A high school principal has stepped down following allegations of inappropriate conduct involving current and former students on Grindr, where he reportedly fantasized about a “secret school tryst,” as per a recent report.

Jonathan M. Fey, who served as the principal of Amador Valley High School in Northern California, is accused of contacting the students via a Grindr account under the name “eyes emoji,” according to Ed Source, a publication focusing on education in California.

The investigative report from the Pleasanton Unified School District revealed that the “eyes emoji” account sent messages to a former student, stating, “I really have always liked you.”

The account continued, “Didn’t you notice last year I would go out of my way to say hi or smile every time I saw you?”

The report further disclosed that Fey expressed an interest in a “hook up” while requesting that his identity remain a “secret.”

In a separate communication between the “eyes emoji” Grindr account and a current student, he calls “hella hot,” the user said that “there’s a part of me that would love a secret school tryst.”

At one point, the student asked, “Are you the principle [sic] of Amador?”

“Why do you think that?” the user responded — with the student replying, “I just know buddy trust me you are not discreet.”

After an exchange of uncomfortably flirty messages, the former student had finally had enough, telling him, “This is embarrassing to read.”

“I don’t want to sound rude but you a grown man with a wife and kids and you’re acting like this is your first high school relationship. Honestly, i’m not sure what you’re expecting,” he continued. “The fact that you used to be my principal when I was in high school and the age difference is just so creepy.”

Fey, 54, who had worked at the district since 2022, learned in February that he was being fired after spending months on administrative leave.

He appealed that decision before accepting a $254,000 settlement last week.

Fey has maintained that he was not “eyes emoji” and believes his identity was stolen.

His lawyer has said there were previous instances of Amador Valley High students pretending to be other people online.

“The allegations made against me are false,” Fey said in a statement through a public relations firm.

Justin Brown, the Pleasanton Unified School District board president, told EdSource that “a neutral third-party investigator substantiated allegations of misconduct by Mr. Fey, which the district and the board of trustees took seriously.” 

The school district “chose to settle the upcoming [appeal] to avoid subjecting students and staffers the stressors of testifying in an adversarial hearing” and to “preserve resources that otherwise would be spent in litigation,” he said.