A routine school day in the Bronx unraveled into a bizarre deception when administrators discovered that one of their students was not a teenager at all.
According to the New York Post, authorities say Kacy Classen, 28, allegedly posed as a 16-year-old and managed to enroll at Westchester Square Academy using a fake identity.
According to a criminal complaint, Classen registered under the name “Shamara Rashad,” claiming she was born in 2010 and had recently relocated to New York City from Ohio with her sister.
The plan initially worked.
For roughly two weeks, she attended classes alongside actual students and was even issued an official school ID bearing the false name and age, police said.
The situation began to unravel when the school’s principal grew suspicious of inconsistencies in her story.
That suspicion led to a search that ultimately uncovered a Facebook profile believed to belong to Classen.
Police say the principal used a screenshot from that account to confront her, revealing her real identity.
Faced with the evidence, Classen allegedly admitted she had fabricated the entire story.
Investigators said she claimed a friend encouraged her to enroll in the school so she could qualify for additional public assistance.
She was arrested on April 27 on school grounds.
Classen now faces charges including endangering the welfare of a child, trespassing, and criminal impersonation. She has pleaded not guilty and is expected back in court on June 15, according to records.
Officials with New York City Public Schools condemned the alleged scheme.
“Enrollment fraud is a serious crime that fundamentally undermines New York City Public School values,” the department said in a statement.
“The NYPD is actively investigating these allegations and will pursue all appropriate legal action against those responsible. We are providing all necessary and suitable support to the school community.”
The campus where the incident occurred houses multiple schools. One of them, Lehman High School, notified families that concerns about a student’s identity had surfaced and were later confirmed.
Authorities are continuing to examine how the woman was able to pass through enrollment checks and attend classes undetected for weeks.
