Former Mt Scopus principal shocked to hear he was star reference

A former principal was shocked to discover he had been used as star reference to defend fake teacher Neil Lennie after he fired the fraudster.

Neil Lennie was fired from Mt Scopus College in 1987 for insubordination. Picture: Sarah Matray

The former Mount Scopus principal spruiked as a star reference for fake teacher Neil Lennie said he had no idea he was used to defend the fraudster.

Dr Steven Lorch said if he was told his decades-old letters would be relied upon by Lennie’s top defence team, he would have immediately contacted the court.

“It’s dismaying that my words were used in Neil’s defence,” Dr Lorch told the Herald Sun from California.

“It came as a complete surprise to me.”

The Herald Sun can reveal Dr Lorch fired the fraudster at the end of the 1987 school year for insubordination amid a plot by Lennie to collude with other staff and undermine the principal’s leadership.

It comes as Lennie was spared jail despite pleading guilty to building his entire teaching career at Melbourne’s top schools on a lie.

The 72-year-old university dropout’s deception began when he stole his father’s teaching registration and used it to connive his way into four elite schools between 1976 and 2000 where he earned almost $850,000 in teaching salary.

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Dr Steven Lorch fired Lennie for insubordination in 1987..

Despite this, Judge Patricia Riddell said she could find no loss or harm to the schools or students as a result of Lennie’s fraud.

Several former students offered glowing references for their high school teacher despite being aware of his crimes.

However, Dr Lorch was said he was unaware his decade old references would be used.

Judge Riddell twice referenced Dr Lorch’s positive words in her sentencing remarks.

The court was not told Dr Lorch fired Lennie.

Dr Lorch told the Herald Sun he was “not happy” his old words were used out of context to defend the fraudster.

“It fits the character profile, as I’ve come to know him,” he said of Lennie.

“He’s someone who seeks his own advantage and will take it in any way if it’s coming to him, whether he’s entitled to it or not.

“I think that it’s immoral not to seek to reach out to me, just to let me know.”

In contrast, Judge Riddell described Lennie as an “excellent educator” with a “natural talent” for teaching and had “enhanced the lives” of his former students.

Though she did concede “such dishonesty is reprehensible”.

Dr Lorch hit back at the suggestion there was no loss or damage, saying “the moral example that he set for all of his students in all of his schools is damaging”.

Neil Lennie at his home in Box Hill. Picture: David Geraghty

Neil Lennie leaves Victorian County Court after his sentencing hearing. Picture: Sarah Matray

“It damages the moral fibre of those students to learn now, that one of the educators whom they most look up to is someone who played fast and loose with the law,” he said.

He said Mount Scopus had been built on values of fairness and honesty and “this undermines the efforts of the school to raise its students, and now it’s alumni, in that tradition”.

“Their commitment to integrity has been compromised.”

Lennie was sentenced to three months jail for his 12 years of deception at Mt Scopus, but the sentence was wholly suspended, meaning he will not spend anytime behind bars unless he reoffends in the next year.

For the remaining schools; Caulfield, Haileybury and Overnewton Anglican College, the former headmaster was given a community correction order.

Dr Lorch was principal of Mount Scopus from 1985 to 1991 after being headhunted from America.

He is now head of a Jewish day school in California.

Lennie’s legal team and the OPP were contacted for comment.

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