A veteran Queens high school principal was accused of repeatedly fondling a female staffer on campus – then promptly booted from his job by the city.
William Bassell, 66, the founding principal of Academy of American Studies, was arrested on May 27 on charges of forcible touching and five counts of sexual abuse in the third degree, according to a criminal complaint obtained by The Post.
Bassell allegedly “grazed his hand” over the inner thigh of a woman “without her consent” in four different incidents in 2023 and 2024, according to the complaint filed with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office.
In a fifth incident on June 6 of last year, Bassell allegedly got out of his car and stood in front of the defendant and prevented her from leaving and then “grazed his hand against her neck and her breast, over her clothes, without her consent,” the complaint said.
Bassell was replaced as principal and city Department of Education brass were scheduled to hold an emergency later Monday to discuss the bombshell arrest.
“We do not tolerate inappropriate behavior of any kind and we take these allegations very seriously,” a DOE spokesperson said.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of this situation, we are addressing the matter urgently.”Bassell, who previously served as principal of Long Island City High School, turned himself in at the 112th Precinct special victims unit.
Some educators were stunned at the unsettling accusations leveled at the married Bassell, who was a well-regarded educator.
Bassell has been politically involved in his community. He previously ran to serve on the Pelham Manor village board of trustees in Westchester County.
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