A Brighton Park elementary school principal who parents and students have accused of bias against black and white teachers has been fired and her contract voided, Public Schools Chief Paul Vallas said Wednesday.
The firing capped a yearlong controversy about principals at Davis Elementary School, 3014 W. 39th Pl.
Earlier in the school year, the local school council had appointed Alba Iniguez as principal in a controversial vote. Her predecessor, David Gardener–who was white and had been popular with students, teachers and parents–had been ousted by the council.
“There’s enough evidence to suggest that she has not done her job as principal,” said Vallas, declining to comment on the parents’ allegations. “She has not been an effective principal, and she’s been dividing the school.”
Iniguez could not be reached for comment.
The school, which has about 1,600 students in kindergarten through 8th grades, is about 90 percent Hispanic.
Vallas said his staff had reviewed the allegations, including a videotape of Monday’s 8th-grade graduation ceremony, in which Iniguez refused to let Cesar Maldonado, 14, give his valedictory speech. Maldonado, a straight-A student who was the school’s student council president, had been named valedictorian by the faculty.
According to Cesar, Iniguez had refused him the honor, allegedly because he had been an outspoken supporter of the former principal. Instead, Iniguez asked Antonia Rosales, 14, the school’s salutatorian, to give the valedictory address.
But at Monday’s ceremony, Antonia said she did not deserve the honor and called Cesar to speak. Iniguez then blocked Cesar from speaking.
Vallas said the school board would conduct an investigation before determining whether disciplinary action should be taken.
“Clearly, the performance at the graduation was upsetting enough,” said Vallas, adding that Iniguez had been operating under an invalid contract because of the manner in which the local school council vote had been conducted.
Vallas said the school board would work with the council to select a new principal. In the meantime, the board will appoint an interim principal.
Robert Arevallo, secretary of the Davis School PTA, said parents planned to protest in front of the school Thursday, despite Iniguez’s dismissal.
“There are still problems at the school,” said Arevallo.
Daniel Galindo, vice chairman of the local school council, said most of the council had supported Iniguez.
