District 28 CEC calls for principal’s ousting
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The resolution came at the end of the monthly meeting, attended by upwards of 150 parents, teachers, and community members. They crowded into the makeshift basement auditorium of PS 182, which quickly became a standing-room-only venue. The CEC voted on the resolution minutes after Rev. Charles Norris read a litany of complaints against Murphy, ending each with a rousing declaration of “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
Although a recent incident thrust MS 8 into the media spotlight, the press (WCBS, Daily News, Queens Chronicle, and the New York Teacher) reports that there is a long history of abuse by Murphy at MS 8, as well as at other schools. CEC member Emily Ades spoke from the stage, saying she issued her own report in November 2008 after performing a walk-through of the middle school, which she likened to a detention center.
Martine Guerrier, Chief Family Engagement Officer from the DOE Office for Family Engagement and Advocacy (OFEA), came late to the meeting after notifying the CEC that she would not be attending, and sending two representatives in her stead. Her arrival was unexpected and was not met with a warm reception.
Both parents and CEC members said they had reached out to her office to no avail. Kenneth Williams, one of the CEC vice presidents, spoke of his dissatisfaction with OFEA after he sought their support following negative experiences with the principal of PS 30. “[The community has] been left out in the cold for two years. Not just MS 8. Not just PS 30. It’s the whole district,” he said.
Guerrier said, “A number of issues were raised to me today that have not been brought to me before.”
In a telephone conversation with Insideschools.org, Department of Education spokesperson Ann Forte said that there is an “ongoing investigation” of the principal. “We don’t believe that his removal is warranted,” she said, noting that he “sent a letter home to parents a week ago trying to reach out and push to try to communicate better.” She said concerned parents should reach out to District 28 Superintendent Jeanette Reed. The superintendent’s office is ultimately responsible for the hiring of principals and for their dismissal.
Meanwhile, protestors gather each morning before MS 8 begins its school day. They hold signs and photos of Murphy and often cheer “get rid of the rat.” A rally will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the
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This is a common situation throughout the outer boroughs. Autocratic principals, abuse of parents, teachers and students and a total lack of community input. Martine Guerrier’s role is a joke. She may get driven around in a Town Car, but she’s really just Klein’s lackey. Parents need to stand up to end mayoral control.
Comment by bklynmom — April 7, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
Many principals throughout the city do as they please. They do not support their Parent Coordinators and even harrass them. PC’s are under the direct supervision of the Principal so how can PC’s report any wrong doing to the Central Office and fear being fired? Parent Coordinators are told that they are not OFEA employees but work for the Principal. Something is wrong here. Absolutely true.
Comment by Brooklyn PC — April 8, 2009 @ 7:41 am
OFEA and it’s staff walk around with their heads stuffed where the sun don’t shine. They created this totally unnecessary unit which staffed by recent college grads who know nothing about parents, schools, students, etc. and they are supposed to help the parents and the parent coordinators. Their training is a joke and they have nothing new to offer. They took an regional organization that was staffed with wonderful, caring, and talented people and destroyed it in order to provide jobs to OFEA, a group that does nothing.
I’m not surprised about the reception Marine got at the CEC meeting - she does nothing except for the greater good of Msrtine, the Chief Mom. If that’s what she is, she should be brought up on charges of abuse and neglect.
I don’t doubt that she was not aware of the whole situation - her lackeys at OFEA probably sloughed off most of the parent and district complaints, as they usually do. They are too busy making flyers that can’t be printed, with information that is not correct, and they take criticism very poorly.
Comment by Queens PC — April 8, 2009 @ 10:03 am
Since the inception of the Parent Coordinator position in 2003, there have been complaints about Principals from many of us. Now we get to add OFEA to the list. Every one of us wears the required “12 hats” and then some. We answer switchboard phones, we do busing and lunch duty, we are lodged in offices that don’t offer privacy for phone or face-to-face conversations with parents - as well as teachers and students, because believe me, teachers and students are a regular part of our daily routine of wearng those worn out 12 hats - we rarely take lunch breaks and work evening hours. We are beat up about city-issued cellphones that are supposed to be ready for answering 24 hours a day (just ask Ms. G) as well as parent surveys that are returned at low percentage rates (even though EVERY year they are delivered late!). We smooth out wrinkles and think on our feet in an effort to achieve the rightfully expected welcoming environment. That is necessary. That part really is our job.
A lot of this job is not easy. And we’re not particularly asking for easy. We’re asking for respect. We’re asking that Principals hear us, listen to us, listen to their staff and faculty and take into consideration that we are all in the field. Sure, they are the Captains, the CEOs, and the buck should stop with them, but we’re not trying to sabotage anything that they’re doing as long as we keep to the ideal that WE ALL WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO FUNCTION COMPETENTLY! We need our captains to guide us but at the same time, step out of the box and listen to the needs of the school community. Principals are not on the ship by themselves.
I want to believe that we all want the same things: to satisfy students who are hungry for an education, well prepared teachers who are able to deliver that education - backed by an administration that supports their efforts, and well-trained PCs that offer solutions to parents by helping them navigate the DOE system which further educates them so that they can better help their children. We all know - the “turnkey” process…
Good working relationships between Principals and all the rest of the staff are no longer the norm, they are the exception (you should be applauded!). Information from District Family Advocates (DFAs)whidh is delivered and directed through the OFEA is rarely done in a timely manner. Training schedules and material for parent information sessions (e.g., PTAs, SLTs) are done haphazardly by OFEA, offered in sentence structure that is unclear and not concise - come on! - information needs to be forwarded that reflects an educational community! We lost a focused supervisor who taught us how to do this job and how to do it well, while purposely avoiding a slash in our creativity. She instilled in us a required respect for our Principals as leaders regarding all school activity. Many of us are still waiting for the reciprocal respect as parent/community liasons. What has happened here? OFEA? Chief Who? Creativity? Training sessions that we NEED? OFEA/Principals engaging in connectional conversation? Principals that listen?????
Good for you MS 8. Your time has come to peacefully demand respect because asking for it no longer seems viable.
Comment by a Parent who is a PC — April 8, 2009 @ 7:41 pm
Parents have to continue fight throughout the City. As taxpayers, they are entitled to have their children educated in an environment that is bias-free and productive.
Comment by Aura Moody — April 8, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
None of this is surprising. The PC at my son’s school “helps” parents fill out the parent survey. She does this because the parents don’t speak English, but the survey is available in Spanish. Mayoral control has to end and there has to be more democracy in the schools. Functional schools value parents’ input.
Comment by jed — April 13, 2009 @ 9:01 am
Disrespect of principals to parents, teachers. students and parent coordinators are unacceptable and must be addressed somehow and quickly. We must however be made aware that there are still very respectful principals in our schools, I am blessed to work with one of them.
Comment by Joan - Parent Coordinator — April 14, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
BRAVO! It’s great to see parents standing up for their rights and the rights of their children! This is a parent’s duty!! It should be written in the first few pages of the “Parent’s Child Raising Handbook” which should be given out in every delivery room! Often enough parents “glance” at the situations that mostly effect their child’s school and their school environment. Especially in the Middle School. Parent involvement should be welcomed at any cost! I don’t think Parent Coordinators should be held accountable for the lack of involvement at schools that have been seen as “undesireable and problemmatic”. How can you change the mind of an entire community?? It is definitely out of the PC’s hands. The responsibility of “Creating a Welcoming Environment” by the P.C. is limited to the P.C’s office. Creating a welcoming school environment must be created by the Principal. Apparently, Mr. Murphy doesn’t see it that way. Too bad for him!
Comment by Western Queens PC — April 16, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
This all starts at the superintendent level. After all, they are the ones that do the hiring. Something needs to be done to make this work so that Teachers can do their jobs without constant harassment.
Comment by Concerned Citizen — July 15, 2009 @ 2:34 pm