University School of Nashville has fired director Amani Reed for mishandling sexual misconduct allegations brought by a student in the spring. USN board chair Eric Kopstain — a Vanderbilt University administrator who stepped down from his Vandy post as vice chancellor in December — cites Reed’s “actions and inactions” following allegations from a student toward Dean Masullo, a former English teacher, as reason for his firing. The school announced the board decision on Tuesday, the day classes resumed after students’ winter break.
Chai Reddy, currently USN’s head of high school, has stepped in as interim director. Reed has led USN since July 2022, when he came to Nashville from The School at Columbia University, a peer prep school in New York City, following an extensive executive search.
On Dec. 18, attorneys Joy Boyd Longnecker and JD Thomas of Barnes & Thornburg furnished a 78-page report to board members that prompted Reed’s dismissal. The report, which can be read with redactions here, details Masullo’s tenure at USN, the student allegations against Masullo and the administrative response crafted by Reed and other school leaders. The school dismissed Masullo over the summer in an agreement that included a nearly $30,000 payout; USN has since sued Masullo to recover the money.
University School of Nashville seeking to recover nearly $30,000 from Masullo in new lawsuit
Frustrated by a lack of communication about Masullo’s dismissal, the affected student explained her experience with Masullo and Reed in a letter to USN’s board in August. That letter, prepared by attorney Alex Little, was first reported by Connor Daryani at the Nashville Banner. It explained the student’s experience with Masullo and sharpened accusations against Reed and fellow administrator Quentin Walker for how they treated the accusing student. Walker had already announced he was leaving USN at the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
The school formed the Ad Hoc Committee for School Safety, a board subcommittee, in September following outcry from students, alumni, faculty and parents about Reed. Critical letters from parents, a petition from spurned faculty, and protests within the student body all arrived in September and October. Administrators shifted focus to the new ad hoc committee, which includes prominent Nashvillians like former Metro finance director Kristin Wilson and Strategic Hospitality restaurateur Benjamin Goldberg. The seven-person task force promptly retained Longnecker and Thomas to look into the school’s response to allegations against Masullo.
“Our investigation found no single point of failure or single individual who is wholly responsible for the events that are the subject of this Report,” reads a summary of the investigation, in part. “The exception to this is Masullo himself, who is clearly to blame for engaging in and concealing conduct he knew was inappropriate and in violation of multiple School policies. We found that while some USN employees thought Masullo sometimes behaved strangely, no one was aware of the full extent of his inappropriate conduct.”
The attorneys’ report substantiates the allegations against Masullo. It also determines that his actions were “consistent with ‘grooming’ behavior,” but did not constitute a “sexual offense” under Tennessee law. Exhibits to the report include love letters and gifts from Masullo to the student. Attorneys describe regular instances of one-on-one time between the student and Masullo during school hours and social engagements outside of school, including an overnight stay in a hotel room with Masullo and his wife. On at least one occasion, the student privately recorded her interactions with Masullo on her cellphone.
More than 250 students, alumni and parents sign letter agreeing to withhold monetary donations to the school
The report goes on to describe a fumbled response from Reed and other top leaders that “failed to involve critical members of senior School leadership” and “lacked a cohesive plan.” Reed avoided directing some aspects of the school’s response, citing a conflict of interest as his son had formerly dated the student who brought the allegations against Masullo, while directly managing other aspects. Attorneys leveled additional criticism at the board, led by Kopstain, describing a complacent board deferential to Reed that was “unprepared” for the crisis.
“There are significant deficiencies and shortcomings that come to light in the report, including mistakes by us, the Board of Trustees,” Tuesday’s announcement reads, in part. "We deeply apologize for the substantive toll that Dr. Masullo’s behavior and the investigative process have caused our alumna, her family, and the entire community. The Board will continue to work to uphold and improve the protective and principled environment that we all expect at USN. We will hold a series of meetings during the coming weeks to answer questions and share information about the search for a new Head of School and will provide further information in the days ahead.”