BUZZ
References ‘Jew camp,’ ‘Jew money,’ and ‘they control the banks’
The principal of a Philadelphia-adjacent elementary school is on leave and faces termination after leaving an antisemitic voicemail message for a student’s father.
According to 6abc in Philly, it seems Lower Gwynedd Elementary’s Philip Leddy did not realize he hadn’t completely hung up the phone after leaving his intended message. Unfortunately for him, the voicemail caught his subsequent remarks to another school employee.
Leddy was calling the (prefers-to-remain-anonymous) father about an email he sent regarding an incident involving his daughter. After he thought he had hung up, Leddy references the daughter’s summer camp.
He refers to it as a “Jew camp” (at which “everyone hates the family”), tells the employee in the room with him that the dad has “Jew money,” and says “they control the banks.”
When the employee wonders if the dad is a lawyer, Leddy replies “the odds probably are good.”
Also in the recording (posted by the X account StopAntisemitism; see below), Leddy says the dad “pops off like that like once a year,” “is a hot head,” and that he “blows up” and “yells” at people.
Philadelphia – antisemitic fiasco caught on voicemail.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 20, 2025
Lower Gwynedd Elementary School principal Philip Leddy allegedly left a vm for a Jewish parent, didn’t hang up, and continued to speak to an unidentified female colleague.
“Jew camp”
“Jew money”
“They control the banks”… pic.twitter.com/9svjm4yCdJ
The [dad] said he was especially shocked because their children attend the same camp and swim club. He said he went to Leddy’s office to confront him.
“I asked him if the misunderstanding was about my Jew money, the Jew this, Jew that. And the color from his face just disappeared, he couldn’t believe he was caught, and he was apologetic,” the parent said.
District officials said Leddy “self-reported” the incident and admitted the comments were not appropriate, but the parent disputed that account.
“That’s not true, I had emailed the school board as soon as I got the voicemail,” he said.
He also said he did not hear an apology from the district.
“I didn’t hear anybody apologize to the parent. It was very much, ‘Here’s what happened, we can’t believe this happened.’ But I never heard them say, ‘We’re sorry to the family that was affected,'” he said.
According to the report, Wissahickon School District Superintendent Mwenyewe Dawan did say “We are truly shocked and sickened that a school leader trusted with the safety and well-being of students and staff would speak this way.”
A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, and the district indicated it “intends to fire” Leddy.
Leddy has been principal at Lower Gwynedd Elementary since 2023 but is no longer listed on the school’s “Our Principals” page. He previously served as chair of the district’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
MORE: Antisemitism complaint filed against Philly school system
