Maria Puccio was sued for defamation, after she supposedly told a parent C.C. Garcia had been accused of hitting students.
When the New York County Supreme Court granted Puccio's dismissal request, Garcia took an appeal.
While Puccio may have advised a parent that there were "problems" or "problemas" with Garcia, the Appellate Division, First Department, didn't think such statements were enough to support the case. (The AD1 noted that the conversation was truthful and subject to a "qualified privilege," because the parent and Puccio -- as the school's principal -- "had a common interest in the subject matter.")
Lesson learned?
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: Garcia v. Puccio