NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’

Posted on | January 21, 2014 | 24 Comments

E.C. Hackett at Blackmailers Don’t Shoot has been all over the case of Marcella Sills, principal of New York City’s P.S. 106 in Far Rockaway, Queens. Sills has a history of aggressive incompetence, yet the catastrophe that is P.S. 106 received an “A” grade under Mayor Bloomberg’s worthless system. Of course, the local hack politician — in this case, Queens Councilman Donovan Richards — offers excuses, trying to blame Hurricane Sandy for the problem. Now comes the news that complaints about Sills go all the way back to 2005:

Sills, 48, was a graduate of the [Department of Education’s] “Leadership Academy,” which trains principals, and had little teaching experience. Insiders said she lacked literacy skills, noting her invitation to a Nov. 23, 2005, holiday buffet “in honor of my gradutitude” to employees, including “security personel” and “custodially staff members.”

“Gradutitude”?

This is a woman whose annual pay — as best I can tell from the salary schedule posted by her union — is about $130,000 a year. And teachers have been complaining about her for years:

“You need to examine Ms. Sills’ inability to lead,” says a 2006 letter from a “concerned teacher” to top Department of Education officials, including Carmen Fariña — now the city’s newly installed chancellor — and then-Chancellor Joel Klein. “Teacher morale is at an all-time low.” . . .
The Post revealed last week that Sills for years has arrived hours late, and often failed to show, school sources said. Over the previous week, Sills missed all but one day.
The Far Rockaway school had no math or English textbooks for the rigorous new Common Core curriculum, no gym or art classes — kids watched movies instead — and no nurse’s office. Kindergartners sit in trailers that reeked of animal urine. . . .
A 2006 letter to Klein called Sills “vicious,” saying she “humiliated” children who were emotionally disturbed and punished school aides who complained about “unsafe, deplorable conditions” in the cafeteria. . . .
Sills ruled by threats and intimidation, ex-staffers complained. She “yells at a volume that resounds throughout the building, slams doors and uses foul language,” a 2006 letter to Condon claims.
That letter also accuses Sills of racism: “She has hired only black teachers and has targeted white teachers and a secretary.” Many left or were forced out.

Gosh, somebody ought to write a book about this problem.

Category: Education

Comments

24 Responses to “NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’”

Mental_Aikido
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:29 am

RT @smitty_one_each: TOM NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’ http://t.co/EHBhPZCOmP #TCOT
pavelgregory
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:29 am

RT @smitty_one_each: TOM NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’ http://t.co/EHBhPZCOmP #TCOT
1bulwetweft
January 21st, 2014 @ 10:36 am

Was she the inspiration for the movie “Bad Teacher”? I thought that movie was fictional, instead it’s a documentary?

Geesh.
texlovera
January 21st, 2014 @ 10:37 am

This teacher has been brought to you by the letter “U”.
cmehusky
January 21st, 2014 @ 10:56 am

And the kids suffer!
RS
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:01 am

Given that spell-check is ubiquitous now, her failings are even more astounding. Anyway, I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s the rule in public education rather than the exception. I’ve filed this story away to show to those who tell me I’m an idiot for paying parochial school tuition every year.
Alan Markus
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:16 am

Just spent 45 minutes following links – looks like in 2011 she made about $128,000 + $2,900 overtime. In my school district, staff are salaried, get no overtime (teachers can get paid for extra activities, like coaching). This lady spends most of her day at home, yet accrues overtime pay?

Something else I noticed – for years complaints have been made to the authorities, which have been disregarded. In one of the links I followed, someone noted two other NYC principals that have also been complained about for similar ineptitude. Looks like this is much bigger than one person who has managed to skid by “under the radar”.

I guess it’s not polite of me to bring up “the elephant in the room” here – Affirmative Action at its finest.
Alan Markus
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:27 am

Maybe she is qualified to be Detroit Public School Board President.

Does DPS Leader’s Writing Send Wrong Message?

Here are some samples:

If you saw Sunday’s Free Press that shown Robert Bobb the emergency financial manager for Detroit Public Schools, move Mark Twain to Boynton which have three times the number seats then students and was one of the reason’s he gave for closing school to many empty seats.

Do DPS control the Foundation or outside group? If an outside group control the foundation, then what is DPS Board row with selection of is director? Our we mixing DPS and None DPS row’s, and who is the watch dog?

In grade school he had been in some special education classes.
Rosalie
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:36 am

She sounds like just the kind of person Cuomo wants living in NY.
Rob Crawford
January 21st, 2014 @ 11:39 am

Look for the political ties. Betcha she’s connected to ACORN/WFP or whatever they’re calling themselves today.
Complaints About Marcella Sills Go Back to 2005 | Blackmailers Don't Shoot
January 21st, 2014 @ 12:40 pm

[…] II: Linked up by RS McCain. Apparently Instapundit wrote a book about […]
ChandlersGhost
January 21st, 2014 @ 12:50 pm

Thanks for the links RSM. I didn’t mention her salary because it doesn’t seem exorbitant for New York City, but that $2.9 million DOE grant had to go somewhere, and it wasn’t going toward the school.

I ripped off Allahpundit and gave Marcella Sills her own special tag.

http://blackmailersdontshoot.com/tag/americas-principle/
WarEagle82
January 21st, 2014 @ 1:06 pm

Everybody with an ej-u-ma-ka-shun degree knows it is spelled “gra-DOOD-atude”.
richard mcenroe
January 21st, 2014 @ 1:07 pm

You be raciss’ for noticing.
DaveO
January 21st, 2014 @ 1:10 pm

She’s not the worst of the worst. She’s still permitted to be around children. NYC has a building filled with teachers, still being paid, who are on permanent suspension but can’t be fired due to the union. Some of them have made millions (pay, and in some cases supplemented by time to play the stocks).
Remember, if Sill leave NYC, she could head to the IRS, or to a school near your children.
MNHawk
January 21st, 2014 @ 1:16 pm

Now would be a great time for a Marxist retard to announce a war on…

Charter Schools.
Finrod Felagund
January 21st, 2014 @ 1:53 pm

Wish I could say I’m surprised, but leftists can’t even run a lemonade stand on a 100F day in July.
NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’ : The Other McCain | Dead Citizen's Rights Society
January 21st, 2014 @ 2:30 pm

[…] NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’ : The Other McCa…. […]
JeffS
January 21st, 2014 @ 2:49 pm

They couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse after the fleet returns to port.
OldmanRick
January 21st, 2014 @ 3:52 pm

Shucks, Cuomo, you just found your new state superintendent of schools.
Kirby McCain
January 21st, 2014 @ 6:36 pm

IKR don’t them people know about ebonics? They be talking about her like she’s a ignoranus. Deplorable conditions? Did somebody call an ammalance? Leave that woman alone.
ChandlersGhost
January 22nd, 2014 @ 1:13 am

Yup.

http://nycrubberroomreporter.blogspot.com/
ndmike12
January 23rd, 2014 @ 12:30 am

Cronyism at its finest, I’d say, even though she’s also a bigot. It takes friends in high places to make all those complaints disappear.
DeRP’sViews You Can Use 01.24.2014 | Dead Republican Party (DeRP)
January 25th, 2014 @ 6:19 am

[…] NYC Elementary School’s ‘Lunatic’ Principal Who Can’t Spell ‘Gratitude’ […]