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January 28, 2010

Head of charter school set to close fires back at teachers, DOE

by Maura Walz, at 8:35 pm

The head of the Brooklyn charter school whose charter could be revoked is firing back at the Department of Education and the former teachers who reported her.

In a letter sent to parents on Tuesday, Sheila Joseph, superintendent of the East New York Preparatory school, called the DOE’s allegations that she artificially inflated her salary, violated its charter by shortening the school year and expelled nearly 50 low-performing students before they took state tests “unfounded and untrue.” Joseph also argued in the letter that the school’s high faculty turnover rate was necessary to preserve high standards for the students.

“No one enjoys faculty turnover, but just as we have high and uncompromising standards for our students we also will not compromise on faculty performance,” she wrote. Between the end of last school year and the beginning of this one, the school lost every teacher it had.

“Some of our best teachers are now here because others had to be let go,” Joseph continued. “I don’t take lightly the fact that there has been turnover. However, I will never allow your children to have anything less than the absolute best.”

Former teachers at the school reacted angrily to Joseph’s explanation to parents.

“She’s lying,” said one former teacher who was dismissed in June.

“You’re saying you let go of 100 percent of your staff last year because they were bad, but all of your students passed the test?” the teacher said. (The school had 100 percent of its students score proficient on state math exams last year.) “If so, you must have done something with the scores.”

Teachers accused Joseph of firing them in retaliation for wanting to leave and for reporting abuses at the school to the DOE, which put the school on probation last February.

“I knew this was coming,” the teacher said. “We opened this can of worms.”

Teachers described a school in which teachers were fired arbitrarily and replaced with staff with neither teacher certification nor undergraduate degrees. The principal of the school was fired almost immediately after announcing she wouldn’t return the following year after having differences with Joseph, teachers said. A former teacher described a main hallway decorated with pictures of the teaching staff. “You’d come in and you’d see another picture gone,” the teacher said. “You’d be like, oh no.”

In addition to expelling students, a teacher said, low-scoring third graders were sent back to second grade to avoid being tested. Teachers said that students with disabilities were either counseled out of the school or taught by teaching assistants who lacked proper certification.

One teacher said the school never gave her a copy of its charter; when she finally received it from the DOE’s charter school office, she discovered the school had received funds for technology and project-based learning that were never implemented. Another former teacher said that, even as Joseph gave herself a raise, she cut teachers’ hours and solicited donations from parents, citing budget cuts.

Mona Davids, head of the New York Charter Parents Association, who has argued that charter schools need to be more transparent and held accountable for more than just test scores, said the case of East New York Prep underscores the need for better parent grievance processes and teacher whistle-blower protections in charter schools.

“If you’re trying to tell us that everyone of those 48 [expelled] students’ parents didn’t want to complain about it — they couldn’t complain about it, because they have nowhere to go in the charter school system,” Davids said. The DOE opened its investigation of the school in response to complaints from parents, but Davids said the process must be more formal.

Davids said that as a charter school parent, she also hoped that teachers would one day be able to report improprieties they see in their schools without fear for their jobs.

“There should be whistle-blower protections for teachers in charter schools,” she said. “I’m not saying that all charter schools should be unionized, but with every job, there should be some some protections.”

The school and parents received a letter from the DOE on Monday night detailing the reasons behind the closure. The school has 30 days to respond before Chancellor Joel Klein makes a final decision. In the letter, Joseph says she will reply to the charges in that time.

Joseph is also convening a series of meeting with parents to defend herself and the school. The first of those meetings was held tonight, with three more to follow through the weekend. One former teacher also reported that the school’s parent coordinator is organizing a petition for parents who want to save the school.

The DOE is holding a meeting of its own at the school, next Wednesday, to explain the closure and offer help placing students in other schools.

A former teacher said she was confident that the schools’ students would weather the changes and find spots at other schools.

“The school doesn’t even need to be shut down, in my opinion,” she said. “[Joseph] just needs to go.”

Here is the full text of Joseph’s letter:

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  • http://none Current Employees

    It is time for individuals who are exposed to ENYP on a daily basis to stand up and say it as is, regardless of the the consequences. Ms. Joseph does somethings right and somethings wrong. Her vision is great however her motives might be questionable. Closing the school is the wrong thing to do period, children’ futures are at risk as well as the jobs of hard working people.

    Unfortunately none of that will mean anything if the head of the organization remains motivated by the wrong things. The fact remains that because of Ms. Joseph’s poor people skills and constant need to prove herself as being better than, ENYP’s relationships with the schools that share our building has suffered and thereby has limited the ability of our students to fully spread their wings. Whether Ms. Joseph continues to run the school is not up to us and we do not care one way or the other. What we do care about is strong qualified leadership both academically and operations wise. Enough of unqualified, part-time and temporary people acting as Principal, Registrar, Office Manager, and Head of Operations. Enough of budget pinching on staff, technology and activities that are so needed, while she is making out like a fat cat.

    Enough of the disorganization and constant turnover which creates a sense of taking a step forward and ten steps back. Enough of a former lawyer and CPA without real education backgrounds running the school towards this unfortunate point, uncompromising and unwilling to accept input from real educators. The ball is in your hands Ms. Joseph, it is time that someone stood up and say that you and you alone can save the school. Now isn’t the time for survival games now is the time to accept that the futures of innocent boys and girls are in limbo and your actions at least contributed to that to some degree. So now is the time to put ego and grand standing aside, you want to teach these kids something then teach them how to assess themselves and honestly evaluate how they might have contributed or played a roll in things when they are not going well; by truly assessing and accepting the role you have played in things coming to a breaking point at ENYP. Surprise us all by putting real changes into place beginning this week, prove to us that it isn’t about the money and put $40,000 from your salary back in to the budget. Put qualified leadership into place at full time capacity where it is needed and stop relying on children to run the organization. An individual showing alliance and the ability to kiss ass with the best does not qualify them to run this great organization it is a disaster waiting to happen.

    Your vision is grand, what a success story ENYP would be if it could take children from neighborhoods where much isn’t expected by the masses, and put them on a firm path towards college. That accomplishment should to be valued for what it is, a foundation used to plants seeds for bright futures that cannot only change individual lives but the direction of entire families. It should not be seen as a means to reach Oparah or Obama status. Sure there is nothing wrong with dreaming and having ambitions, however to play Russian roulettes with the futures of children who has already been dealt a disadvantage in live, as a means to reach those goals is a selfish and dangerous game to play.

    Ms. Joseph if ENYP is more to you than a stepping stone to glory and you legitimately care about the future of our school then you have the power to stop this closing. Start from the top and ensure that you take a step back and listen to what people have been saying about you. Not one person but many bitter or not, it comes a point in one’s life where they have to take a hard look at themselves and their relationships with others and ask am I living this life right? Are there changes the I need to make within myself? And can I truly reach greatness with so many against me? Are there legitimate reasons why they are against me? A strong will, intelligence and education are key components to being a leader; however, to be a great leader one must have compassion, the ability to listen and seek advise, and the ability to develop and keep strong relationships business and other wise. That me against the world attitude will get one only so far in this life. Put the future of ENYP ahead of your finances and ambitions, these wonderfully bright children are worth that much.

  • Charisse Persaud

    I totally agree with Current Teacher ,well said !!!!!

  • A Former Employee within her adminsitration

    This unfortunately is panning out exactly how Ms. Joseph wanted it to. For the parents or freinds of Joseph as well former employees up here cursing one another and all the other ignorant banter it won’t solve the problem. The lines of division have been created, unbeknownst to you, since day 1. Parents, you will never appreciate where an employee past or present is coming from. What I tell you is first hand experience. Most of the parents that stayed are familiar with the meetings that happened last february where the school was placed on probation. The probation was never satisfied. Only when the DOE came back to follow up did Ms. Joseph decide to repair the school, hold the meetings with you all. I don’t have to go into another unglorious detail about the background running the forefront because all you seem to see is the DOE targeting a black owned school, in a black community. I won’t slow my role. I won’t watch my mouth and that’s exactly why I was terminated. I spoke on things that she didn’t think was known. I addressed her attitude toward her parents and she didn’t regard them all as educated and caring. She picked and chose the parents she was willing to put up with and it was usually the parents that she assumed were well off or had the popularity vote amongst other parents. Simple as that. Good luck to all of you who still have children going there. Good luck to the faculty/staff that still works there and believe in the same vision Ms. Joseph sold to so many faculty/staff members before. The problems were always there, unfortunately, they ballooned to capacity that couldn’t be looked over.

  • Charisse Persaud

    Hey Mona , why didnt you speak to me today ? Where you in a hurry ? Im a concerned parent . See you at the meeting !!!!!!!

  • Parent

    I agree with ” current employee ” 100% however I really don’t think he/she is really a current employee because he/she would know about all the changes that are in place for the new location of the school…….. At former employee I’ve read your comments & it sounds like you so desperatly trying to reach the current parents with alot of negativity even after the beautiful written comment from”current employee” your still ranting about Joseph and the part about appreciating you we’re supposed to be thanking you for playing a part in our possible school closure?!Are you looking at this situation from the CURRENT PARENT point of view? Your telling us all the things that happen to you & others in the PAST but you have yet tell us how to continue on in the FUTURE and I still don’t understand your the role you play in this whole situation,I have never been one to kiss anyones behind especially not joseph’s the most I’ve ever said to her was goodmoring if that, so i know I’m not one of her favs but i still never had a problem with her…I just think the school should stay open with or with out joesph….and out of those 19 pending school closures how many are so called “Black Schools”

  • Parent

    And another thing, if grown behind adult is going to stand there and let sheila or anyone else disrespect them in any way,shape,or form…..Thats on them, I will not lose my job for someone who is not going to speak up for themselves

  • Interesting

    Amazing how Mona Davis was in Albany, NY today at Parent Advocacy Day REPRESENTING in an East New York Prep t-shirt. Really Mona? Is that how it’s done? I find that extremely interesting! How come you didn’t speak to us today Mona?! Don’t be fooled people, DoE is up to tricks and is using Mona as the “front-line”…

  • Leslie

    @ Interesting… I highly recommend gathering more facts versus being swayed left and right by every theory that flies by… I can tell you first hand, that Mona is making a difference for kids. In fact I believe God provided her to me as present help from losing my mind fending off a school system that would have my whole community of brown babies, broken spirited and working for the chain gang.

    Say what you will, but she IS helping, forming bonds with education reformists, gathering parents that have the same complaints and helping them to support one another. Learning the laws so and creating forms that she readily supplies to parents who need help advocating for their kids. Most recently she helped us to save the education of one of our special education students who was being railroaded for the sake of his IEP money…

    You’re really off base. I would’ve believed that she was wearing a t-shirt to highlight the need for accountability/oversight and parent voices in charterschools. That t-shirt has to be a sore reminder to every legislator of how far things have gone wrong.

    I can’t even imagine what the story is behind the conversation thing, but personally I wouldn’t want to have to deal with some of the ignorance that has been displayed in this forum… The remarks have just been unbelieveable and completely inappropriate to the subject matter and venue. Worse, when you are paying your own way to help kids that are not yours and they are the ones attacking you?! Quite frankly most of you couldn’t even begin to navigate this education maze on your own. If you were up against these big business without help, you would do like most parents and just give up. You don’t know it, ’til your in it.

    God Bless Mona Davids, and may she continue to do what she does despite the hate mail. She is in good company though, cause all great people who have tried to help their communities and cultures ended up hated, at least until there was no one left that hadn’t benefited from their works…

    HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! May Dr. King’s dream NEVER die!

  • Daughter of a Former Employee

    In reference to the concerned parents of ENYP, it is understandable why you feel the way you do. Your child will in event be relocated from this school and transferred to another mid-education. But to support this “superintendent” is ludicrous. We are referring to a woman who has solicited funds from you, without ever intending to put it towards your child’s education, but instead to stuff her own pockets. When it comes to those teachers that were let go, you have to understand that the working conditions we less than satisfactory. Teachers were being forced to stay for 3 to 4 hours at least after school was dismissed just to sit in meetings that you could hardly call necessary.
    They were made to be there from 7 am to 7 pm. Imagine if you had to work such long hours non-stop with at least 15 kids to attend to. Her methods of creating lesson plans was …. absolute bullshit. Who wants to sit and map out hour by hour, day Also, the pay is horrible. Some teachers put a large sum of money into buying materials (that should have already been provided) for the students and the checks hardly cover the costs of what they had to spend. In addition to this, ENYP is a CHARTER school, not the DOE. In the DOE, there are unions in which teachers are protected against such atrocities. In the charter school system there is no one you can complain to and if you were to try and complain that would mean your job. Many teachers had no other option but to keep their mouth shut due to the freeze that was on the DOE hiring market.
    I may be speaking from my own viewpoint of what my parent had to endure but it if Ms. Joseph were to remain I am sure these injustices will be repeated again and again and again. Ms. Joseph is a contemptible person for her actions and unfortunately children will suffer in the end but she must, MUST be STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Charter parent

    This is for “Interesting”

    FYI – I was in Albany today and did see Mona. Mona was dressed in a suit along with the other NYCPA parent leaders who were all dressed in suits advocating for all of our kids! Lots of pictures were taken so I’m sure you’ll find pictures posted with Mona in them dressed in a suit.

    At advocacy day today, ENYP was the main topic of conversation because of what went wrong and all the families affected. Attack Mona all you want but understand she has never lost a fight for a charter school siting or a charter parent issue with their school.

    If there is a way to keep ENYP open, Mona is the person you want fighting in your corner. You need to stop spreading rumors/lies about her and see if she can help you save your school!

  • Parent

    LOL@ Lesile you never said why she was wearing a ENYP t-shirt I believe her daughter attends a Bronx charter obviously we’re not like most parents because we are going to fight for our school regardless to what anyone has to say…….be a leader not a follower Lesile!!You really sound like you worship the ground she walks on…..by the way does your child attend ENYP? @ Daughter I’m still hearing the words has, were,let go, those are past tense words to me…No one has yet to say how to move forward……

  • ENYP Parent

    ENYP is operated like a business not a school. What gives Ms. Joseph the right to put her child’s father on the board and pay him $5500.00 and last year try to solicit donations from the parents ?? The money should be going towards the school not your home!!! A month ago, I was told by Ms. Joseph through a letter to the parents, that my child had a new teacher with over 30yrs teaching experience, today that teacher is no longer there…..To the parents who says their child is learning and coming to Ms. Joseph’s defense, who should get credit for this Ms. Joseph or their teacher ???

  • Leslie

    Parent??? I did say why I would’ve believed she would be in a ENYP t-shirt, as it turns out someone who was there says she wasn’t, so… what are you talking about… I don’t think you can read anything that isn’t hate mail to spur you on. To you and any more nasty repliers who I will no longer address directly. I worship nobody by God Almighty ( El Shaddai, Elohim, Jehovah Jirah, Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Raffa, and all his other Holy names), have you ever met Him? He is worthy to be praised and worshipped!

    And btw you are absolutely right, you are like no parents I know personally… They would fight for their child not the school!

    May your joyfully reap what you sow…

  • Charisse Persaud

    @ ENYP parent ,
    You know a lot about Ms Joseph ! Why I don’t know so much ? Who ever you are talking to sure didn’t tell me that . I don’t know why we are not fighting this battle together . I’m not saying not to raise questions. I’m just saying hear both sides. Mona Davids seem like she knew who to call because she never reached out to me. If Mona Davids is fighting for our school , she should contact all the parents not just the ones with complaints and doubts. Ms Joseph didn’t tell me to write this. Ms Joesph didn’t say Ms Persaud you better be on my side. I’m making my own decisions and yes I want her to address every issue the DOE has concerns with. If she is in compliance, what will we be fighting for then ? We need to work as parent body and figure out how we can keep our kids in this school that we know is performing. If you want your child to leave then just find another school and let us fight. Why try to bring down a school that is performing. Numbers don’t lie !!!! We need facts and facts only !!

  • Concerned Citizen

    As long as Mona Davids keeps getting money from the teachers union and the prison guard union to help keep black children out of school and on a path to prison, why should anyone listen to anything she says?

  • http://none concerned

    A whole lot of fan fair in a situation that is so simple to address. ENYP if there is nothing to hide open up your records now, not in two weeks after you have gone in and fixed things. Do it now.

    Justify your pay increase and the money paid to your ex. It is that simple be open and give the community real answers, to prove that you are trustworthy and deserve a chance to stay open.

    No one seem willing to call for full disclosure and no one is offering it. Parents if seems as though you are getting more access at least to some level as never before, I find it interesting that you are made part of the process now rather than before.

    Some comments here are quick to point out that these are things that have happened in the past, and want to focus on moving forward because things are getting better. Are they really getting better? What about the future? Sure you will have a building of your own but what happens when this administration is responsible for the operation of everything from building infrastructure, student body security and the endless issues that pops up with running a building? It Ms. Joseph and her team is having so may break down while sharing a DOE building then what will things be like when experience operations people, custodians, medical staff and security aren’t there to fall back on?

    What will happen when there is no one there to keep and eye on things? Where will the money go when there is someone with a questionable past running things? Are you sure that you want your kids among that chaos? If ENYP can’t get it together after all this time with 8 class rooms, 8 teachers and a few offices, then what kind of pitfalls await them with a bigger school and more responsibility?

    These were just a few common sense things I though should be addressed and contemplated before we all rush to put a school in to certain hands.

  • http://none concerned

    My advice is to stop focusing on Mona Davis she isn’t going to make the final decisions people. This is just classic but enough is enough.

    EVERYONE IT IS NOT A BIG SECRET OK, YES RACISM EXIST OUT THERE! AND YES THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE OUT THERE WORKING AGAINST OUR COMMUNITIES IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP US IN OUR PLACE. BROKEN AND DISENFRANCHISED. And guess what those people will always exist, however, once you have this information it is your responsibility to use it to your advantage.

    Mona Davis can only fan the flames that exist, if that is her agenda. It should be your agenda to find out for yourselves if this the fire in question was set by ENYP’s leadership our just a bunch of smoke coming at you. Attacking Mona Davis here will do nothing but motivate her to work harder to promote closing the school, if that is what she is working towards. Stop the mindless babble and go find out what is really up at ENYP. Find out what has to be fixed to keep your school open and be willing to face whatever truth comes your way.

    The bottom line is that Ms. Joseph is a human being who was fortunate to have a mother with the wisdom to understand that education was the ticket to a brighter future and she did everything in her power to make sure that Ms. Joseph appreciated the importance of that education, and made sure she worked hard to get it.

    Vision, hard work and determination lead Ms. Joseph to be the head of ENYP. Those same tools are available to you now, there is no secret formula people. Ms. Joseph wasn’t offered some special anointing that isn’t available to you. Just like her mother did, the parents who applied to get your children into ENYP had that same vision of a bright future for your children via education. Ms. Joseph or ENYP didn’t plant that seed and Mona Davis being alive didn’t hinder you from going after what you know was best for your children.

    So stop paying attention to individuals here, pay attention to what is best for your child now and in the future. If Ms. Joseph is innocent then your inquiries will be meet with openness and she will provide real information instead of pumping you up to go in and fight for her.

    The most important thing to look at is, did ENYP’s leadership know they were on probation? And if so what legitimate steps were made in the months between the time they were placed on probation and now, to get that probation lifted?

    Why is it that the probation was never lifted? And who or what contributed to that? Where did the breakdowns happen within the organization to prevent progress from happening during this time? Why is it that parents weren’t tapped to be a part of correcting the issues that needed fixing? Why wasn’t there good faith efforts made to put a legitimate board into place? Why are teachers leaving mid semester? What is the root cause of the turnover problems and how can that be fixed? Why have important positions remained unfilled by qualified professional? Why are teachers paid less and where did the fund intended for teachers go?

    Schools cannot be closed without just cause, regardless of personal agendas. Suspend the typical arguments that someone is out to get you because you are black or minority. While it maybe true, you help promote a sense of hopelessness in the community and among the same children you are trying to remove mental limitations from. If they are out to get you then you go down trying to prevent them from getting you, and that isn’t done by moving away from the root cause of the problem. The first step is to go the source in question and find out all the information you need in order to develop a lasting effective plan to prevent them from getting you.

    Ms. Joseph already has her education and unless she ends up in jail somewhere her possibilities are endless. It is time to focus on what is best for ENYP and your children and then everything else after that. And hell if the do get what they wish for and the school is closed what are you going to do? Just give up and let them win? Remember, Ms. Joseph didn’t give you the dream of a brighter future for your children, you had that even before you met Ms. Joseph, so continue on fighting for a better life for that child.

  • Parent

    MIGHTY ANGRY LESILE……LOLOLOLOLOL ITS FUNNY HOW YOU CAN SPIT RUDE COMMENTS BUT CAN’T TAKE’EM…..AND WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW WHEN OUR CHILDREN ARE IN THAT BEAUTIFUL NEW SCHHOL OWNED BY ENYP!!! DOSENT SEEM LIKE YOUR READING THE COMMENTS CORRECTLY IF YOU WOULD WIPE AWAY THE HATE FOG THAT YOU HAVE FOR SHEILA YOU WOULD SEE THIS IS FIGHT IS FOR OUR CHILD(REN) AGAIN DO YOU HAVE CHILD(REN) @ ENYP?!!

  • A Former Employee within her adminsitration

    @ Parent, I don’t want anyone to thank me for anything. “appreciating where I am coming from” does not mean I want you to thank me, it was used in place of “understanding where I am coming from”. I am not up here to fight with or persuade anyone to feel the way I do, you weren’t there with me everyday. Stop using selective reading to fuel your anger, if you read my comment you would see that I am addressing what lead up to the investigation in Dec 08 which led to the meeting held in February 09. I can’t offer a short term solution to a long standing problem which runs way deeper than you would ever really know. It is unfortunately 50% operations and 50% education issues over there.

  • Leslie

    Ms. Persaud, numbers do lie – that is how we go into this economic crisis today… But more importantly it is why the school is being closed – for fraud… Fraudulent test scores and fraudulent budgeting…

    As for so called “Parent”, I believe you are Sheila herself trying to fuel the fire of this debate… make comments under a few different aliases in order to undermine the process that is designed to unearth all your secrets… I will no longer be checking nor responding to comments in this forum, I just pray the parents who need help and want help, get it and that in the end this can be a story the kids can tell their kids about how they overcame adversity. One Love!

  • Parent of ENYP

    Is it 6pm yet?

  • Parent

    NOPE CAN’T WAIT TILL THEN!!

  • Worked at ENYP Hell in Summer 2008

    We all knew this would happen, each of us who worked there and were either let go or left on our own. You can only take so much working with a woman who has no clue what she was doing. It was evident and now you can all see it. I hope these children are able to transition back to another school. Working for this teacher/educator/lawyer and leader was torture, the best part of my day was greeting and shaking the hands of the angels every morning who trusted her to prepare them for the future. Thanks for failing them Sheila, real smooth Ms. Georgetown Law, real smooth. 

  • Worked at ENYP Hell in Summer 2008

    Without a doubt Sheila is on here making comments to further push her agenda. A shame.

  • http://www.gothamschools.org Joke School

    Wow! No comments!

    I wonder if Sheila is going to make the teachers come to school tomorrow!

    She is evil. I will have a party, when she is out of education. ….

  • Charisse

    You need to get a life joke School . I’m upset that I got an email for this silly comment .. Smh !!

  • OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    well well well!!! All that talk you had to say before! What’s up now?? Its OVER!!! SHE IS DONE!! NOw say something!!!

  • Lex

    Wow! I see a lot of angry white teachers on this site. You all are really not used to having a black supervisor, are you? These nasty comments are coming from somewhere else, and you all need to search yourselves. The cloud of racism is thick in this situation, and your circle of hate is very thin. So what is Ms. Joseph is proclaiming God. He wants us to call out to him in our darkest hour, and I believe that is what she is doing. It seems like you all have a really hard time forgiving her for whatever she has done in the past, but it’s alright because God is her judge, and He forgives her. Ms. Joseph knows that when one door closes, another one opens, and I proclaim that her future will be brighter. God bless you Ms. Joseph! He takes care of his own. No weapons formed against you shall prosper.

  • Shelia Joseph Please

    The only door that needs to open up for this supposed educator is one that of a jail cell. She has caused education neglect to those 43 students that she had pushed out before the state exams to protect her precious exam scores, gave the father of her child $5500 for sitting on the board, and given herself raises for doing a failing job. Now she has caused an additional 160 to be displaced because of her selfish needs. Applause to you Ms. Joseph!

  • http://www.gothamschools.org I Knew It…

    Sheila is out! Sheila is out! I wonder how she is going to keep her fancy car and fancy clothes, now that she is out of job! I can’t believe how blind she is … I would suggest you to leave quietly. This is the beauty of America…it always looks like nothing is getting done, but at the end everything comes… Great laws great country…Sheila you know that! 

    Good luck to all the parents and students! 

  • Ding dong the witch is out!

    is it true? is she really out? if so we need to break out in song and dance. i guess it’s all good in the hood now!

  • OUR SCHOOL AIN’T CLOSING..SHELIA JOSEPH IS OUR HERO AND WE AIN’T GOING NO WHERE!!! HAHAHA WHAT A JOKE THAT WAS

    EAST NEW YORK PARENTS, WHAT HAPPENED? I THOUGHT THAT YOUR SCHOOL WASN’T CLOSING AND YALL AIN’T GOING NO WHERE? GUESS THE JOKES ON YOU. KEEP NOT THINKING FOR YOURSELVES AND ALWAYS BELIEVE THE WORD OF YOUR SCHOOL LEADERS. DONT ASK QUESTIONS AND DON’T CONDUCT YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON CRUCIAL MATTERS. SO KLEIN HAD DECIDED AND YOUR SCHOOL IS CLOSING. I CAN’T SAY THAT I DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING BECAUSE I DID AND YOU ENYP PARENTS DIDN’T. I WONDER WHAT SCRAPS OF A LEADER THAT YOU ARE GOING TO USE TO SAFE YOUR SCHOOL NOW THAT IT’S ON LIFE SUPPORT OR SHOULD I SAY ITS FLATLINED. HAAAA KEEP IN GOOD IN THE HOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Charisse Persaud

    Why are you so bitter ??? The fight is on !! You will see the power of the parent . I really feel bad for you . Let all that hate go and move on. Hopefully you found another school cause whatever Sheila did to you scared you for life .Smh

  • Shelia + ENYP = Closed School

    Don’t know why you ENYP parents are fighting now. The school is closing and it is a known fact. Klein decision is final. So start relocating your kids back to your community schools. Shelia Joseph had pulled the wool over your eyes so keep defending her. While your kids go back to your “failing district schools” I can assure you of one child that will not be there , her son! So keep pledging your to your now publicly known failed school leader. Y’all allowed Joseph mislead you. Hope you all learned your lesson, never trust ANYONE when it comes your childs education!

  • Charisse Persaud

    Do you think every parent @ ENYP live in the “hood” ! I live in a very nice neighborhood , and my child is taken care of school wise . Like I said ” you are bitter and you need to get over it !! You can say whatever u want after this cause I’m not responding , don’t have the time anymore . I’m so over responding to ignorant rants !!!!!

  • OUR SCHOOL AIN’T CLOSING..SHELIA JOSEPH IS OUR HERO AND WE AIN’T GOING NO WHERE!!! HAHAHA WHAT A JOKE THAT WAS

    the only ignorance going on is that of the ENYP parents. the fact MOTHER cannot refrain from using profanity when addressing someone clearly states my case. It isn’t over? please the jig is up. you ENYP parents previously stated in this post that you did not receive a letter that stating school was closing, but i’m positive that most of you didn’t know your school was on probation. ENYP parents were standing by and supporting your fraud of a leader and played the race card. YOU all stated that the DOE, UFT, and other folks have an agenda. you couldn’t base your agruments on the true facts on why the charter got revoked. 1) that there was a 100% teacher turnover rate, 2) she gave herself raises and 3) also paid thousands to the father of her child who sat on the board just to name a few. Sheila Joseph didn’t have to run me out of the building because i was SMART enough to never step in it unlike you and the rest of your clan. i am not the one FIGHTING for my childs school so late in the school year. unlike you, my childs school will be open in September. so please keep telling yourself hope is alive. i hope that its the same fighting fire that keeps your faces dry as you all start tearing when the doors close on June 28. ENYP parents, do yourselves a favor, if you decided to put your child in a charter school again, why don’t you actually find out what a CHARTER school is and get a full and complete copy of it

  • ENYP Parent

    WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY?LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

  • I Thought So

    ENYP…WHY ARE YOU SO ANGRY NOW? I KNOW WHY BECAUSE ENYP CLOSED IT’S DOORS…HAAAAHAAAAAA LOL
    GUESS THE JOKES ON YOU BOO!!!! LMAO

  • http://forget-flight-simulator-x.blogspot.com/ Marion Zurmiller

    Hey,
    I want you to know I placed a link to your website on my page. I dont think this is the right place to put this ( Head of charter school set to close fires back at teachers, DOE | GothamSchools ), so if not please remove this. I thought maybe you can profit a little off my traffic since our websites are somewhat familiar.
    Regards,
    Marion Zurmiller

    PS.
    The link is on the right sidebar on my page!

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