Shaw parents continue fight for principal

A few dozen parents spoke in support of Shaw Avenue School Principal Angela Hudson on Monday night, after learning that Hudson is not being recommended for tenure by the District 30 superintendent.

The Board of Education meeting, moved from the Shaw Avenue School library to the auditorium because of the large crowd, grew contentious at times, with parents calling for Superintendent Dr. Elaine Kanas to change her mind. Kanas said that she would not recommend Hudson, who is in her third year at Shaw Avenue, for tenure. Because of confidentiality rules, Kanas said she could not say why, but cited a seven-page letter to Hudson that addressed all of the reasons.

“Sometimes people are not matches for positions,” Kanas said, adding that it was a “difficult choice” to deny Hudson tenure. The principal will have to leave at the end of the school year.

Parents defended Hudson, who sat in the second row, flanked by the district’s two other principals. They said that she is very involved in the school, has improved safety, knows each child by name and has an open-door policy with parents.

Jennifer Banda said that whenever she engages Hudson in conversation, she has her undivided attention. “There’s nothing that exists but you and her,” she said.

Kenneth Fuller said that the district made a good decision — when they hired Hudson. “We support her very much,” he said. “We think she’s doing a wonderful job.”

Before the meeting began, several parents gathered in the school’s lobby to discuss the issue. “We, as parents, have evidence that she’s been a good principal for the past three years,” said Yvette Thompson. “If she was a bad principal, we would have known.”

Thompson said that it is not fair to students and parents to take away a principal they like. She also noted that it will be difficult for them to adjust to a new leader. That sentiment was echoed during the meeting. Another parent, Rita Bizzarro, said that continuity is important to the success of a school. “If your next choice is not one that you’re pleased with,” she said, “we’re going to be here in two or three years having the same conversation.”

Marcia Mangal questioned why it took three years to decide that Hudson was unfit to be the school’s principal. She also said that if Hudson was not doing her job well, district officials would have heard numerous complaints from parents.

Kanas said that administrators, like teachers, have a three-year probationary period. Every year they are evaluated and told of both their strengths and weaknesses. They are told what they need to improve on and given an opportunity to do so, she explained. “That’s why it is a three-year process,” she said.

All employees are evaluated based on specific criteria, Kanas said, and that was no different with Hudson.

Kanas also explained that she went against the recommendation of a search committee to hire Hudson, noting that another candidate was actually the preferred choice. “I hired this principal with a vested interest in seeing her succeed,” she said, adding that her decision was in the best interests of the children.

School board President Elise Antonelli said that board members have reviewed Kanas’s recommendation and agree with her decision. The board cannot grant tenure to an employee without the support of the superintendent, she explained, but they still wanted to review the matter.

The decision did not sit well with members of the public who said that the Board of Education is elected by and works for them, not the superintendent. “If the people are upset, then you’re not doing your jobs,” said Kirk Harris.

Others besides parents spoke on Hudson’s behalf. “I don’t know why you guys have to fire Ms. Hudson because she’s been a good principal,” said Shaw fifth-grader Leidy Blum, who drew a standing ovation from the crowd. “She hasn’t done anything bad.”

An online petition to keep Hudson was pulled off the District 30 website by district officials. The petition appeared on the PTA page, which as of this year is part of the district website. Janice Francis, the PTA’s corresponding secretary, said the district was trying to censor the parents. “Our voice was silenced,” Francis said, adding that her administrative access to the site was also revoked.

Kanas said that it was not appropriate to have a petition against the district on the district’s own website. She said that access to the website was taken away from the PTA leaders from all three schools during the February break. “It’s a question of controlling the image of the website,” she said.

Francis said that the Shaw Avenue PTA would go back to hosting its own website, independent of the district’s site.

Praising Hudson’s honesty and integrity, Francis said that Hudson has united the schools by creating a culture that celebrates everyone’s differences. “Our children can only become better adults through her example,” she said.

Tonya Fuller told district leaders that what they are doing is wrong, and that they were not really listening to the public. She then suggested that it might be time for a change on the board. “We are screaming out to you, crying out to you,” Fuller said. “If you can’t give us a concrete reason about why she needs to be removed, then we need to know when your term is up.”

Eleanor Hurdle, referring to Kanas’s degree in performing arts, said she didn’t want a performance from the superintendent, but the truth.

Hurdle vowed that Monday night would not be the last time Kanas and the board would hear from parents about Hudson. “I’m a fighter,” Hurdle said. “Today is not the end. It will get bigger and bigger and bigger.”