Principal Removed From School In Connection With Student's Drowning
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The Department of Education has removed the principal from the Harlem school that had one of its students drown during a school trip to the beach.
Jose Maldonado-Rivera is now no longer the principal of Columbia Secondary School.
He was put on probation and lost his tenure rights after 12-year-old Nicole Suriel died while swimming in Long Beach in June.
The girl and her classmates were allowed in the water, even though lifeguards were not on duty.
Since then, the special schools investigator says other failures of Maldonado-Rivera's judgment came to light.
Some parents and students told NY1 Tuesday that they will defend the principal.
"Mr. Maldonado was an exceptional individual, very unique, and he had a clear vision," said a parent. "Whatever the problem was, or whatever the finding was by the DOE I think that all in all he did a good job."
"We're really devastated and we really want to have him back again," said a student.
DOE officials have not elaborated whether other instances of misconduct were found.
Maldonado-Rivera said the penalty he is facing is excessive and unfair to the school and its students.