Florida principal retires amid allegations she created fake class, hired unqualified staff

Florida principal retires after being accused of creating fake class

A Florida high school principal submitted her resignation and retired last week after a report said she created a fake class that gave student-athletes all A’s and had counselors and teachers working in roles that they were not qualified for.

The report shows the Volusia County school district was investigating former Mainland High School principal Cheryl Salerno before the allegations.

The school district reprimanded Salerno for giving out last year’s advanced placement test to freshmen and not telling them they would not earn college credit for the course.

School board members said they were not aware of the allegations before the report.

School Board President Carl Persis told WFTV, "Well, in order for us to know a teacher is in a class that is not certified to teach that class, that's all generated from the master schedule, forward(ed) to us."

The district confirmed eight of the nine students were athletes.

The district also did not know how the inflated grades would affect the transcripts of the former students and any possible scholarships they have received.

Salerno has not commented on the matter.