Riverhead Charter School parents and students joined former charter school teachers for a protest rally against the school’s principal Saturday morning at Stotzky Park. It was the second time in a week that the school was the target of a protest over the principal. See June 10 story.
Teachers who have been terminated at the school this year and their union, N.Y. State United Teachers, have filed unfair practice charges with the Public Employees Relations Board, accusing principal and executive director Raymond Ankrum Sr. of “union busting.” See March 31 story.
“We’re here because we want to have our voices heard. We feel like we’ve been silenced,” said parent Christina Santopietro.
“The culture of our school has really changed since he became principal,” Lisa Denmeade said, referring to Ankrum. “It’s not a diversity issue, it’s not a common core issue, it’s an integrity issue,” she said.
“We want to take back our school,” Santopietro said.
Ankrum agrees that there have been many changes at the school, but he says they are a natural part of the school’s growth and the transition to common core.
“As a charter school grows, change is inevitable. These changes were due largely in part to our transition to the NY State common core, as well as the expansion of our curriculum to include grades 7 and 8,” he said. “There were certain programs that parents loved that had to be scaled back, as our focus on increasing the rigor of our curriculum had to take precedence. We have since reloaded with programs that parents loved, as well as adding many additional programs to get families excited about RCS.”
Decisions to terminate or not renew some teachers “are never simple,” Ankrum said.
“Personnel decisions should never be personal and should always be based on data that can support any employment decision,” he said, adding that “all protocols have been followed regarding non-renewals.”
“We wish non-renewed teachers and former employees well in their future endeavors, but it’s time we put this chapter behind us and put the focus solely on our students,” Ankrum said.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Emil Breitenbach Jr.
Click thumbnails to enlarge images
{gallery}2014/slideshows/2014_0614_charter_school_protest{/gallery}
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
