Parents, Teachers Call For Principal's Resignation
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Parents and teachers at a Queens middle school rallied Monday to remove the school's principal over allegations of harassment.
They're asking the Department of Education to remove Principal John Murphy from JHS 8 in Jamaica.
The group claims he has a history of harassing teachers, parents, and students. The rally comes after an incident last week when Murphy and a school employee argued over her job performance.
The DOE says the worker became so upset she had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
"This is about mayoral control, now it's in the mayor's hands. Will he do something to stop the harassment of somebody who actually harasses people enough that they go to the hospital because of it?" said United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.
"He was very abusive to all of the teachers, he would yell at the teachers in the hall," said Pauline Eliot, a teacher.
The union representing principals says there's no reason as of now to believe the allegations are true, but it is examining the case closely.
School's Chancellor Joel Klein's office defended Murphy, saying there is no evidence he acted inappropriately, adding the school employee was frequently late and absent.