Community Corner

Assault Charges Dropped Against Principal of Friendship School

Assault charges against Teresa Ankney were dropped before the case was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.

Prosecutors have dropped charges against a Carroll County private school principal accused of assaulting a teacher, according to the Carroll County State's Attorney's Office. 

The principal faces a lawsuit not related to the assault case.

Teresa Ankney, who heads the Friendship School in Eldersburg, had been charged with one count of second-degree assault. She had been accused of grabbing teacher and Drama Production Director Pippa Duggan after firing her for budgetary reasons in December, according to the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office.

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But there wasn’t enough evidence to go through with the trial, said Duggan. “They said I was not hurt and Teresa's witness said she saw nothing. It came as quite a shock,” said Duggan. “This is quite disturbing to think that she is getting away with it.”

The trial had been scheduled to begin March 15.

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But a $500 million lawsuit filed by a parent of a student at the school may still bring Ankney to court. The complaint filed last month by Janet Lee alleges that her son was expelled by Ankney because Lee requested to see Friendship School financial documents. 


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