gay kids to come out of the closet, but spurred one boy who denied being gay to transfer out.
The letter, obtained by The Post, also said students complained that Premo made sexually suggestive comments, and “coerced and intimidated” them into donating to a fundraiser for his Gay Alliance Club.
SCI said it referred the complaints in the letter to the DOE. Premo and Swanson did not return requests for comment.