This is from Sue Edelman in the NY Post. Another school where the staff voted that they have no confidence in a principal has succeeded in having the principal removed.
The principal of a Brooklyn high school where out-of-control kids threatened and injured staffers has been removed, The Post has learned.
Sybil Girard, interim acting head of It Takes a Village Academy in Flatbush, will not return in September, but will start a new job as an assistant principal — with lesser pay — at a school nearby, the city Department of Education confirmed.
“Everyone is so relieved,” said a teacher at ITAVA. “There are tears of joy, literally, among the remaining staff. A lot of good people have left because of her.”
Girard is now under investigation for allegedly firing five teachers who openly wrote letters of complaints, the DOE confirmed.
Among horrific incidents at the school, which reeked of pot, one teacher found a note warning, “I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE BITCH!” with her home address obtained by a kid who gained access to an office computer.
A school safety agent trying to break up a fight fell and broke his arm. A pregnant paraprofessional who asked a student not to shove her was told by the girl: ‘I will f–k you up.”
Besides safety concerns, teachers said Girard let the once highly regarded school slide academically.
The school’s robotics team fell by the wayside. Teachers who left were not replaced. Not a single student graduated this year with an advanced Regents diploma, because the required courses in math, science and Spanish were dropped.
In June, the frustrated faculty took a vote of no-confidence in Girard, with 48 of 63 staffers approving it.
The staff no confidence votes seem to be working. First, Forest Hills, then LaGuardia and now It Takes a Village. Three principals removed after no confidence votes. Chapters don't need 100% support. This school had 76% vote no confidence. A big majority of a staff can have a huge impact. Try to convince your colleagues of the need to stay together to have a real voice.
Please note that none of the ousted principals are unemployed. We do not advocate for terminations except in the most extreme cases and think teachers should be treated as professionally. At It Takes a Village Academy, hopefully those five teachers who were allegedly fired for complaining could have a real chance of being reinstated.
I think the no confidence votes are an outstanding way to finally get justice with vindictive principals. Since the DOE will back admins at all cost, it is good to know that it takes a vote of no confidence that is shared with the NY rag newspapers to finally get something done. If this is what it takes, that is fine with me.
ReplyDeleteFine by me too.
ReplyDeleteIt Takes A Village Academy went through a very stressful year! How can the DOE place someone as principal who was not prepared to lead? The inexperience was dangerous for students and staff. Where was the superintendent or other mentors?
ReplyDeleteIn the name of budget we lost all our special programs and traditions that made ITAVA a strong academic school! We only had two deans and this was unsafe for all!
I am relieved that now we have a chance to rebuild! Leadership, dedication, vision, and collaboration are what ITAVA needs now. The media and the staff managed to get the change we need started.
I look forward to a productive school year! Our voices were heard!
Thanks for getting this story out ICEUFT!
Where was the NY Teacher?
ReplyDelete@12:24
ReplyDeleteIt’s under my cats poop, where it belongs.
I use it to line my birdcage. It is just the right size. Why didn't they send a reporter to do a feature on ITAVA? Because they've left us on our own. Thank you Ms Edelman.
ReplyDeleteOnly the nypost cares about the safety and education of NYC kids.
ReplyDeleteTheir writers care. Their editorial board wants any excuse to privatize education and close schools to fire unionized teachers.
ReplyDelete