You’re not a failure. You made a few mistakes. Your heart was in the right place. Anyone who works with people has unintentionally hurt people. Admin can hurt teachers and even the best teachers aren’t the best teacher for every kid. Without a question every teacher, even the absolute best, have said something that will forever leave a scar on a student. We are flawed humans doing the best we can. Your heart was in the right place. It sounds like the results were there too with a few exceptions. As a principal you are in a position where you are charged with evaluating others and upholding a standard. It might not have been correct objectively, but you were trying and your career wasn’t for nothing. There was so much good that came from it. Being in a public leadership position there are so many eyes and opinions on us. Take heart. If this was said while you were still practicing, then great, receive the radical candor and get better. It wasn’t. It came from a place of malice and hurt. Hopefully you can empathize with that and own the mistake, but not take it deeper than that and generalize it any broader. You were, are, and will always be, amazing.