An educator from the Bronx, Mercedes “Mercy” Liriano, has been alleged to have utilized her Department of Education email address to partake in intimate activities, such as seeking threes*mes on Craigslist and sharing inappropriate photographs.
As per the Special Commissioner of Investigation for city schools, Liriano employed her school address for these explicit communications.
In one email, she penned, “Curvy s*xy African American woman seeking dominant cpl – w4mw.” She also inquired about the recipients’ boundaries, stipulating the necessity for mutual satisfaction.
Liriano sought intimate relations in at least eight emails from December 2016 to September 2017, as per the report.
The report also indicated that Liriano exchanged indecent images, including one email containing visuals of a woman’s private area and backside.
Married Liriano also sent images of herself in a bikini, stating, “Greetings, my name is Mercedes, alternatively known as Mercy. Here are some photographs of me. Anticipating your prompt response.”
The emails began around the time Patricia Catania assumed the role of interim acting principal of the school.
In February 2019, Liriano alleged that Catania informed her she was not permitted to teach Black History. Catania countered this, stating she simply emphasized the necessity for a comprehensive lesson plan.
Subsequently, Liriano created a commotion throughout the school’s corridor and main office, vocally asserting her right to teach Black History.
In a filed deposition, Catania asserted that she became the target of a “smear” campaign by Liriano and others, resulting in her demotion.
Liriano’s explicit emails surfaced in January 2021 as part of legal proceedings. Liriano resigned in September 2021, and the SCI suggested that the DOE include a “problem code” in her file, which could hinder her future employment in city schools.
Liriano’s online professional profile indicates that she is presently an educator in Georgia. Her husband unexpectedly passed away in January 2022, prompting Liriano to start a GoFundMe campaign, citing the absence of life insurance.
Through her legal representative, Jeanne Mirer, Liriano refuted the accusations in the report, stating that she was never given the opportunity to defend herself.
The DOE did not address inquiries regarding the actions taken in response to the SCI report, and Georgia school officials did not respond to requests for comments.
