Ever since Iris Blige became the new Principle of Fordham High it was a really big scare. I didn’t know how she run our school,how she would influence the students with that nasty attitude of hers and most importantly, Will she gain respect from everyone. Yes everyone respected her,but it was just for the sake of their job. I am not writting this to trash talk Iris Blige, But I must say her leadership skills, Her way of trying to Fix Problems, Her ability to communication with others and work as one, her ambition to help out others was very poor. And this isn’t just an opinion I mean every knows and saw that. At one point I was like “Maybe she’s just doing her job a little different than the other principle by being more lenient” but that statement I had in mind didn’t make sense to me after a while. Because she really didn’t make the effort to influence anyone not even her staff. I remember when I used to perform on stage or when there was a Ceremony and she would speak…..no one would really clap for her because no one cared what she had to say. Now there is no way that a healthy staff can have such a dull and useless leader I mean she is like the weakest link. I care about Fordham Arts deeply and I hope the Board of Ed finds another principal. One who has a big heart and ambition to help others learn and succeed not only through out High-school but also in Life. Someone who can sense the Humor in a joke, someone who can be liked and loved ….not by fear but by respect. God Bless Iris Blige and God Bless all the staff from Fordham High school for the Arts.

Thank you

Iris Blige is a Principal who hides behind tyranny and abuse to disguise her incompetence. Having never taught, she is unable to translate what she understands as sound educational practice into leadership. When I first met her, I asked about her teaching background. She gave the vague response, “ I worked in special education.” During the first days of school, she took the lead in a professional development workshop for which she allocated 45 minutes for the presentation. She finished in 10 minutes and set the faculty to work on the application. Everyone gazed at each other confused because they did not understand the task. I immediately realized this woman never taught a day in her life.

As a result of Iris Blige’s educational ignorance, she is ineffective as a principal, and is unable to complete the most basic supervisory task of evaluating teachers through the observation process. Whenever she does an observation, she brings with her an AP who does the write-up for her. Afraid to be known, she is paranoid of anyone who is going to pull her cover and reveal her ineptitude. This paranoia is evidenced by the tenured faculty who have faced false accusations to the untenured teachers who have been arbitrarily given u ratings and denied tenure.

It is odious that the DOE has allowed such ineffectiveness to become the career-ender for so many promising young teachers. Competent principals would be able to recognize talent and effectively develop that talent into mastery. Unfortunately for many untenured teachers, that opportunity has been robbed from them.

Hopefully this rally, serving as an expression of our first amendment rights, will bring to light the abuses of this dictatorial style of leadership. Our country was founded on the idea of that we all share basic rights; let’s hope these rights can be restored at Fordham High School for the Arts and the other schools who suffer under tyranny.

“It seems like a case where it’s impossible, without a lot more reporting, to know which side to believe” Well, no. But if more reporting was really necessary, you had a reporter 5 minutes away, at a [yawn] public hearing for what, 10 hours? The teachers and the union were there; the principal was inside.

“The teachers organizing the protest said in a memo that the principal’s misconduct stretches back through her five years at the school.” Why in “a memo”? Why not speak with the teachers? The teachers and their reps would have gladly spoken to anyone who asked. It may be easier to get on the phone with a DoE official than with a teacher, but that leads to a certain slant in coverage, doesn’t it?

“While we take complaints and allegations seriously, we don’t believe there is reason to remove the principal,”

If a teacher sneezes and the principal does not like that the teacher sneezed he or she is removed from the building no ands, if or buts! It is clear that the DOE does not want to remove abusive, faling and incompetent principals. Why? TThe anwer will be crystal clear when all the children of this city go to charter schools, merit pay is citywide and the UFT is history.