The outside of Lower Gwynedd Elementary School. (6abc)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
A Montgomery County principal is on administrative leave and faces termination after allegedly making antisemitic remarks, Wissahickon School District officials said Friday.
Philip Leddy, principal of Lower Gwynedd Elementary School, reportedly made the comments after a phone call with a parent about a student issue.
District leaders say Leddy believed the call had ended when he made the remarks to another employee in the room, which was inadvertently recorded on a parent’s voicemail.
Action News obtained the voicemail. The father, who asked not to be identified and has two children who attend the school, said Leddy had called him in response to an email about an incident involving his daughter.
“I couldn’t believe it, like I was seeing Jew this, Jew that, and I was thinking, ‘This can’t be the principal leaving a voicemail,'” the parent recalled.
In the recording, Leddy identifies himself, saying, “It’s Phillip Leddy, principal of Lower Gwynedd.” After appearing to end the call, additional comments can be heard on the voicemail. According to the parent, Leddy then spoke to another school employee in the room.
The parent said the comments included references to his children’s summer camp.
“Referred to the summer camp that my kids went to with his kids as a ‘Jew camp.’ She then asked what my profession was. He said, ‘It doesn’t matter they have that Jew money,'” he said.
Another portion of the voicemail includes the statement, “They go to Jew camp with… and everyone at the camp hates the family.”
“His rhetoric was just too easy; he chose the lowest form of like antisemitism,” the parent said.
The parent said he was especially shocked because their children attend the same camp and swim club. He said he went to Leddy’s office to confront him.
“I asked him if the misunderstanding was about my Jew money, the Jew this, Jew that. And the color from his face just disappeared, he couldn’t believe he was caught, and he was apologetic,” the parent said.
District officials said Leddy “self-reported” the incident and admitted the comments were not appropriate, but the parent disputed that account.
“That’s not true, I had emailed the school board as soon as I got the voicemail,” he said.
He also said he did not hear an apology from the district.
“I didn’t hear anybody apologize to the parent. It was very much, ‘Here’s what happened, we can’t believe this happened.’ But I never heard them say, ‘We’re sorry to the family that was affected,'” he said.
Superintendent Dr. Mwenyewe Dawan said, “We are truly shocked and sickened that a school leader trusted with the safety and well-being of students and staff would speak this way.”
Leddy has served as principal since 2023 and previously chaired an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee in another district, according to his school bio.
“For somebody who presents himself as one of the good ones, and for it to come out of his mouth so carelessly, so easily, it boils my blood,” said Rabbi Kevin Lefkowitz of Tiferet Bet Israel Synagogue.
Wissahickon School District said it will continue working with the Anti-Defamation League to address what Dawan and community members describe as a broader systemic issue of antisemitism.
Rabbi Danielle Parmenter of Darchei Noam Synagogue said the district’s response was only a first step.
“I’m really thankful to Dr. Dawan for a quick termination, but I think there’s so much more that needs to be done,” she said.
Leddy is currently on administrative leave, and district officials said they intend to fire him. A hearing is scheduled for Monday, where Leddy will have an opportunity to speak.
Counselors will also be available at Lower Gwynedd Elementary on Monday for students affected by the incident.
Action News attempted to reach Leddy in person and by phone for comment, but did not receive a response.