How is the new principal doing at Murch?

[Anonymous]

Let's talk about what really happened--we know at least one side of the story because the teacher decided to air the entire episode on the HSA forum.

She left because the principal decided that it was preferable to have primary classsrooms in the building rather than in the trailers, where there are no bathrooms. He moved art to a trailer. She deemed this unacceptable because there is no water supply in the art trailer.

No one thinks having art in a trailer is an ideal situation. Evereyone understands the difficulties that will present and the limitations it will impose. But part of being principal is making tough decisions, and after a year of having primary classrooms in the trailers, he decided that inconveniencing the art teacher was preferable to forcing small kids to move between buildings to use the bathroom, wash hands, etc.

One way to handle this would have been to agree to disagree and move on--especially since she had already been looking for other jobs. To leave graciously (the principal wrote a very nice, extremely complimentary note about her on the website and shared no details about why she was leaving) and not make a scene. Instead, she decided to share all of the details in a post that was all about *her* and how hard this was for *her*. How unconscionable the decision was, how disrespectful to the arts. Etc.

This teacher was indeed very good. But her note was embarassing. It was selfish. It was rambling. It was completely unnecessary. The principal has said nothing publicly beyond the very kind note mentioned above.

(It is also worth noting that this teacher seemed to have been close to the previous principal, who was forced out last year.)

Long post, I know. But if we're going to judge the new principal based on this incident, let's not be vague, especially since the teacher saw fit to share her side of the story with the entire school community. Any Murch parents who are interested should go read the posts on the HSA forum and draw their own conclusions.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a Murch parent but my two cents are that while trailers are not ideal for anything, I'd be annoyed to know art is in a trailer but I'd be distressed and/or livid to know my small child was in a trailer all day. Sounds like the right call by me.

[Anonymous]

sounds right to me too. kids go to art once a week. kids go to the bathroom from their class many times a day, and having to go out under the rain or in very cold weather is not nice. thank you for sharing the story, I hate when people post vague references to some awful truth without actually saying anything. on another note, I hope that the renovation of the school will take care of these issues, and I hope DCPS does not make a mess like at Jeanney, where the school is already overcrowded one day after it was renovated

[Anonymous]

It should be noted that after she posted her missive about leaving because she couldn't possibly ever teach art in a classroom without water or room for her 7 drying racks or 3 shelves (though I have never heard another teacher complaining about the trailers or kids for that matter!), one parent spoke up about teaching art for years at a church under the same circumstances. How you can make it work. She offered up great ideas including a portable sink which many parents didn't even know existed. In typical Murch form, coming together to solve the problem for the new art teacher.

Then she came back to say well actually it she wasn't leaving because of the room change but other reasons too. What a joke. I admit I laughed out loud when she said she couldnt work in that horrible environment but was happy to leave her kids in that horrible environment.

Good luck to her new school!

[Anonymous]

They are not trailers of the "trailer park trash" era. They are modular classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate when people post vague references to some awful truth without actually saying anything.

Parent here. I have volunteered in the art room a few dozen times this year for my son's class and two years ago when I now middle schooler was at Murch. I just had to chime in seeing as a lot of misunderstanding is being spread here and I feel I've gotten to be close to this teacher over the year and can speak on her behalf.

The art teacher did not resign because of the room change only. She was a pretty flexible person who would have make do with a room without water. To all who know her, it was pretty obvious that she loved the kids, the community and her job. Her own kids go here. She lives a block away. And she would have loved to stay in her community school has things not gone very wrong. As far as the sink, she was able to make my own kids make amazing art out of trash for goodness sakes. Obviously she was enough of an outside the box thinker and she would have been fine without a sink, had things not unfolded as they did.

As far as I know her leaving was directly triggered by a meeting with the principal. The principal called her into some interrogation meeting based on some untrue gossip or misunderstanding he got from another teacher. She strongly felt he was purposely trying to both humiliate and intimidate her by the way the meeting was set up, school secretary taking notes and door open, her crying. She was very shaken up from the experience and even three days later when I volunteered in her class, she could not speak of it without breaking down. I tried to change her mind but it was as if she's seen the devil. She just knew she could not do it.

Despite all the wonderful things he's been telling parents, including me, about her and posting on the website, I was shocked to learn that he has never once apologized to her personally for putting her through such a scarring experience; and all based on absolute garbage gossip. Who'd want to work for a hyper-paranoid leader whose target is on your back? I could tell that it was a very hard decision for her to make.

It's unfortunate that the principal is as paranoid about gossip as he is for most of what I do hear about him is actually hopeful. I really hope next year he'll relax a bit and see that despite all the talk we all do, we all wish him well. As far as I know the art teacher is now very content with her new decision, so perhaps a new school year could begin where we all call to our higher selves and not fall prey to our weaknesses. I certainly hope this will be the only incident such as this.

[Anonymous]

"Scarring experience?" Oh please. I have no relationship with Murch, but that's beyond melodramatic.

[Anonymous]

09:34 you seem to have a lot of time on your hands. Why would someone not related to murch be doing on this forum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate when people post vague references to some awful truth without actually saying anything.

Parent here. I have volunteered in the art room a few dozen times this year for my son's class and two years ago when I now middle schooler was at Murch. I just had to chime in seeing as a lot of misunderstanding is being spread here and I feel I've gotten to be close to this teacher over the year and can speak on her behalf.

The art teacher did not resign because of the room change only. She was a pretty flexible person who would have make do with a room without water. To all who know her, it was pretty obvious that she loved the kids, the community and her job. Her own kids go here. She lives a block away. And she would have loved to stay in her community school has things not gone very wrong. As far as the sink, she was able to make my own kids make amazing art out of trash for goodness sakes. Obviously she was enough of an outside the box thinker and she would have been fine without a sink, had things not unfolded as they did.

As far as I know her leaving was directly triggered by a meeting with the principal. The principal called her into some interrogation meeting based on some untrue gossip or misunderstanding he got from another teacher. She strongly felt he was purposely trying to both humiliate and intimidate her by the way the meeting was set up, school secretary taking notes and door open, her crying. She was very shaken up from the experience and even three days later when I volunteered in her class, she could not speak of it without breaking down. I tried to change her mind but it was as if she's seen the devil. She just knew she could not do it.

Despite all the wonderful things he's been telling parents, including me, about her and posting on the website, I was shocked to learn that he has never once apologized to her personally for putting her through such a scarring experience; and all based on absolute garbage gossip. Who'd want to work for a hyper-paranoid leader whose target is on your back? I could tell that it was a very hard decision for her to make.

It's unfortunate that the principal is as paranoid about gossip as he is for most of what I do hear about him is actually hopeful. I really hope next year he'll relax a bit and see that despite all the talk we all do, we all wish him well. As far as I know the art teacher is now very content with her new decision, so perhaps a new school year could begin where we all call to our higher selves and not fall prey to our weaknesses. I certainly hope this will be the only incident such as this.

I just reviewed her public airing on the Murch listserve. And I quote: "Several factors have gone into making this decision but none as pivotal as the
room changes for next year."

For such a scarring experience she failed to mention anything about it.

Again, I wish her new school lots of luck.

[Anonymous]

As a parent, the Principal did the right thing. You may think of it as garbage gossip but he showed leadership and nipped the problem in the bud. Many of us were very pleased to see him handle her quickly and fairly.

[Anonymous]

You all are certainly living up to your reputation we have of you downtown. Shame on you. The fact that some of you are expressing all this anger towards this teacher for choosing to leave after being mistreated speak volumes about the people come to the forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are certainly living up to your reputation we have of you downtown. Shame on you. The fact that some of you are expressing all this anger towards this teacher for choosing to leave after being mistreated speak volumes about the people come to the forum.

You mean the reputation of being the evil people who work closely with their school to ensure that is is a high performing DCPS for all children (remember, Murch has kids bused in). Who work tirelessly to make up for the gaps in spending and support that "downtown" so kindly forces on the school? Yes, sorry lot indeed!

[Anonymous]

Nip what in the bud? Can tell me what this woman has done that so wrong? I've yet to hear what shes done wrong. This is someone you've known for 3 years. We all are telling everyone how amazing she is then throw her under the bus the minute she stands up for herself. I am ashamed to be a murch parent today. She did nothing wrong. She has a right to not accept this type of treatment. Aren't we being a bit sexist here. So last year's principal was a monster for disrespecting teachers..but this one is justified ..why?

[Anonymous]

Aceept what type of treatment? I can only base my assessment of her on what she said- rather than any rumors which the whole principal story is by the way. She claims her departure is based mainly on the room change. Not everyone works in an ideal facility, especially teachers. Every job has stressors. Either you can deal with it or you can't. At the end of the day her job included switching classrooms and a boss and/or coworkers which didn't like/agree with her. Maybe that was too much for her. Considering there isn't mass teacher exodus it seems as though the Principal isn't a monster. She has a new job and I am sure a new art teacher will come in happily to turn garbage into art. Win for the old teacher, win for the new teacher and win for the kids. Sounds good to me.

[Anonymous]

Have any of you actually talked to this teacher before judging so harshly? I agree with person who said she's embarrassed to be a Murch parent. I would also be embarassed. How disgusting. I also agree with the poster about continuing to hear flat out hatred and judgement. Why so much anymosity? Is it more convenient to judge? Perhaps you need to be honest with yourselves.