A Pennsylvania school board is set to vote on whether an elementary school principal will be fired after he allegedly made antisemitic remarks during a phone call.
In a letter sent to parents last week, Wissahickon School District Superintendent Dr. Mwenyewe Dawan wrote that Lower Gwynedd Elementary School Philip Leddy was leaving a voicemail for a parent when he began speaking with another staffer, believing the call was disconnected. During that conversation – which was still being recorded — Leddy allegedly made antisemitic remarks.
After Leddy self-reported the incident, the Wissahickon School District initiated the legal process seeking his firing, officials said. The district also contacted the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Philadelphia.
“No one promoting antisemitic rhetoric should be leading and teaching our children,” ADL Philadelphia’s senior regional director Dr. Andrew Goretsky wrote. “ADL Philadelphia has worked with the Wissahickon School District administration over the years, and we are relieved that the district is working quickly to address alleged antisemitic statements made by a school administrator. We are urging them to fully investigate the situation, take appropriate systemic action, and meet with Jewish families to begin the process of rebuilding trust.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia also responded to Leddy’s alleged remarks.
“In conversation with others in the office, he used antisemitic phrases, including references to “Jew camp,” allegations that the parent has “Jew money,” and the claim that “they [Jews] control the banks.” At one point, when asked whether the parent was a lawyer, he responded, “the odds probably are good.” These are deeply rooted antisemitic tropes that have historically been used to demean, marginalize, and endanger Jewish people,” a spokesperson wrote.
A hearing was held on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, on the investigation into Leddy’s alleged remarks. After the hearing, Dr. Dawan announced she would recommend that Leddy be fired. She also said a special meeting will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 7 p.m. in which members of the Wissahickon School Board will vote on her recommendation to fire Leddy.
Dr. Dawan also announced Monday that Sue Kanopka, the former principal of Lower Gwynedd Elementary and the current Supervisor of Curriculum for the Wissahickon School District, will serve as acting principal for the school.
“Mrs. Kanopka is a familiar and trusted leader in the LGE community and is pleased to provide continuity and stability for students and staff,” Dr. Dawan wrote. “Her duties as Supervisor of Curriculum will be absorbed by other members of our administrative team during her temporary re-assignment. In addition, we will be sharing information about the process and anticipated timeline for hiring a new principal with the Lower Gwynedd community directly.”
Dr. Dawan also invited Jewish families in the school district to engage in conversations with district leaders.
“We will be partnering with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Relations Council to facilitate these structured conversations, focused on listening, understanding impact, and moving forward together,” Dr. Dawan wrote. “This session will be designed to listen, learn, and better understand the experiences and concerns of our Jewish community members.”
The first session with Jewish families in the district is set to take place on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at 6 p.m. at an undisclosed location. Those interested in joining the meeting can register here. The registration deadline is Jan. 9, 2026.
Finally, Dr. Dawan announced they partnered with ADL Philadelphia to hold training sessions for district staff members on recognizing, preventing and responding to antisemitism. Those sessions are scheduled to take place on Jan. 16, 2026, and Feb. 13, 2026.
NBC10 reached out to Leddy for comment. We have not yet heard back from him.
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