‘Favorite’ Long Island teacher, 48, being probed for allegedly ‘sexting’ with underage student: sources

A popular Long Island high school teacher is being probed for allegedly sending sexually charged text messages to an underage student, sources told The Post. 

John Kennedy, Bay Shore High School’s art teacher, was pulled from the classroom and placed on administrative leave Wednesday after the district was made aware of alleged text messages he exchanged with a female student — which sources claimed contained explicit, sexual language — prompting a probe by Suffolk County police.

District and police sources confirmed the allegations and told The Post that Kennedy, 48, was the teacher placed on leave, while Suffolk PD would only comment that there is an active investigation into a Bay Shore teacher.

“The Bay Shore School District has been made aware of allegations involving a High School staff member,” Superintendent Steven Maloney said in a Wednesday statement. “When made aware, the District took immediate action, placing the staff member on administrative leave and barring the individual from District property.

“The Suffolk County Police Department was immediately notified and we continue to fully cooperate with their ongoing investigation.”

The school district and Suffolk police have not officially named Kennedy and have remained otherwise tight-lipped about the case.

The student, believed to be a senior at the high school, had been carrying on a relationship with Kennedy since at least the summer, according to a source.

Another source called the alleged text messages “disgusting.”

Although the full nature of the communications and the identity of the student remain a mystery, teachers and students alike were shocked to learn of the accusations — against someone who many described as their “favorite teacher.” 

“It’s sad, everyone liked him, especially the kids, he was beloved,” said a teacher in the district, who confirmed that Kennedy was the teacher placed on leave. 

One student, who was in Kennedy’s art class this year, said he’s still trying to process the betrayal from a person he trusted.

“He was a great teacher — but stuff happened and now I’m looking at him very differently,” said the 11th grade student, who asked to remain anonymous. 

The scandal marks the second high-profile incident involving possible sexual misconduct by Bay Shore teachers.

In November 2024, the district was ordered to pay $25 million in damages tied to a decades-old abuse case involving retired third-grade teacher Thomas Bernagozzi, who was accused of sexually abusing students for more than three decades while working at multiple elementary schools.

A Suffolk County jury found that the district ignored repeated warning signs about Bernagozzi, now 76, whose alleged abuse spanned the 1970s through the early 2000s — over 50 former students have since come forward.

And the allegations against Kennedy come just two weeks after another Long Island educator at an elementary school in the Shoreham-Wading River district, Mark Verity, was arrested in a sting where he admitted on-camera to sexting with who he thought was a 13-year-old girl.