NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Superintendent of New Haven Public Schools says the discipline of a principal, who was demoted for using a racial slur multiple times in separate conversations in her school, will stand and she will not be fired.
According to a letter from the NHPS attorney to the principal's union attorney, the school system threatened to fire Laura Roblee, the now-former principal on Brennan Rogers Magnet School.
Late Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Ilene Tracey, released two letters related to the discipline of Roblee. One of the letters said the school system would have the option to fire her if she didn’t sign off on her discipline.
Some New Haven clergy, who have demanded the firing of the principal for the past week, reacted to the two letters released last night.
"In that attorney's report it said that she was not remorseful, she was not apologetic, and she did not show any discussed by her use of language by her use of language," said Rev. Steven Cousin.
The letter from the school system's attorney to a union attorney said Roblee lied in recounting the circumstances of her using the n-word multiple times. Roblee was upset by the use of the words “white” and “whiteness” during anti-racism training workshops and expressed her frustration to two white teachers remarking "if I said (N-word), we would have a problem."
The two teachers turned her in.
"And in it, they did say that they did not believe she had the fitness to serve in any capacity in the New Haven public school system," said Cousin.
The schools' attorney said if Roblee didn't accept responsibility by agreeing to disciplinary action the administration would have the option to initiate termination proceedings.
"Why is this Board of Education so committed to protecting a principal who has been proven to use such a divisive language," Cousin wondered.
The Superintendent, who said Roblee will be reassigned to a position in the central office, said if the principal has actually called someone the N-word, the outcome would have been different.
"I think it reinforces that what the individual said was completely offensive and doesn’t reflect the values of our city or public," said Mayor Justin Elicker (D - New Haven).
Rev. Boise Kimber, the long-time president of the clergy association, says he is hoping to have President Joe Biden and Education Secretary, Dr. Miguel Cardona of Meriden, weigh in on this issue.
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