Remember me
The embattled principal of a ritzy Minnesota private school has resigned after being plagued by a string of scandals.
Dr Luis Ottley, until now the head of private K-12 college preparatory St. Paul Academy and Summit School, announced Monday that he was stepping down, per an email obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Ottley had been accused last month of expelling a model ninth-grade student after his father criticized his leadership of the elite school, which counts F Scott Fitzgerald among its decorated alumni.
He also allegedly mishandled claims that boys circulated lists in which they ranked girls' physical attributes and later intervened in subsequent school newspaper coverage.
In the email sent to parents, Ottley acknowledged that the school community had 'navigated some incredibly trying times' during his four-year stint.
The president of the school's board of trustees, David Kristal, confirmed that Ottley's resignation had been accepted.
Addressing parents, Kristal called him a 'steady and thoughtful leader during what has been a productive and challenging chapter for both our school community and the Twin Cities.'
But news of Ottley's resignation appeared to be met with elation, with some parents quipping that they would be banging on pots and pans, the outlet reported.
Dr. Luis Ottley, the scandal-afflicted principal of elite private K-12 college prep St. Paul Academy and Summit School, announced his resignation on Monday in an email
Tuition at the swanky Minnesota institution is about $41,000 per year. Its decorated list of previous students includes novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald and Montana senator Tim Sheehy
In his resignation email, Ottley wrote that the 'last few months have given my family and me a great deal to ponder,' according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
'As we look to the future, I believe it is best for me to step down and offer someone else the opportunity to lead SPA through the next chapter of its journey,' he added.
Last month, the Daily Mail reported that Roseville father Matthew Bauer had filed a complaint in the Ramsey County District Court against the private school, where upper school tuition is roughly $41,000 per year.
Bauer alleged that St. Paul Academy had booted his son as retaliation after he raised concerns about Ottley that were supposedly shared by other school community members.
The school said last month that the suit had 'no legal merit' and that it planned to defend itself 'vigorously' against Bauer's claims, according to the Star Tribune.
According to the filing, the disgruntled father had hosted an event at a St. Paul restaurant on February 11 for the school's alumni, faculty, staff and broader community.
He allegedly invited about 20 people, though more than 100 ended up attending the event.
The dinner was paid for by Bauer and was noted as not being a school event, the complaint added.
Bauer drafted a no confidence letter in Ottley after the gathering, according to the lawsuit.
The letter listed concerns about alleged 'unaddressed sexual harassment of female students,' the 'censorship' of the school newspaper and the loss of senior faculty and donations, per the complaint.
Roseville father Matthew Bauer sued the Midwest school for allegedly for expelling his younger son ahead of his 10th grade year, claiming he had been booted out as an act of retaliation
Bauer is looking for his son's re-enrollment into the 10th grade at St. Paul Academy to be reinstated, per a complaint filed in the Ramsey County District Court
On February 26, Ottley allegedly sent a school-wide email, in which he included a document mentioning 'all the concerns' noted in the letter of no confidence. It was unclear how Ottley allegedly obtained the letter.
The filing claimed Bauer never shared the draft with anyone other than the 67 people who had RSVP'd for the event, but that Ottley 'apparently received the letter from someone else.'
One day after Ottley allegedly sent the email including the allegations in the no confidence letter, Bauer re-enrolled his son for the upcoming 2026-27 school year for $40,940, the document stated.
A few days later, Ottley allegedly reached out to Bauer via email, accusing him of having 'engaged in conversations that discredit the school and its leadership,' per the filing.
The head of school then allegedly asked to meet with Bauer multiple times, but Bauer claimed he could not as he was 'very busy at the time with his work,' per the document.
On April 13, Ottley sent Bauer a termination letter, which read that 'the 2025-2026 academic year will be your family's last year at SPA,' according to the complaint.
Bauer's son's re-enrollment was also voided, per the filing.
One of the reasons given in the termination letter to Bauer allegedly said: 'Your efforts to undermine community trust, and specifically your authorship and distribution of a no-confidence letter seeking other community members' signatures.'
The letter also allegedly noted that 'completion of the current school year is strictly contingent upon your cooperation and partnership.'
Bauer is seeking to have his youngest son's re-enrollment contract reinstated, as well as damages of about $50,000.
St. Paul Academy previously said Bauer's claims had 'no legal merit' and that it would defend itself 'vigorously' against his allegations
School board president David Kristal (left) called Ottley a 'steady and thoughtful leader during what has been a productive and challenging chapter,' as it was announced that assistant head of school Anne Zaslofsky (right) will serve as acting head until the fall
Despite the growing pressure against him, Ottley defended his four-year stint at the swanky private school even as he resigned.
The former principal said he had created a program for students with language-based disabilities, raised faculty salaries, renovated a campus, opened a pre-kindergarten program and developed a strategic plan for athletic facilities.
Ottley wrote that those accomplishments were 'milestones that will impact generations of Spartans to come.'
For now, assistant head of school Anne Zaslofsky will serve as acting head until an interim head is appointed this fall.
School board president Kristal reassured parents that the school would continue operating as usual despite Ottley's resignation.
'Leadership transitions naturally prompt questions, but they also offer an opportunity to reflect on the enduring strengths of our School,' he wrote, according to the Star Tribune.
Kristal added: 'Those strengths remain constant and will continue to guide the school throughout this transition and well into the future.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to Ottley and St. Paul Academy and Summit School for comment.