May 14, 2009 6:06 am US/Eastern
Baldwin Principal Subject Of Raucous Board Meeting
Parents, Teachers Demand Answers As To Why Disgraced James Brown Still Has Job In The School
BALDWIN, N.Y. (CBS) ―
It's been more than a week since a judgment was issued against a Baldwin middle school principal for forcing out another administrator after she complained about his sexual comments.
He's still on the job. Parents and teachers want to know why.
CBS 2 HD was in Baldwin on Tuesday night for a board meeting.
There was a raucous reaction for the school board, hammered for still keeping Baldwin Middle School principal James Brown on the job. This after a jury found the district and him guilty for retaliation after school employee Cheryl Farb was fired after complaining about Brown's sexually derogatory comments.
"Five million dollars was found against this man and I think that the board should step up to the plate for once and just say we're going to do the right thing," one parent said.
Added Judy Orstein: "I am also a teacher in another district and I know damn well if there was a jury verdict against me for anything the next day I'd be hauled out of that school, suspended with pay."
Teachers came wearing black in protest while parents came armed with questions and concerns.
Others said Brown has lost respect in the school.
"The students are laughing at Mr. Brown, the principal, so that's what upsets me," parent Alison Culis said, adding when asked if Brown should go, "Absolutely, 100 percent."
The school board told the crowd it was appealing and if unsuccessful, the $5 million judgment would come out of insurance money. But as for Brown's future, the president of the school board wavered a bit.
"He is staying on the job," Mary Jo Hagen said.
But when pressed if that means he'll keep his job indefinitely, Hagen said, "I can't answer that."
The school's teachers said they are not planning a walkout but did say without a doubt they have lost confidence in this school's administration.
The school board told the crowd the jury never found Brown or the district guilty of sexual harassment, but did find fault with how it responded to complaints from an employee concerned about sexual comments.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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