Scorned teacher-wife blows the whistle on NYC principal's alleged affair with younger married educator: report
Principal Anthony Cosentino, 43, was allegedly caught in a 'consensual sexual relationship' with teacher Jacqueline Sinodinos, 28, according to The New York Post.
The reported affair broke up two marriages, with both Cosentino's wife and Sinodino's husband filing for divorce, according to The Post.
The scandal came to light when Cosentino's wife, who is also a New York City school teacher, filed a complaint with the city Department of Education claiming he had been having an 'illicit sexual relationship' with Sinodinos since June 2023.
The scorned wife complained that her husband had been giving his alleged affair partner extra funds to spend on a Thanksgiving party and other celebrations for her students.
The city had received another complaint regarding the pair in November 2023, and by July 2024, the Special Commissioner of Investigation, an independent watchdog for New York City schools, filed a report with the DOE, detailing the alleged misconduct at PS 21 in North Shore.
Cosentino was removed from the school, but has remained on the city's payroll, making $187,632 a year, the outlet reported.
While officials with the Special Commissioner of Investigation recommended disciplinary actions — including firing Cosentino — he may just be reassigned as principal of a new school, sources told The Post.
Romantic relationships between coworkers are allowed among city school employees, as long as they don't involve a financial component and one of the parties isn't in a superior power position.
Cosentino eventually admitted to the extramarital affair, but insisted he wasn't giving the teacher involved any special treatment.
The independent watchdog group, however, found that he gave Sinodinos 'highly favorable' reviews and recommended her for tenure, granting her permanent teacher status with protections from firing.
Cosentino only confessed after Sinodinos was tenured in January 2024. While another administrator who approved her tenure had 'suspicions of bias' by Cosentino, the watchdog group found no evidence to support that Sinodinos wasn't deserving of the tenure.
The scandal broke out just as a separate investigation found that Cosentino was 'negligent' in supervising the school's purchasing secretary, Michele Cenci, who pleaded guilty to embezzling over $145,000 from the school over a seven-year period.
Instead of firing Cosentino, the DOE reportedly plans to make him principal of PS 3, The Margaret Gioisa School in Elm Park, sources told The Post.
However, New York City Department of Education spokeswoman Chyann Tull told the outlet that wasn't the case, and that Cosentino 'is not currently assigned to P.S. 3,' where a retiring principal will be replaced.
'We take all allegations of this kind seriously, and always follow established protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of our school communities,' Tull said.
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