Principal sues ex-students for Myspace slander

Hermitage (PA) - A high school principal has sued four former students because of fake Myspace profiles they allegedly created, portraying him as a drug and alcohol addict.

The mock profiles lasted less than a week, but Eric Trosch, principal of Hickory High School at the time, says the slanderous remarks harmed his reputation, and he is seeking monetary damages.

Each profile used his name and official school picture. Two of the alleged postings said Trosch was a brutal womanizer, and a third said he "kept a keg of beer behind his desk at school, was on steroids, and smoked marijuana," according to the civil court filing.

The student accused of creating the third profile is in the middle of his own lawsuit against the school. After the incident occurred in December 2005, the school suspended him and placed him into an alternative education program. His parents argue the punishment was excessive and prevented him from receiving the best education possible.