Committee Hearing, December 27, 2007

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, December 27, 2007 4:10 p.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL, CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN CAROL ANN CAMPBELL RESOLUTION 071134 - Resolution authorizing the Committee on Education to hold public hearings on the situation at the Thomas Mifflin Elementary School. - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2

Good afternoon. We want to thank all of you for attending the hearing. We are now formally convening the Committee on Education with regard to Resolution No. 7 071134. We will ask the Clerk to read the title of the resolution.

Resolution 071134, authorizing the Committee on Education to hold public hearings on the situation at the Thomas Mifflin Elementary School.

Thank you very much. And we note that this is a resolution that was passed and signed by all members of City Council. It was introduced by Councilwoman Carol Ann Campbell, who is here today, and certainly we will call on her if she would like to make remarks at this time.

First of all, Madam Chairman, I want to thank you for taking your precious time during 3 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 this vacation period to do this.

My pleasure.

This would not have been necessary if it hadn't been for the request of so many parents that requested assistance so that they could at least bring to our attention some of the alleged incidents they said are occurring at this school that are discriminatory. Thank you very much for doing this for us.

Thank you very much. Certainly we have many documents, and they're available at the front of the room for those who would like them. What we will do now is to begin our hearing, and let me say if you're not listed, all who would like to testify are certainly welcome to do so. The first person is Dr. Shirl E. Gilbert, Superintendent of the West Region. I did not see him. Is there anyone here 4 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 representing Dr. Gilbert? (No response.)

Thank you very much. Dr. Karin Bivens, NAACP and head of the Education Committee for some years. We welcome you to come up and 9 testify. 10 And, again, we thank all of you 11 for coming out during your holiday season 12 as well.

Madam Chair, I didn't understand. I spoke to Dr. Gilbert yesterday. He said there would be representation. Is there representation here from the School District?

Again, is there anyone here who is here on behalf of the School District or Dr. Shirl Gilbert? Anyone here? (No response.)

Thank you. 5 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Dr. Bivens.

Would you like me to sit here?

Yes. Dr. Bivens, you may have a seat there and introduce yourself to our record. Just identify yourself and then begin your testimony. Ms. Campbell, apparently at least they're not here yet. Perhaps they'll come. Dr. Bivens.

I'm Dr. Karin C. Bivens. I'm the Education Chair for the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP. I'm a retired high school principal, and I've been working with the NAACP as Education Chair for about 14 years. This is probably one of the worst situations we've ever dealt with in terms of an administrator at a school. I received complaints from parents at the Mifflin School, African-American parents, about the racism, alleged racism -- I'm 6 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 going to have to be careful how I word this -- alleged racism of the principal and the way the African-American children were being treated. There were allegations made that the principal said she didn't want as many black children in the school. There was a member of the school who was voted in for Home and School and the principal didn't want her to have it, Ms. Linda Norris, so she had a second vote and Linda won again. And so the principal allegedly put in a group of people who have no children in the school as her Advisory Committee to get around dealing with the Home and School situation. I attended a meeting on November 9th where Dr. Gilbert was meeting with Charlene Kennedy, one of the parents that was having some problems at the school because of -- sometimes it was her son's behavior and sometimes it was things where the son was aggravated and called names, and obviously you get a 7 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 reaction. So we went to the meeting, and Dr. Gilbert said that he would get in touch with the people and see what was going on. His complaint was that enough parents did not write letters, since allegedly there were quite a few African-American parents who were complaining, but there were only three letters written, and Ms. Kennedy wrote one of them, and he wanted more letters. What the parents did instead -- and you may have a copy of it -- was to write a petition, and it says, "This petition is about the principal, Allyssa Schmitt, at the Thomas Mifflin K-to-8 school. We, the parents and guardians, have concerns about her leadership and her professionalism. Also, we question if she is able to wisely complete duties as the principal in a correct way. We would like her to be investigated. Staff members are concerned also, but she has intimidated a number of teachers, and we 8 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 need them to stay. There have been a number of problems with the students. Parents are not happy with how she handles the problems. Most problems have not been resolved. We believe that this behavior from her should not be tolerated. We want action now. You can support this petition by printing your name, address and phone number. Thank you." And it's over 100 signatures. There are four pages to the petition and there are over 100 signatures of concerned parents. They held a meeting at the recreation center in the Abbotsford Homes on the 9th -- excuse me; on the 28th of November and there were 50 or more people at that meeting alone and 47 of them signed petitions and had children in Mifflin. Mr. Ralph Wynder was also present at the meeting. I don't know if he's here today. Is he here today? (Yes.)

Oh, good. And he 9 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 heard many of the complaints that the parents had about what was going on. He was the one who suggested that to bring it to you and Carol Campbell to see what we could do, because the School District wasn't doing as much as it should have done. I had a meeting, Gene and I, had a meeting, as the NAACP, meeting with Claudia Averette --

Just a moment, please. I'm not Carol Campbell. I'm Councilwoman Carol Campbell.

I'm sorry. I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to disrespect you in any way. I apologize. We had a meeting with Mrs. Claudia Averette and Dr. Cassandra Jones on the 3rd of December to discuss the issues, and we also brought five parents along with us, and the parents included LaShya Taylor, Marguerite Robinson, Charlene Kennedy and Linda Norris, and we were promised by both 10 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Ms. Averette and Dr. Jones that they were going to do something about it, but time went by and conditions continued to deteriorate at the school. Unfortunately -- well, I had been told that they were going to get someone to come in and monitor that principal to see what was going on. It's my understanding that they got Ed Williams, who is a wonderful man. I knew him as an administrator. He's a good man. But we were told that he would be there for a week. He was only there for one day. And I've not been able to get feedback as to what happened or what didn't happen. But we are very concerned. I don't know if you want me to go over the information that I wrote at the meeting with the community groups. I think it would be easier if I just go over parts of it, because it's a long one. But part of the problem is that allegedly the principal claims that the 11 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 school is located in a predominantly Irish community and she did not want any African-American children walking through the neighborhood, especially allegedly the white neighborhood. Also, the back of the school -- and I've been trying to find out whether the School District was involved with this or not. They closed up the back so that if you come out the back door, you cannot go down the steps, because the neighbors' backyards faced on the school yard. So it's been sealed off. So heaven forbid, if they ever had serious problems that caused a fire or something in the front of the school and the kids would have to go out the back door, they'd be trapped. They could not even get around to the front. So this is something that also needs to be looked into why that was done, who was behind it, and there should be some changes made there. And I questioned in that did the fire marshal 12 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 approve of this, because I can't imagine the fire marshal approving of something like this if he was aware that there would be only one exit from the school. One of the things that was brought up was a situation where a young lady named Quadera Parrish, who was six years old, she was either playing or jumping -- around the front of the school there's a wall and she either fell or was pushed. There's debate as to whether she fell or was pushed off the wall. She broke her arm and her shoulder, her left arm and shoulder. She was put in the room -- we were told that the principal wasn't there at the time, so they had her sitting in the office in pain, and allegedly there was no one there who could take the responsibility to call the police and the rescue squad and get her to the hospital. Allegedly, the principal came in around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The child had been sitting there 13 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 somewhere between -- originally the testimony was that it was 9:45 in the morning, but when we checked that, we found that it was between 3:20 and 3:30 in the afternoon. In addition, we were told that there were some staff members who were laughing at the child. I can't imagine anybody being that cruel. Anyway, they got her to the hospital. By the time the mother came to pick her up, it was 4:45. By the time she got her to Hahnemann Hospital, her arm was swollen so badly that they could not set it, so they had to wrap it in an Ace bandage and immobilize it, but they couldn't set it because it was so badly swollen. Had people worked in a more timely fashion, she would have gotten to the hospital sooner and perhaps it wouldn't have been so badly swollen.

I'm surprised that the principal didn't call the police or the rescue squad, or whoever she designated. 14 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Now, we were told that the designee was a noontime aide and not an assistant principal, and as a result, the person did not do anything for that child. It's my understanding that the parents have filed a lawsuit, and whatever happens will happen in the future in terms of that. In addition to that, we wondered, because the principal is always talking about she wants more white children in the school, we wondered would the principal have been as negligent toward the child if the child had been white and would the principal have allowed a white child or her own child to suffer that long. We don't think so. We think not. And it's also alleged that Principal Schmitt refused to give the parent a copy of the incident card, which she needed for insurance purposes. And as of 11/28, the principal allegedly said she's still investigating, according to 15 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 the parent, and the parent does have an attorney to deal with that situation. Ms. Kennedy, who is here, Mrs. Kennedy, who is here, has a six-year-old son named Malcolm in there, and there were a lot of things happening with Malcolm. One person, Betty Savage, called him -- and I won't say it outright -- an F'ing bastard, the whole word, to a six-year-old. I can't imagine any school personnel saying something that filthy, saying something like that to any child. Yes, children can be a pain in the neck, but you don't call them anything like that. That was just totally outrageous. The principal also allegedly told people that she was not responsible for anything that happened from 3:24 -- that's when school is dismissed -- on. And I am a retired high school principal and I know that Ms. Schmitt is mistaken if she made that statement, because the principal is responsible for children 16 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 until the grounds are cleared and the children have been picked up by their parents, the school bus or public transportation. You can't just walk away and if something happens in the yard, say, Well, it's 3:25, it's not my problem. It is their problem. Ms. Kingswood stated that the kindergarten and Head Start kids are not allowed on the school bus, but she alleged that the principal let certain children on the bus and threatens to suspend others if they get on the bus. The allegation was that the children that are allowed on the bus are white, the children that are not allowed are black. She also stated that her eighth-grade daughter was jumped and assaulted by high school students who came into the Mifflin School and beat her daughter up in the girls' bathroom, and she said that the principal did nothing about it. What I don't understand, they had a man on the door. They have a 17 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 school police officer on the door. How did a group of high school kids get into that school? What kind of supervision was there or lack of supervision that they got in, got into a bathroom and beat this girl unmercifully? It's lucky she didn't die, because they beat her head into the floor. It was really a bad beating. And, again, I said would the principal have been as indifferent to the parent, Mrs. Kingswood, if Mrs. Kingswood's daughter had been white. Would she have been as indifferent if it had been her daughter or her son's daughter or her brother's daughter or anything like that. We don't think so. We think that this is her way of showing her disdain for African-American children, and it's got to stop. And this is why the parents of Abbotsford had a meeting to discuss this, signed petitions, because they feel their children have been terribly mistreated, and they are, from what I'm hearing. 18 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES.

071134 Another incident was one where a child had to go to the bathroom very badly and the principal said, No, you don't, and locked the bathroom door, and the child, of course, had a diarrhea attack right in the hall, and the principal got angry and went into the science room allegedly and got some sand and sprinkled it on the poo that was on the floor. But I can't understand why a principal would be that spiteful. If a child has to go to the ballroom, you let him go to the bathroom, if you have to stand outside the door while they go and make sure they haven't wrecked anything, if you think the child is a destructive child, but to tell them they couldn't go to the bathroom is ridiculous, and then to get angry because there's poo on the floor. What did she expect? This is just ridiculous. Now, a lady who is a noontime aide, Libby Robinson, had stated, and a bus driver, stated that a neighbor near 19 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 the school -- this would be one of the white neighbors near the school -- allegedly stated, quote, "We don't allow those kids to walk down the block," referring to black students. Another person, Malika Pearson, who is a custodial worker at Mifflin, alleged that Principal Schmitt had her removed from the school without a hearing and that the principal alleged that Pearson had threatened her by writing the principal a letter about the way the principal spoke to her. Mrs. Pearson said that her letter listed the following concerns: One, the principal stated that she wanted more white students in the building instead of black students. Two, Dr. Gilbert had a copy of e-mail the principal sent about Pearson, Alexis Jones and Nicolle Knox. Those were three people in the building. And, three, Mrs. Pearson never had a hearing and nothing was written about her or given to her. She also stated that there was a problem 20 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. m. m. m. m. Mrs. Pearson should have probably gone to her union representative, because this sounds like it's very, very wrong. Another parent, Mrs. Kennedy, who happens to be a Muslim, stated that the principal remarked, What the hell are those Muslims wearing on their head? They look like flying nuns. Kennedy also noted that the counselor refused to arrange a meeting between the parent, her, and her son's teacher. She alleged that the counselor told her that it was not his job. Of course it was the counselor's job. So you see -- and Mrs. Kennedy is a lovely, very neat person. To me her scarf that she wears does not look like anybody's flying nun, and for this principal to say something like that is outrageous and 21 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 discriminatory. There was a consensus that the parents want Principal Allyssa Schmitt removed from the Mifflin School. They also noted that no parents from the school are on the Home and School Board. The main purpose for the meeting was to form a Parents Committee to represent the Abbotsford project. From what we understand, I have been told that black parents were not given any voters papers so that they could vote, so that they weren't given the opportunity to vote in that school for Home and School. Linda Norris, I believe who is here, won it twice and because the principal didn't want her, she took it away from her. Then what she did, the principal did, we understand is that she developed a Home and School Council, and the five members that she has on the Home and School Council are all white and have no children in the school, and they were 22 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 hand selected by the principal. Another situation, allegedly Ms. Schmitt disrespected a black sixth grader by refusing to let her -- oh, I told you about the bathroom incident. I don't need to repeat that. Now, there are many additional complaints by parents who attended the meeting.

This will give you -- this note that I've written will give the nature of the problem at Mifflin, and the parents signed the petitions and the petitions are up there. Over 100 parents signed petitions because of allegedly racist and inequitable treatment of African-American children in that school. I also have individual complaints from several teachers who -- I don't know if you want me to go into that or not. One of the most serious ones came from Ms. Youseff. Ms. Youseff is also a Muslim. She's from Egypt. And the principal seems to have a problem with Muslims even though I have -- this 23 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 particular lady is an excellent teacher. She's worked very hard, and the children all like her. So it should have nothing to do with a person's religion. If, say, it were a Catholic school and I'm a Baptist, I can't work in a Catholic school because I'm a Baptist? This is not right. So this is what she said. She said, I was on sick leave for three weeks. I had a surgery on November 7, 2007. My doctor cleared me to go back to work on December 3, 2007. I was normal, pain-free from my surgery. Tuesday, December 4, 2007, I had sixth grade math class the first two periods, from 8:50 to 10:20. One of my students was disrupting the class, and other students complained from him throwing paper balls and not following any directions, so I asked him to go to the office. While he was leaving the class, he must have said something to a female student. This student immediately 24 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 ran out of the class and tried to kick the male student and fight him. I left the class and went to the hallway to try to talk to the female student and asked her to stop chasing the male student and stop the fight. While I was talking to her, the male student managed to run from her, and she ran into me and pushed me out of her way to continue her chase and fight. I screamed loudly, stepped to the back and leaned on the wall. Another teacher called the office to send the officer. I told him what happened and he took the female student to the office. I went back to my class and tried to pretend that nothing had happened to continue my teaching. I heard other students say, Ms. Youseff, such students tried to run you over. I said, I'm fine. The female student came back to class within a few minutes. I didn't bother because I also had a few minutes to wrap up the class. I walked my class 25 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 to prep and went to the office to ask for pink slips. This is my first incident. I spoke to another teacher and we were advised to talk to the PFT representative. I spoke to Ms. White, and she told me to ask the officer to write an incident report. I went back to the office. He was handling a problem with a young student. I asked him if he wrote an incident report, and he told me to talk to the counselor. I told the counselor what the student did, and she told me to call the parents of the student. I was surprised by her request, because I'm not saying a student left a class or cursed at me. I said a student ran into me and pushed me out of her way. That's really an assault and that student should have been arrested. I went back to class and called the grandfather, who said, I would send the mother and father to school. I started to feel the pain in my abdomen, 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 but I had another class. I took a painkiller and picked up my class. I explained to my students that I wasn't feeling well and I needed their cooperation to be able to teach them. The counselor called me in the class and asked me if I had witnessed the incident. The sixth grades were in language class and I went there and asked if any of them had witnessed the incident. Ten hands rose up. I sent two of them to her. My pain was getting worse, but I tried to bear the pain and rest during the lunch. I had only one class left. I went home and tried to rest. I left a message to my surgeon.

By the end of the day, my right shoulder started to hurt. The next morning I asked my husband to drive me to work because I couldn't drive. Actually, she probably shouldn't have gone to work, but she was a very conscientious lady. 27 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 She said, my pain was getting worse and worse and I was advised to go to workers' comp doctor because it's work related. I asked the office about a claim number and a list of doctors. The secretary didn't know, because that was her first year with payroll. The counselor was standing beside the office of the secretary when I said I feel pain where I had the surgery and in my right shoulder. I was told to call PFT. I called and the representative called the school to let them know what to do. He asked me if I wanted to leave. I said I'd try to continue today. Every day I miss school, my students miss instruction. I feel the pressure to try to catch up with a regular schedule. I think that being sincere, responsible and bear my pain were a mistake for which I'm penalized in each and every way. The counselor came to my class and gave me a form to sign. Later on she 28 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 gave me a list of doctors and told me all these forms were in the back of the handbook. My husband came to pick me up, and I told him to drive me to Hahnemann Hospital to see a doctor there. The doctor was asking questions. I replied honestly. One of the questions was how the student pushed me, and I said, I don't know, she ran into me and I was pushed. I felt a hit, a strong one, because the student is heavy in weight. He didn't like my answer and the conversation took a different turn. He was intimidating me and interrogating me and kept repeating, We don't remember how we were pushed, and the story doesn't make sense. He asked me if I was involved in a car accident and why I didn't go to the emergency room. My reply was because I was there before my surgery and spent 12 hours, and at the end, I was sent to a specialist. I have three kids at home. He 29 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 was even questioning the fact that a colon surgeon did my operation and not a GYN. I started to feel humiliated by him. He asked if my husband has to be in the examining room because of my religion. His question was in such a way that throws me off. I'm Muslim wearing a scarf. At the end, he discharged me. My husband drove home from downtown to Broomall and had to go back to work at Eddystone. I was left to suffer from pain in a humiliating way. We wasted our time and effort. My kids were home and worried about me. I am not only in physical pain. It's depression and frustration. I work to support my family. I expect to go to work and come back safe, and if I don't, I deserve to be taken care of by the people whom I work for. The nurse of the surgeon's office called the school and gave me an 30 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 appointment on Thursday at 10:30. I went because I was in pain, and the workers' comp doctor denied my services. The surgeon was able to identify the source of the pain. He described two different medications and requested a CAT scan. He advised me to stay home for a few days. When I went home, I called the school to inform them about my absence. The principal answered the phone. I told her that I will be out for a week and I told her what the doctor said and his request for the CAT scan. The only question she asked was, Did you tell anybody that you were injured the same day? I said, No. I told them the next day. The same day in the afternoon, a representative called from the Federation and asked me about what happened and told me that the insurance will not pay for my doctor or the CAT scan. 31 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 This is really sad, because this lady is the main support of her family. And I have to see a panel doctor. I told him that I was discharged and I was in pain, what should I do?

I made a call to PFT and to the District to resolve the matter. To top it all, I received a letter from the Claim Department to sign an authorization to release my medical records. With the letter, I received a copy from the claim writer by the counselor. Her statements were all inaccurate. She wrote that I was bleeding, which I wasn't, and that I had stitches in my right shoulder, which never happened. She wrote that I reported the incident hours later, which also didn't happen. She also replied yes to the question, Do you question the validity of the claim? Now it makes some sense why the workers' comp doctor treated me the way he did. 32 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 The CT scan that the surgeon requested was denied. I called the union and then I called the benefits. The director was really helpful and tried to help me. She advised me to go to another panel doctor, which I did on Tuesday, 12/11/07. I heard the secretary telling the doctor, This lady was discharged from Hahnemann. I could figure out how things would go. The doctor said, You could go back to work and don't lift heavy weights. I tried to explain to her how I worked and I'm the kind who stands up in all of my classes and tries to be alert and to prevent any fights before it starts. I got up and down the steps five times a day. I also gave her a note from the surgeon where he recommends the CAT scan. She said, I don't need it now. At this time, I felt I'm in the middle of nowhere. I had an appointment with the Health Services doctor the next day, but because of the confusion between my 33 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 surgery followed by the injury at work, I didn't see the doctor. Two supervisors met with me and understood my situation. I had to call a lawyer because I needed help. I called Dr. Gilbert Wednesday, December 12th and explained my situation. He advised me to call my principal. I called the principal and explained to her the situation. Her reply was that the counselor did everything under her authorization, and I asked her if she read the report. She said she did. I told her that the counselor's report was inaccurate and that we didn't have a direct conversation about my injury. Dr. Gilbert called while I was on the phone and requested an investigation. The principal was mad. I told her that she could ask staff members and all my students about the bleeding part. I also explained to her that the words "bleeding" and "pain" are totally two different words. Nobody can be confused 34 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 about them. She said she was upset that I called Dr. Gilbert and that I didn't talk to her about the incident. I told her my call was my absence and the only question she asked and nothing further regarding the incident or the details. I had an appointment at the District with Health Services and they were confused about my absence between surgery and workers' compensation. The supervisor spoke to me. They understood my situation and were cooperative. I spoke to a lawyer and will take it from there. The letter goes on a little more, but basically she talks about the other things that -- problems that she's had and the way she has been mistreated at the Mifflin School. She says, this year, toward the end, this year from the first conversation with the principal, I thought everything might be different and 35 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 staff members could cooperate to promote a positive environment, but I was mistaken. I started to receive notes. When I replied to the first one, I received a sarcastic reply. The second time she wrote me up for neglective duty because I didn't have permission slips for all of the students for the walking trip to Philadelphia University. I've been in Mifflin for four school years and students were not taken to walking trips in the middle grades. First of all, that was a trip for a literacy event and I'm a math teacher. I wasn't aware of this trip. I wasn't part of the planning.

I found out about it from the Monday messenger on 10/29/2007 and from grade and group meetings. I asked one of the teachers if all of us had to go. She said yes. I asked about the paperwork. He was kind enough to give me the form. I made copies and handed it to my homeroom class. I asked another teacher to 36 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 collect them for me because the next day I had pre-admission testing at the hospital. That was less than a week before my surgery. The day of the trip, 11/01/2007, I collected the permission slips, but a few students didn't bring their permission slips in because they didn't want to go. A teacher asked for a list of the students who didn't have their permission slips. One of the students was even suspended and wasn't supposed to be in school. The administration made the calls to allow these students to go on the trip because nobody was left at the building to take care of the students. College students came to school to help with the walking. I had a TSS worker with my class. Another teacher didn't have anybody with her on the way back to the school. Her class has 28 students. We came back safely, but during the trip, the students who didn't want to go in the 37 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 first place were the most disruptive. I didn't have enough time to file 4 grievances before the surgery, because I was busy making lesson plans for the substitute, and I made almost 1,000 copies worth of math worksheets to cover the three classes. In conclusion, she says, this year we don't have a uniform disciplinary plan. I have at least three students who have behavior problems. They disrupt instruction constantly, disrespectful and always leave the class without permission. I contacted their parents more than once. We had a CSAP meeting for one of them. The parent didn't show up. Nothing was changed. If the student gets caught out of class, it's my responsibility. I keep calling the office to report him missing, because I can't guard the door for two more hours. I know it's a very long complaint, but I want to write all the details so you have a better 38 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 understanding of everything. And that was signed Navina Youseff. When I read this, I felt really badly for this lady. She is definitely not getting the support that she should have, and that's very unfortunate.

Absolutely. Let me ask you a question. The person who cursed the kid, what was their job in the school?

I was told they were a noontime aide.

And --

The name was Betty Savage, I was told.

And the issue of no parents from the school are on the Home and School Board?

That's right.

That's --

These are people, white people, who live in that community who are friends of the principal. They 39 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 are on this committee. None of the parents are on that committee.

Thank you, Dr. Bivens. Mr. Bivens, would you like to testify while you're there?

Briefly, because I know that's more popular than anything else right now. So I will be brief. The NAACP has long wanted to have a better way of choosing principals and administrators, and one of the suggestions that we gave them -- and I would hope that the Education Committee of Council might have some impression upon the School District and perhaps change their policy -- to give an exam. Some of these principals are chosen without any exam at all, and I have proof of that because I used to apply. An exam, if you just ask a principal or a candidate, What would you do if, say, this parent's child was made to sit out on the bench and had just 40 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 broken his arm, as happened here -- her arm, at Mifflin. What would you do to this principal for allowing that to happen? That could be a question. You could take questions from testimony that parents have made and the complaints they have made and never run out of questions. You don't even have to make up the exam. It's already made up for you. Just look back in testimonies. And we would like to see something like that happen so that we can choose our principals a little bit better by looking at the answers that they give on their exams. You may recall a principal in your own neighborhood, in your councilmanic district, she was chosen politically. And one day the kids were having an assembly and she decided that they would have some fun, so she took her vice-principals -- and I think I told you about this -- took her vice-principals and stood around the balcony and looked down on the children and filled up water 41 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 balloons and threw them down, just to have some fun. What is she there for? To have fun by throwing water down on the children in the auditorium? Of course, she didn't care about who had to clean it up or the things like that. The consequences don't come to the mind of some of these people. And I'll stop there, because I could go on forever.

Yeah. That's unbelievable. Are there any questions for Dr. Bivens or Mr. Bivens? (No response.)

Thank you both. Thanks for your work in this field over the years. Karen Highsmith. Karen Highsmith, are you here? Thank you again. Thank you. I think I saw you coming in. Please identify yourself for the record and begin your testimony. 42 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Thank you for coming.

My name is Karen Highsmith, a 34-year music teacher at the Thomas Mifflin School. I am the senior teacher. Some staff members believe that Neil Verone is the senior teacher. We both came in 1974, but I was hired two months before him. I come from a family of strong educators. My father was a former Deputy Superintendent of Schools, Acting Superintendent of the Schools before retiring. My mother was an educator. My brother was former Regional Superintendent, and I have been very close to many of the families, because I've taught generations. My first principal was Les Pernsley, who was black. He had to deal with the same neighborhood issues. He would not allow them to use him to entertain their agenda to rid the school of the East Falls and Abbotsford Homes children. Past student population was 43 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 800 students, 60 to 40 ratio black to white. The staff was racially balanced, and even though there was tension in the neighborhood, we all got along as a staff until recently. Before we entertained in each other's homes, we ate lunch together, and we supported each other. Now all that has changed. The neighbors have always wanted their school back, and racial tension was evident. Halloween was held on a different night. Students weren't welcome in their neighborhood, so they had it on a different night. And I know this for a fact because kindergarten students invited me to their home for Halloween, not knowing that I was black and I wasn't supposed to know. I was just their music teacher who loved them and made them have a wonderful time whenever they came to class. Student population has dropped significantly. Racial balance of the staff has become a problem and morale is low. Many teachers have low expectations 44 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 of students. Most recently at a holiday program a new white staff member remarked sarcastically, Well, I'm impressed, as if our students were incapable of performing at such a high level because they were reading music, working as a team and performing at proficiency. Mifflin School has always been known for our musically talented students. In the past, we have performed at the Board of Education, the grand opening at the Philadelphia Zoo, as well as the ribbon cutting ceremony at the East Falls Library. Mayor Rendell was in attendance, and after the choir sang, he commented on the difficulty of the arrangement and vocal abilities of the students. He then questioned, Well, where is this school with this fabulous choir, and I replied, We're right across the street, Thomas Mifflin, your neighborhood school. This is just one example of how the school and these students are not 45 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 recognized and given credit for their own accomplishments. As senior teacher, this year I was given the worst schedule I've had in 34 years. There was no allowance for one free period for rehearsals. Now, I'm not speaking about choir or keyboard. I'm talking about a period put aside so I could rehearse and give these grand programs which I do, which includes students from kindergarten all the way up to the eighth grade. Attempts to boost morale by establishing a Sunshine Committee was sabotaged by the principal. I received a negative memo regarding the formation of a Sunshine Committee. This letter included a discriminatory sliding fee scale for members. Ed Williams, former Regional Superintendent of Reconstructed Schools, visited Mifflin recently. He was ignored in the office. When I saw that he was not going to be acknowledged, I 46 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 introduced him to our secretary. I informed her he was here to see the principal. Working conditions are very stressful, causing problems with health. Although I enjoy and love teaching, I am strongly considering retiring early.

Thank you, Ms. Highsmith. Certainly we thank you and your family. We all know the Highsmith name and what it's meant to education in our city. Thank you very much. Any questions? (No response.)

Thank you. Ms. Shirl Ishmael, teacher. Welcome.

Thank you.

Please identify yourself for our record and begin your testimony. Thank you for being here. 47 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

Thank you. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Shirl Ishmael and I'm a 21-year veteran teacher at the Thomas Mifflin School. During my tenure at Mifflin, I've held many leadership positions. I've been Grade Chairperson, Mentor Teacher. I've participated fully on the Leadership Team. I've also been the PFT Building Representative for several years, and I am currently the School-based Teacher Leader of Literacy for the school, which requires me to do turn-around training for the teachers and work very closely with the principal, Allyssa Schmitt. I'm proud to say that I am very happy to be a teacher of public school and I'm a strong advocate for public education, and I teach because that is my passion. And I'm also proud to state that during my tenure at Mifflin, I've worked under 16 principals, all of which 48 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 have given me exemplary -- I'm sorry; exemplary observations. I have never had a problem. As Ms. Highsmith stated, our student population began to significantly decrease, and as it decreased, the racial imbalance of our staff began. We started seeing a lot of racial incidents within our building, as well as in the neighborhood. I appealed to the principal, because I recognized that there was a problem, and I asked that we receive professional development for sensitivity and diversity training for our staff. That did not occur. So I'm here today because I'm speaking about the concerns that I have about the social and the academic implications that the actions of our current administration will have on the education of our students, as well as the well-being of our staff. I'm a witness to a lot of things. I'm a witness to many derogatory 49 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 statements that have been made about parents. I'm a witness to derogatory statements that have been made about students. I also am very well aware of the low expectations that some of my colleagues have for the children of our school. And I personally have been targeted at the school more recently. We had been having problems with our PFT elections. One incident where the ballot box was moved around throughout the building, I questioned why the ballot box was being moved around, and I was told by a white staff member that it was given to the person or to the people who are less bias to or cordial with the minorities. I once again appealed to the PFT and to the principal for sensitivity and diversity training for our staff, because I felt that that was an unbelievable thing to be thought or said. Nothing happened. I also appealed to the West Region for help, and nothing 50 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 happened. Over the course of the past two years, we've had several incidents. One incident, I'm very sorry to say that someone on our staff announced Arion Nation in the office. It was reported to the PFT representative. All I can say is that I don't recall anything discussed to the staff about the incident. During the past year and a half, we've had five African-American teachers leave our school, some of which decided to retire early. One of our staff members, a former counselor, was actually coerced into leaving.

You said within the last year?

Yes. There is a distinct difference in the treatment of the parents and staff and students, and I believe that it has to do with race. When a prospective parent comes to our building, if they are black, some have been told that we are 51 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 not accepting applications. If they are white, they are treated completely different. Many of the African-American teachers, their efforts -- and there's not that many -- their efforts are not appreciated or recognized. During one of our staff meetings, one of the African-American teachers who left was accused of cheating on the PSSA because she had high test scores. I believe that was said because, number one, the expectations are low of our children, and I also believe that because that teacher is African-American, no credit was to be given to her. Last year, 80 percent of my students scored at proficient or advanced on the standardized test. That accomplishment was ignored. This year as School-based Teacher Leader I applied for a First Book Grant, and I was fortunate enough to get 800 books for our students. That was 52 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 also ignored. I've made community relationships with Verizon where I've helped to secure libraries for our families, and that is also something that is not recognized. The beginning of the harassment that I've been experiencing started on October 1st of this year, 2007. Our principal was having lunch at the local pizzeria with the physical education teacher, Ms. White. She was speaking loudly about me, making derogatory remarks about me, slanderous remarks, stating that I -- she was implying that I stole $200. She stated, and I quote, she doesn't trust me and that she was compiling a dirty list on me, and she also stated that I was behind all of this. I believe that Ms. Schmitt felt comfortable stating this because at the time, there were no African-Americans in the pizzeria and she felt it was a safe 53 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 time to speak about me. She was wrong. That day and at that time, two people were in the pizzeria that knew me. One was a former student, who was an adult now, because as I stated, I've been teaching for years, and the other 8 lady, who was also white, they overheard 9 the conversation. They reported it to 10 me. They contacted me that day. They 11 put their complaint in writing and 12 submitted it to the West Region to 13 Dr. Gilbert for investigation. To this 14 date, I know nothing that has been done 15 about that. 16 After that was reported, I 17 started receiving neglective duty forms, 18 where I have not had any blemishes on my 19 record. On October 24, 2007, Ms. Schmitt 20 made good on her promise of her dirty 21 list on me and I received a fourdisciplinary memo with 12 points of concern regarding my competence as a teacher and School-based Teacher Leader. Just to give you an idea of some of the 54 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 things that were --

Twelve?

Twelve. One of the points that she stated on this points of concern was 8 that I didn't return her phone call in 9 August. Well, as we all know, school is 10 not in session in August. She also 11 stated that I was having unauthorized 12 meetings with parents and staff. That is part of my job, to meet with parents and staff. And there was just -- it was just a litany of false accusations against me, all related to my competence as a teacher. She instructed me to bring representation to the meeting that was originally scheduled for October 30, '07. That meeting has been cancelled four times. She has made derogatory remarks about me to people who come to do business with the school. It was 55 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 reported to me by the Christian Release teacher that Ms. Schmitt stated that my children were not allowed to participate in her program because I don't teach enough. She also made derogatory statements to the International Baccalaureate representative that came to our school and, unfortunately, some of my colleagues made derogatory remarks to the International Baccalaureate representative about me also. It's the type of situation where you just never know what to expect. You don't know if you're going to get a letter, you don't know if you're going to get a memo, but you can be sure that if you disagree with the principal, there will be retaliatory actions against you. She undermines my ability to the staff, making it virtually impossible for me to work with my colleagues. As a PFT member, I am not allowed to go into any classrooms. Contractually I must be 56 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 invited in, because I'm not their rating supervisor. By me being undermined by the principal, no one wants to have me in their room, and if they do, it's always a test to report back to her. My room is being watched at all times. There are teachers who report back to the principal who comes into my room or out of my room. The school police officer has been asked to do so. This has been proven, because each time I have ever had a visitor, they have been confronted by the principal shortly thereafter and she questions them intently about what conversations -- what the content of our conversation is. She enters my room during off school hours. She has access to my computer, my password. I have been labeled a troublemaker, because I have been very vocal about the fact that I believe we need sensitivity and diversity training ongoing, and I believe that it is something that if it does not get 57 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 addressed, it only festers. She has labeled me a troublemaker because she believes that I am the ghostwriter for the parents who have complained about her. She believes that they are incapable of writing their own letters and that I must be the person behind it. On December 13, 2007, I was covering a classroom because the teacher was absent. The principal entered the room in front of the students and handed me a letter. That letter read that my computers, my laptop and my desktop, were confiscated by the School District of Philadelphia police, and she exited the room without explanation. I contacted Human Resources immediately, and they stated that they knew nothing about it. I reported it to the PFT, and they moved forward to investigate. I contacted my lawyer, who instructed me to make sure that I file a grievance, and he's working towards 58 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 investigating the incident as well. And if that was not enough, when Ms. Schmitt was confronted about some of the things that had been happening particularly to me, she made a false accusation that I was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with her boss, the Regional Superintendent, Dr. Gilbert. As a result, I have had to pursue legal action to protect my job and my reputation. I am a witness to many things, as I said, and I think that most of us in this room, when we came in, we saw where people were sitting.

We are divided, and it needs to stop. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Ms. Ishmael. (Applause.)

Councilwoman Campbell has a question for you.

Yes. 59 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

I really find this very appalling. It's just unbelievable that in this day and time that the school system, that the PFT would permit these type of conditions to exist. I don't know, but it appears to me that some of your civil rights have been violated here, and maybe, maybe we need to look if the municipality and the School Reform Commission and the state doesn't intervene, then maybe we need to look about bringing the federal government in to intervene, because, first of all, this is morally despicable. I have heard about situations like this, but it was many years ago. The first thing I intend to do tomorrow is to find out from the Fire Commissioner about the locking of the gate at the back of the room. Is there a Home and School Association that African-Americans are members of, that you know of?

What we have 60 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 operating right now is a non-functioning Home and School Association.

Why is it non-functioning?

Because there are no officers in place, and there's no 8 officers in place because the election -- there were violations of the bylaws of the election. I used to be one of the teacher representatives for the Home and School Association, so I was very active in the Home and School, and the bylaws state that you have a membership drive, you make it inexpensive so that families can join, teachers are allowed to join, of course, and as a result, you open up nominations to all. You distribute nomination forms openly, meaning they could be on the counter in the office and we also distribute them to students to take home to parents. When nomination forms were returned, we would have an Election Committee comprised of people who are not 61 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 running for office, and those people would form a ballot. Nothing was done in secret. Nothing was done in a vacuum. That ballot was made public or should have been made public, and voting members who are paid dues members are allowed to vote. That has not been happening for the past couple years because Ms. Schmitt has interfered with the operation of the Home and School.

In what manner?

In the matter that a noontime aide is being allowed to handle fundraisers as opposed to it being given to the Home and School people who had been appointed. In the matter that she wants certain people in place, so she directs who is going to be handling nomination forms, and it's all done in a vacuum. It's not done openly. So we don't know who is on the nomination form. We don't know who collects them. Deadlines are missed. Some are being 62 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 mailed home. We've never mailed home nomination forms. Nomination forms are just something that you distribute freely. And with nomination forms being mailed home, that meant that select families didn't get them.

Do you have documentation, or does anyone, that this information has been presented to the School District and to the -- does anyone have documentation that they can show that this was presented to them and they did not take any action on this?

From my understanding, Dr. Gilbert is very well aware of it and that he met with Ms. Schmitt regarding the matter of the Home and School Association.

I had a conversation with Dr. Gilbert maybe five months ago about the school, and he told me there were a few difficulties there with the principal, and he ultimately 63 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 felt that she would be moved, but they were working on it. I spoke to him yesterday. Now, he told me he would be here. He stated he wasn't feeling good, and I told him neither was I, but I would be here. He said also someone would come from the academic division to represent the School District. And unless it's happened recently, I haven't -- Madam Chairwoman, have you had notice of anyone that's here from the School District?

No. 14 The only letter I received is one from Councilman Rizzo's office saying that he's unable to attend. Nothing from the School District.

Well, I think this is totally disrespectful. I think it's arrogance. How dare they think they don't have to send a representative of this body if they're requested to be here? That in itself to me speaks volumes. I don't think that we can 64 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 afford to let this go. And let me be perfectly clear. Whether I'm in Council or not, I'm going to deal with this, because I don't like it. And if we have to go to congressional levels to deal with it, then that's what we're going to do. (Applause.)

I don't know what this does to the children, because to have children in this environment is very, very bad emotionally for them. It could have a terrible psychological effect. And I have a problem with people that would sit back, including Dr. Gilbert if he knows these facts, and not take a position on it. They are there, yes, to protect their principals, but their first responsibility is to protect the children and their other employees. And we're going to get some answers about this, because this is wrong. I am very sorry that you were 65 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 subjected to the things that you have been subjected to, but I'm going to make sure that you get my numbers, and if you feel they're targeting you again, I want you to reach out for me right away and let me know.

Thank you very much.

And we'll deal with it. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Ishmael, how long have you been asking for sensitivity and diversity training?

For three years. We had one session. We actually were supposed to have another session on September 6th, the beginning of the school year. The principal was supposed to conduct a meeting with our staff to discuss our problems, and she called it the non-discussibles, because we had an 66 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 opportunity at the end of the school year last year to identify some problems that we were having supposedly anonymously on laptops. During that time, we got a wide range of response, like there were people who typed in that they didn't know anything was going on, to other people stating that it's every day, it's pervasive, it's problematic, it's, you know -- I'm hearing words like children being called monkey. And that did happen, and I had to be the building representative to represent the teacher who spoke that word. It didn't end there with the statement being made, because after that, when we would have teacher luncheons, the person would bring monkey bread as an ongoing joke, dirt. So I've been asking for it for quite some time.

Do you have any knowledge about whether or not Mr. Brady or Vallas before him were aware of the issues at this school? 67 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

I have no idea, to be honest. And when we were supposed to have our meeting on September 6th, as I was stating, the principal was to conduct the meeting with our staff to help as a team-building activity and also to follow up on those non-discussibles, the problems that we had identified as existing in our building. That meeting never materialized into what it was supposed to be. When I met with her for Leadership Team meetings, she explained that she was going to talk about the race problems and give people an opportunity to speak about what they were experiencing, because people sometimes just truly don't see what we see or hear what we hear. That meeting never materialized into what it was supposed to be, because she used that as an opportunity to vent to the staff about how she was being persecuted by parents. She was ranting and raving during the meeting. She was 68 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 marching from one end of the room to the other. And no one on our staff can deny this, especially since one staff member was asked to videotape it. She videotaped the meeting unauthorized. We did not agree. No one on the staff was asked to sign any waiver or agreement to the videotape of that meeting, where she screamed at us and admonished the staff for airing our dirty laundry in the neighborhood.

Well, certainly we look forward to supporting the statements and the actions of Councilwoman Carol Campbell who has made it clear, and we thank you for having the courage to come forward.

Thank you.

Are we allowed to question? You said questions.

That's from the Councilpeople. You can testify, but we can only ask you when you come up. If you want to talk about her statement, 69 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 then you're welcome to come and take the witness table.

Right now?

What's your name?

I'm not on the witness list.

If --

But there are many inequities about the Home and School.

If Navina Youseff doesn't mind you coming before her. Is Navina there?

Yes.

Do you mind her coming before you?

No. 20

Fine. Then come forward. And you're next, Ms. Navina Youseff. Welcome. Come forward.

Just come up here? 70 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

Yes.

Should I remain here?

Fine.

Good afternoon. My name is Nicole Boyd and I am a teacher at Thomas Mifflin. And I'm listening to many statements, many of which are true, but many are inaccurate and many fallacies occurring, especially the Home and School. I actually assisted with the West Region Home and School liaison, Ms. Addy Williams, to hand out nomination ballots to every single person in the school. So that was quite inaccurate. We mailed out ballots to everyone. Everyone in our school was given an opportunity to vote. And with all due respect to Dr. Bivens about the Home and School, how Ms. Norris had twice run and twice won, we didn't even vote for the second time yet. The first time, just as Ms. Ishmael 71 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 stated, which was accurate, that there were some inequities, so we're doing it again. And we laid it out on the line that everyone could have come to a meeting. I think only about people 7 attended the meeting, 12 people in our 8 whole population. So those were the 9 people that were requested to be on the 10 committee, that were requested to assist 11 with the Home and School. 12 They put it out there. Parents who came, came. Parents who didn't, unfortunately they didn't. But it was a very informative meeting with Ms. Addy Williams, and we're just waiting back from the nominations from the people who wanted to run. We're waiting back to see -- to pick who wants to be on the Home and School, for the president, for the vice-president and those --

Do you think that people who are part of -- PFT representatives in the school would not 72 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 want to participate in this voting?

The voting -- you have to have a child in the school. So the PFT members who have children in the school, they are allowed to have a vote.

I mean as representatives. If I understood, as teacher representatives.

If they don't have a child in the school --

As a teacher representative -- and I have been the teacher representative for the Home and School Association for many years -- I was a paid dues member, and at some point, I was allowed to vote. Okay? But as you can see, there's a lot of inconsistencies with how things are being run. So the reason why there was no -- when it was stated that Ms. Norris won twice, Addy Williams' decision -- and she's the Home and School representative for the West Region -- it was her decision not to make a ballot, because in 73 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 her words, there's not many people who want to run, so it's not worth putting it on paper.

Okay.

And that's how it happened. Nominations were mailed home. They were not distributed to everyone. They were mailed home, which only opens it up for question about whether or not everyone got a nomination form. You can mail them home. If the decision is made to mail them home, it is my recommendation and suggestion that in the future there also be nomination forms available for people to pick up in the office, because some people don't get mail or there's an incorrect address, and you don't have to worry about it if you open it up to all people.

But the School District also --

May I ask something, please. Just a minute.

Thank 74 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 you very much. Councilwoman Campbell.

How many students are in the school?

Approximately 300. That's including pre-K.

And you said you personally know that each one got one?

Well, we don't include Head Start children.

But how would you know personally that every student -- I'm good, but even I am not that good.

There was three of us, and we did the siblings. One family, you got one ballot per family.

That's not what you said. You said you personally knew that everyone got --

Every family was represented.

You 75 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 didn't say family. You said everyone.

Every family was represented.

That isn't what you said. You said everyone. I listened very closely.

Okay. Everybody was given the opportunity to vote.

That's not what you said. You said you personally knew everyone received --

Every family at Mifflin had the opportunity.

That is not what you said. I mean, I can call the stenographer and she'll tell us that is not what you said. You distinctively said you knew -- and I said to myself sitting here, how in the world could you know --

Every child had a name tag, and if there were three siblings per family, we did three names and we took -- excuse me; two names -- 76 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

You said "we," but that's not what you said. You're talking "we" now. You said you knew. That's what I want to know.

The committee knew.

That's not what you said. You said you knew it.

If there were siblings, you got one per family. We looked at the siblings and we checked them off and counted this is another one.

I am not talking about "we." I am talking about the statement you made that you knew. And I would just like you to clarify for me.

Okay.

I mean, was each child's name written down by you or did you personally see each --

We received them from the school.

Not we, you. Go away from we. 77 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134

Okay.

That's what I'm asking you.

Myself and two other people on the committee received it from the office, received every single student's name from the office.

But that is not what you said. I know, Madam Chair, with you and your expertise as a teacher for the many years that you were, I know you find this quite alarming, because there's too many discrepancies here.

It's very interesting that all of the sudden there was a new process used, which is obviously part of the reason why we're here today. If a new process was used that worked and it was seemingly a fair and open process, then we wouldn't have the need to have this subject come up, but obviously there's some questions about this new system and new process, 78 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 because this is part of a big part of the testimony we're hearing today. So we definitely have some concerns about it. Thank you, Ms. Boyd. Thank you, Ms. Ishmael.

Sure. Thank you.

Ms. Navina Youseff. Next will be Linda Norris after she's done. Linda Norris, are you here?

Yes.

You'll be next. Thank you for your patience. Welcome.

Should I start?

Yes. Welcome.

My name is Navina Youseff. This is my statement.

Pull your mike a little closer. We can't hear you well.

My name is Navina 79 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Youseff. This is my second year of being a teacher at Mifflin School and this is my fourth year. I was a transition support tutor before. Then I became teacher last year. The reason I'm here is not like -- I don't have anything personal towards Ms. Schmitt. I'm here because of my complaint about the last injury that I had, and I don't really understand why the counselor was able to state inaccurate information in the claim and she didn't validate the claim, which in result I'm in the middle of nowhere as of now. My claim was denied. I don't receive any medical treatment, except for the painkiller that the doctor prescribed for me. Because of the holiday, my lawyer is still evaluating my case. And I am in pain, physically and emotionally, when I go to school, and things could be said, like they were saying that I was bleeding the day I had the injury from my 80 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 abdomen and my shoulder and that I had stitches in my shoulder, which never happened, and they're putting me in a position that people are questioning that, and I'm very uncomfortable like going to school and facing all that. My husband, my kids are asking me to resign, and I'm considering that, although I need the job. My point here, that the counselor, as a PFT member, I cannot file 13 any grievance against her because she is a PFT member, and I don't feel comfortable that because you are a PFT member, you have the freedom of stating whatever you want against another person and you go free, like you're not penalized. Like I need closure. Why did she do that? And somebody has to let her know that that's not right. That's not fair to other people when you ruin their reputation, you made them feel outraged. Why do you do that? You knew that I had the surgery. I state the same day that I 81 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 had the injury because I didn't have any intention of going even to the doctor, but I had to seek medical treatment the next day because I was in pain, and I decided to go back to school. So I shouldn't be penalized for that. And they're asking other people like it was like -- the counselor didn't have a direct conversation with me. She didn't ask me what happened or how do you feel or anything. So how come she had the authority to write the claim and to write wrong information about me? I had to go back to the job until I decide will I be able to take it anymore. Again, it's not -- I don't know how to express myself. This is the first time ever like I have to be in this situation. But in conclusion, like they can replace a teacher, but they cannot replace me at home with my kids and my husband. And my kids are suffering because as of now I've been out for six days. I'm depressed. I'm very 82 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 depressed. I'm suffering from all kinds of pain, emotionally and physically. And I cannot find any reason that was done to me, except of being of a different race or different tradition or anything else, because I have no problems with anybody whatsoever in school. I go inside, do my job and leave. I have respect for everybody in this building. I'm very professional in treating everybody. I don't have any problems. As far as I know, my students, you know, I have problems with some of them who are misbehaving, but for the most part, my students like me and they know very well that I do my best to do my job each and every minute I am in Mifflin School.

Well, I am sorry, and nobody has a right, not in America, to lie on someone else or write false records or false reports on anyone. Nobody has a right to do that. And certainly we look forward to investigating further this issue. And 83 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 we're really, really sorry you have gone through this, but absolutely, no, that's not fair. Are there questions? (No response.)

We are very, very sorry to hear that, but we look forward to investigating this further.

Thank you.

And we'll be in touch with you. Thank you very much, Ms. Youseff.

Thank you.

Ms. Linda Norris.

Ms. Blackwell, Honorable Blackwell, I would like to speak, but Ms. Darnetta, could she come before me, because she needs to leave. It's okay with me if it's okay with you.

Who?

Ms. Darnetta.

84 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Darnetta Cheaton?

Mrs. Cheatom. I'm sorry.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Darnetta Cheaton, parent, correct?

Cheatom, yes.

Cheatom. Spell it for me.

C-H-E-A-T-O-M.

Okay. Thank you. Welcome.

Thank you. Hello. First of all, I would like to say by not anything is my daughter an angel. I know Alexis has had problems at Mifflin and there are certain teachers that can talk to her and she's just good and there's just certain teachers she don't get along with. She's not an angel by a long shot, but I know what Peanut -- I 85 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 mean Alexis will do and what she won't do. I have had several situations where Alexis has been blamed for things and come to find out she did not do it. For instance, some children had wrote on a wall about another young lady that's a Muslim young lady, which this child comes to my house almost every day to play with her, and some stuff was wrote on the wall. The little girl called her mother to tell her mother about what happened and, in turn, her mother called me at home to let me know what was going on at school and that Peanut -- Alexis was getting blamed for it. I was never informed by the school or anything. It was just Peanut was blamed for it. So I told the parent not to even tell them at the school that I was coming up there, because I never got a phone call from the school. I got a phone call from the parent. And when I got to the school, Peanut was in the 86 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 school being questioned with the other parent there, where she knows her. That's why I guess she felt it was okay and it was comfortable to her to talk. But after Officer Miller went to the bathroom on the walls and looked, he stated to Ms. Schmitt that it was not Alexis' handwriting, but she insisted on that it was Alexis' handwriting. And then they went through a thing back and forth, Well, Ms. Cheatom shouldn't have been called until she was -- until she had investigated, but at the time when it happened, Ms. Schmitt wasn't in the school. Another incident, my husband had came from dialysis and he just popped up at the school to check on her, and in the process on coming to the school, this particular day Peanut was having a good day. But from my understanding what I was told from other people as well as some workers there is that Ms. Schmitt was actually in his face yelling at him, 87 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Well, Peanut is just a troublemaker. Even though she's been labeled as a troublemaker, if she do something bad, she's the one that did it. If she do something good, she's not the one that did it. Another incident, we had just came back from her grandfather's funeral and Peanut was being blamed for something she wasn't even at school. She was at her grandfather's funeral. But it was said that she was in a bathroom and had went to the bathroom on the floor. And she wasn't nowhere near the school. So when I came to the school to deal with it, I was told at that time, Well, I seen her in there. From Ms. Schmitt, I seen her in there, she did it, which was totally impossible. And I took the letter from the funeral director stating that she was at the funeral. So there's no way she could have went to the bathroom on the floor. At that time, Peanut came home 88 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 that next day and said that Ms. White, which is the gym teacher, along with Ms. Schmitt, was bothering her and saying different things about her in reference to with Ms. Youseff, that I have never met before, but I have never heard anything bad about her. Alexis said that she liked Ms. Youseff. Now, my daughter is the one that had the fight with the young man in the school that I had constantly -- this little boy had spit on her. He has smacked her. The same little boy, just as of last week before school got out, rubbed his private part against her leg, and she wrote up the incident report on it. When I said something to Ms. Schmitt about it, Oh, I have to investigate it. But if it was Alexis, it would have been -- she would have been out the school. It wouldn't have been no investigation, no anything. And so when I got the report back, Ms.

Youseff -- Alexis was supposed to have pushed Ms. Youseff down to the 89 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 ground by her shoulders. She was pushed down to the ground and bust her stitches open and she was bleeding. This is the phone call that my dad got. When I wasn't home, my husband was in dialysis and I was with my godmother at chemo, so we didn't get the phone home, because we wasn't there. When my dad got the call, I'm like, Are you sure? So when I talked to the counselor, she says, Yes, Ms. Youseff said it. And I said, Well, I need to speak to Ms. Youseff. Because I have never heard anything about this teacher, except for Alexis likes her. And so when I asked Alexis, she said, Mom, I might have pushed her, but I didn't push Ms. Youseff on purpose or, you know, whatever. She said when we got the call, she's going to be arrested, because Ms. Youseff was down on the ground and she's bleeding and she bust her stitches open. But now another report states that it was no injuries or anything at that 90 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 time. It was no injuries to Ms. Youseff being done, and when I brought this to Ms. Schmitt's attention, she assumed that I received it from Ms. Ishmael, which that's not who I got the information from about the report. So she told me next time in the future if I get any kind of report about something that's dealing with her school, that I need to let her know before I take it further, because every time I will call her, I wouldn't get a result from it. When I will call Ms. Ishmael -- because Ms. Ishmael knows how to deal with Alexis. Alexis has been through a lot of deaths and stuff within the last year, year and a half, which Ms. Connolly has helped her with, and she's been through a lot, where I'll tell them, If y'all can't get in contact with me, call Ms. Ishmael. Peanut, I'm not going to say she's petrified of her, but she knows, you know, what Ms. Ishmael is going to take from her and what she's not going to take. 91 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 When I try to call to contact Ms. Ishmael just for her to check on her -- because I'm running back and forth with my husband at dialysis and with my godmother, I don't have the time like I used to to go to the school, so I ask her to check on her -- Ms. Ishmael is not given any of my messages.

What grade is your daughter in?

She's in the sixth grade.

So she's, what, 11?

Yes. She'll be 12 January the 29th. When Peanut did come back to school after the incident with Ms. Youseff, when I was asked -- because I didn't know if Ms. Youseff was back at work or not. When I asked can I speak to her and have a meeting with her, I was told that I couldn't, which I don't understand why I couldn't. If my 92 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 daughter pushed her down on the ground and bust her stitches open and made her bleed, I want to meet with her, but I was told that I couldn't, for whatever reason. And that same day -- I mean, well, the day after that, she had an incident where the same little boy spit on her again, and he spit on her and threw the spit balls at her and stuff again, and she hit him. They got into a fight again. This time neither was suspended. The first time the little boy wasn't suspended either. Just Alexis was suspended. So either time -- well, the second time neither one of them was, because it was stated from other children that he spit on her and he threw spit balls at her again, which started the other fight at the beginning. And every time I go to her and I say something about it, the last response, the last conversation that we actually had was, from Ms. Schmitt, was Alexis will leave 93 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 the school before she will.

All right. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Any questions? (No response.)

Thank you, Ms. Cheatom.

Madam Chairman?

Yes. Councilwoman Campbell.

This is supposed to end at 6 o'clock, so I would ask the witnesses to try to condense their testimony as much as they can so that we can get everyone in.

Thank you very much. That is a good point. We have approximately 15 minutes. So we're going to ask if you would condense your testimony so everyone who would like to testify can, because we 94 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 did advertise this hearing from 4:00 to 6:00. And that's the law, we have to stay within the confines of the rules. Ms. Norris. Is Charlene Kennedy here?

Yes.

You'll be next. Is Michelle Parrish here? (No response.)

Is Michelle Parrish here? (No response.)

Okay. Is LaShya Taylor here? (No response.)

LaShya Taylor is not here. Ms. Norris, would you please come forward. Is Vivian Hughes here? (No response.)

Vivian Hughes is not here. What about 95 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Ms. Cowdery?

Yes.

Okay. So it will be Ms. Norris, then Charlene Kennedy and then Ms. Cowdery. Okay? Thank you. Welcome.

Thank you, Honorable Blackwell and Honorable Carol Campbell. Thank you so much. I'm sorry it got to this level, but this is very important issues that needed to be brought out. First of all, I would like to say about the Home and School, to clear the record here, is that it was brought to my attention by George Sharoperty, who ran along with me and was President, Ms. Schmitt wanted him as my Co-president because she was ready to get rid of me. She didn't like me and wanted me out of the building. Allegedly this was said from George Sharoperty. Other parents said, How did you win? We didn't get a chance to vote for you. 96 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 I said, Well, Addy Williams said since there was only people who 4 filled out the vote, that it wasn't worth 5 sending the paper out, that she was just 6 going to put me president, George 7 co-president, and she just did it in 8 order like that. I felt in my heart that 9 was definitely wrong. I said to Ms. Addy 10 Williams, We need to have another 11 election, let all the parents get an 12 opportunity to do it right, like have the nomination and every parent be a part of it, because it was said just here that 12 parents only participated. So after me hollering and screaming a little bit, we finally got to do that. Now, I don't know the outcome because we just now submitted the nominations and they're in the process, I believe, of the new year of sending the nominations home for the parents to choose who they want to be in office. So that's how that went with the Home and School election to be true. 97 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 But I also am here to testify -- I'd like this on public record -- that I have worked for the Philadelphia Public School District for years, which I love. I now have some 7 of the children's children that I took 8 care of. And I go to school every day 9 because I enjoy being with the children, 10 but I have been seriously harassed, 11 written up, accused of things that are 12 ungodly, very upsetting to me, and I just 13 pray and I ask God every day to give me 14 strength and courage to get through this 15 day of the false accusations and from my 16 own -- how can I say it without getting 17 choked up? I just have never in my 20 18 years of working there had a principal 19 that could be so devious and so -- she's 20 just so -- I just can't even express what I have to say about Ms. Schmitt, that she is definitely harassing me, accusing me of things I haven't. It's about time Ms. Schmitt takes accountable for her own action what 98 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 she and how she treated the parents and the children instead of looking to target Linda Norris for going back carrying tales, because I don't want to speak on something I haven't witnessed, and so this is what Ms. Schmitt allegedly believes, that I am the one telling parents, and it's not true, because I don't want to be a part of giving wrong information to upset any parent. But I seriously have been harassed by her and accused, and I am right now on a three-day suspension due to her accusations, false accusations, against me that I have cursed in front of a child with Jennifer White, who is sitting here. And what had happened was with my son -- and Ms. White is here to testify that when that happened with my son bending over to tie his shoe for the detention, as I was coming in with the children, I knew better to say anything in front of the children, that her and I could talk after school. It wasn't a big 99 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 matter. Ms. White and I met after school. She told me my son bent over to tie his shoe. She told him to get in line. The second time he didn't listen. I said to him, Steve, you need to follow directions. I want my son to be a good student and follow directions when given. Ms.

White then -- I believed at the time that my son was not following her direction, but from hearing all this testimony, I believe now that they used my son and used that against me, that they could write down allegedly that I used derogatory statements, I acted inappropriately in front of the children, which is not true. That is out of my character. I have never disrespected the children that I care deeply for and serviced over 20 years. So now that all this is out, I can honestly say now I can understand why Ms. Schmitt put -- but she used that opportunity with my son to say that I 100 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 acted inappropriate in front of students and made derogatory statements. Jennifer White is sitting here. I am very upset that she could be a part of the wrong, because she knows in her heart that we met at the end of the day. I told Ms. White I want my son to follow directions when given. She hugged me. She said, Ms. Norris, I see what you're going through. The children were giving you a hard time and they were upset, they wanted Steve to play basketball. Never did I once use profanity in front of our children or act inappropriately, because I know we are the role model and I do respect our children utmostly. And another thing, I believe that Ms. Schmitt is targeting me because she knows how I feel about our children and that she sees me as a stumbling block in her change of the school coming, and I believe that's why she wants me out of the building and fired. 101 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 She has humiliated me, told me to get out -- she wants me out of the school. She tells a parent sitting here too that you got to watch parents who you talk to because they like to cause trouble. I could just go on and on and on, but bottom of my heart is that I know that Ms. Schmitt does not like me. She's clearly harassing me and she's let it known. And I've never been humiliated and I don't deserve this, because I worked long and I care deeply for our children at the school.

Thank you very much. Any questions? (No response.)

Ms. Charlene Kennedy. Ms. Kennedy. Next is Ms. Cowdery after her. Is Malika Pearson here? (No response.)

What about Audrey Hood? 102 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 All right. You will be -- what about Tameria Robeny?

Yes.

Okay. All right. Welcome. Thank you. Please begin your testimony.

Thank you and good evening.

Good evening.

I'd just like to say that --

Give us your name again.

I'm sorry. My name is Charlene Kennedy and I'm a parent of a student at Thomas Mifflin School. My son has endured a lot of singling out, harassment. He's also been bullied ever since kindergarten. I have tried many times, many attempts to speak with Ms. Schmitt about different concerns, about the treatment of the children, how they interact, how I think 103 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 that the interaction is too violent and that I felt that she should step in and talk to the teachers and see what could be done. At this point, since September, I have just had -- I've been overwhelmed with stress with the fact that my son has come home many times asking me, Mom, can you believe that Officer Miller said he don't like me? He goes to school at this point. We can ride the bus maybe less than a five-minute ride. He gets up. He gets dressed. He's happy. He has his breakfast. I encourage him. Dr. Bivens is my advocate. She gave me a student pledge. He reads that pledge every morning. He's ready to go. He gets in the building, totally different attitude. As soon as he gets in there, he don't want to listen to anyone. He's just upset. He's not upset when he get up in the morning, but as soon as he see these specific adults in this particular 104 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 building, he's upset. He don't want to go to school. He want to go back home. And so he'll go to school during the course of a day. He come home, something has happened. I've tried -- I've been in many meetings, up to the point where I even put in behavior, I guess, behavior assignments to help him to try and correct what was going on. It seemed like the more I tried to help, it got worse. He has told me that his teacher doesn't like him. He's told me that when they have special treatment for the kids on Fridays, he's not included. He's in the counselor's office doing work, and by the time he finishes work, everything is over. He's told me that he goes through school and tries to play with the other kids. He's told that he's bad. They don't want to play with him. They don't like him. He's had other adults. 105 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 He's come and told me, Mom, they don't like me. And this has torn me apart, because I've seen my son turn from an encouraged child into low self-esteem, and it hurts. And I still try every day to even for myself to get up and deal with this. I go in the building. I'm stopped at the door. I can't even walk my son to class. School police officer, everyone is looking at me funny. I've already bear witnessed to the principal in her office speaking with another Caucasian staff member calling Muslims flying nuns. I've seen a lot. I've seen children be disrespected. I've seen teachers being talked about. I hear the talk when you walk in and out the building. I popped up many times. I've witnessed my son get assaulted by not even a noontime aide, a volunteer, and it's acceptable, and when I speak on it, I'm a problem, I'm trouble. 106 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 And so I've tooken the steps and I'm so glad to be here that it's finally being heard. I've wrote many letters. I've tried to encourage parents to get out and fight for the cause, because this is our children, this is their education. And not only that, but I'm years old and I've been a resident 10 of Abbotsford Homes all my life and I 11 know that there are barriers to living in 12 that kind of environment, that we are low 13 sufficient, we are incapable of stepping 14 out of where we're from and going to 15 bigger and better things. And I have 16 bigger and better plans for me and my 17 family. 18

Thank 19 you very much. 20

Thank you. 21

As a 22 member of the PHA Board, a Commissioner 23 on PHA Board, I will say that we're proud 24 of all our PHA facilities and we work 25 hard to make them look nice and be nice 107 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 and people to treat you well. Thank you very much. I'm sorry about all you're enduring. Ms. Cowdery.

Yes.

Next is Audrey Hood. Yes, ma'am.

I am a 30-year employee of the School District of Philadelphia. I've always had a good employment record. I started out in 1976 as a non-teaching assistant and going to college at night. I graduated in 1998 with a Master's degree in school counseling. On the afternoon on May 23, 2007, Ms. Schmitt called me to her office. She handed me a signed voluntary transfer form, which I later found out is illegal. She wanted me to complete the form and submit it by the deadline. I was coerced into completing the form due to the threat that she made in regards to 108 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 my job status. Basically, she stated that if I remained at Mifflin, that I would be written up. I informed the PFT and the West Region Superintendent, Dr. Gilbert, and nothing was done. Three days after submitting my transfer form I received a call from the counselor of the school listed as my first selection on my transfer form. She told me that her principal told her to give me a call after receiving a phone call from Ms. Schmitt. Several days later is when I received a letter from the School District informing me I had been granted my first school selection. This was the same school that had called me days earlier. Many days had passed after submitting my transfer form. Ms. Elizabeth Glass, the PFT representative from the West Region, came to me. She told me Ms. Schmitt asked her if she could still write me up. 109 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Ms. Glass told her it was too late in the school year to write me up. And throughout all of this situation, I have felt that I have been alone and just nobody out there to help me at all in regards to the PFT and Dr. Gilbert. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Ms. Cowdery. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Audrey Hood. Is Tameria Robeny here?

Yes.

You'll be next. Is Ms. Kenwood here? (No response.)

Is Chanel Kingwood here? (No response.)

I see 110 12/27/07 - EDUCATION - RES. 071134 Ralph Wynder. Is Dan Hayes here?