Posted on 03/25/2005 10:05:00 AM PST by KidGlock
Principal apologizes for smoking at school
PROVIDENCE, R.I., March 25 (UPI) -- A Providence high school principal who suspended a student for posting a picture of her smoking on his Web site has apologized to the student body.
Eliazar Velasquez, 17, caught Elaine Almagno lighting up on the grounds of Central High School, a violation both of Rhode Island state law and school district policy, the Providence Journal reported. She ordered him to remove the photograph from his Web site and suspended him when he refused.
On Tuesday, the sophomore was offered reinstatement but only if he complied with the removal order. On Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools Melody Johnson went public, saying that Almagno, "a veteran administrator with a 25-year unblemished record," had made a mistake.
Johnson said that she ordered Central High officials to remove the suspension from Velasquez's record and that Almagno had apologized over the intercom for smoking on school grounds.
Velasquez told the newspaper that, when he returned to school, the vice principal advised him to find some better way of expressing disagreements and that Almagno did not speak to him at all.
You mean traditional values like obeying the rules and laws that you enforce on others, and setting a good example of children in your charge?
No - on the other hand, he did expose a valid problem. [shrug]
Maybe, maybe not...if they were clandestine pics of you or your wife you'd blow a tube. And how easy is it to doctor pictures these days? Maybe a shot of you with a new Corvette you didn't tell the IRS about?
Reporting a lawbreaking incident is his business.
I would concede that the law is ridiculous, but I find disturbing that a teacher was so petty against a boy.
It does not sound to me like the boy wrote those statements.
The website does not say, "I am very busy right now."
It says, "Eliazar is very busy right now."
Then it goes on to talk about "we."
So, I think you are jumping to conclusions about the boy's spelling AND his attitude about life.
His motives are irrelevant to the facts we're considering here. It's really pretty simple: the principle routinely broke a rule she enforced on others, then abused her position to punish the person who exposed her. Period. Full stop.
I woke up that morning, with my goal set in mind: to photograph Ms.Almagno taking a smoke on school property. We all know that it is illegal to smoke within 50 feet of any public buildings, thanks to the new law passed on March 2nd, 2005, I caught her smoking on March 7th, 2005 between 4:00 and 4:30 pm. Looks like our dear principal doesn't really care much for following the law, eh? What kind of example is she setting for the students of Central High? Besides, even if I had taken these pictures before the law was passed, it was still illegal to smoke within 25 feet of a public school. She was right next to the door! And it was open! The law specifically states the smoke must not be allowed to enter a public building.
I got information from a certain individual that Ms.Almagno had a small spot behind the school where she liked to smoke at almost every day after school. I checked out the spot before school started and spent the rest of the school day looking for the best view to commit my deed. I wasn't able to get any good spots from inside the school, so I would have to risk coming out into the open to get the shot, but it was well worth it. I sneaked around after school until she finally came out with another teacher(who wasn't smoking) to have a friendly chat, and a smoke. I had to be real careful, since there were still people walking about. I hid behind a wall and took as many pictures as I could(I even got one where she was looking straight down at the camera!), and took off with my goodies.
This is a principal we're talking about. She is a leader; one who should lead by example. And here we caught her smoking on school grounds; breaking the law. Now, I understand that people smoke. That is their business. It's a free country. But the law should be followed as well. Especially by a principal. We feel that Ms. Almagno is not suited to be principal of Central High School. Just look at the facts so far. Don't take my word for it. I have pictures! A picture is worth a thousand words, correct? What does these have to say about our principal?
Your grandparents said to respect elders that are breaking the law? So, if as a child you saw an "elder" robbing a bank, you'd respect him/her by looking the other way? I'm sure grandma would be proud.
1984 was about an abuse of power.
Note here: The principal was the one in power. And the principal is the one who abused her power.
>>, a violation both of Rhode Island state law and school district policy,<<
Get real! Read the website! Most all of it is written in "first person".
1984 is a story about not being able to trust ANYONE around you. They have all been indoctrinated and trained to turn their fellow citizens in to the government for any and all reasons.
You can't prove that statement was his.
"We" will get back to you. "Eliazar" is busy right now.
Yeah, that's him no doubt. (/sarc)
If you are basing your whole argument on whether this boy can spell correctly, you will lose.
This principal violated the law by smoking within 25 feet of a school. The student caught her doing so. If the law does not apply to her like it is supposed to apply to everyone else, respect for authority gets undermined.
I can see which side of the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal you were on.
When adults say one thing ("Follow the law!") but do another, that teaches kids nothing but hypocrisy.
But they are not.
They are pictures of a principal doing something illegal ON PUBLIC PROPERTY OUT IN THE OPEN.
If the police cheif was photographed illegally parking in a handicap space, while his department ticketed others for doing the same, you would support the police cheif?
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