Editor’s Note: The following letter was signed by over 30 Brennan-Rogers teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and other staff, concerning the Board of Education’s handling of a complaint involving the use of the “n word.” Scroll to the bottom to read a statement from Superintendent Iline Tracey about the incident.
In an email message attached to letter, a signatory wrote: “Throughout the last several months our voices at Brennan have been silenced in the investigation and incident that happened concerning Laura Roblee’s use of a racial slur. Today, we speak.”
Former Brennan Rogers Principal Laura Roblee.
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is sent to you on behalf of members of the Brennan Rogers School Community. We would like to express our complete disappointment with the handling of the harm caused by Laura Roblee to our entire school community. We are disappointed in the lack of support given to our staff and Assistant Principal, Karissa Stolzman, with the investigation trying to sweep this racist act under the rug, and with the decision to transfer Roblee to another school without completing a full investigation and understanding the true impact of her harm.
First and foremost, when Roblee ‘unintentionally’ caused harm to our community, she was put on leave without as much as an email explaining to us that she would be out for the foreseeable future because of an ‘alleged incident.’ There was no communication to our staff; we were and still are completely left in the dark. We understand that legal matters cannot and should not be discussed. However, there was an opportunity to send out a general email letting our staff know she would be on leave and then provide us with actual support. Alas, none was given. No one came to check on us. The first bit of communication we received from the district was at 3:45 the Friday afternoon before the Board of Education (BOE) meeting.
Instead, our assistant principal was thrown into a position and accepted the responsibilities without hesitation. Karissa Stolzman was given no true support or guidance, but was asked to take on the responsibility of principalship in the middle of a proverbial sea storm and barely given a lifejacket to survive. Not only has she survived, but she has helped our buildings THRIVE. She has transformed our culture and climate in a way very few people have done before her. She has created trusting relationships, and staff, students and families alike, finally feel safe and welcomed in our buildings.
Furthermore, the district never provided our staff, students and families with any type of counseling or support to deal with this traumatic event. No one came to our school and asked us, the staff, who was harmed by Roblee, what happened, or what we needed in order to feel supported throughout this process.
The staff in direct contact with the harm were only provided with a quick and impersonal email. No one called them and asked to hear what actually happened. They were asked three vague questions and there was no follow up to their concerns, even when they called and emailed requesting a follow up conversation. The fact that Superintendent Iline Tracey called the investigation “thorough,” is discouraging and offensive.
At the BOE meeting on June 14, we were once again harmed with the superintendent’s comment that Mrs. Roblee had a “slip of the tongue.” This was not an accident. When you preface a racial slur with the comment, “between us white women,” you know you are intentionally about to say something you think will be safe in the company of like-skinned women. She was wrong. Her words were not a mistake. This was not her first time using the racial slur. The only BOE members to stand up for our students and staff at this meeting were Darnell Goldson and Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, and for that we are extremely thankful.
We were further harmed at the meeting when there was no union representation present for our staff. In addition to the racial slur, there have been recorded complaints about Roblee’s demeanor, character, actions, and the way she speaks to staff members and students since she arrived at Brennan three years ago. Complaints have been reported to their respective unions and have been documented.
Members of the Board of Education deserved to know all of the facts before they voted to demote and transfer Roblee. The fact that they were only given one side of the story is reckless and shows that the district would rather put the one before the many, and protect the perpetrator instead of the victims who were traumatized by her actions.
How can New Haven spew our motto, “Kids First,” and, “Be the Lighthouse,” then neglect to uphold that message? With this decision, the district is not choosing to put “Kids First” or “Be the Lighthouse” for their own employees. It is an embarrassment to work in a district that looks down on the brave staff members who reported an abuse of power from their superior and were subsequently labeled, “rats” for sticking up for the children they serve, the staff members they work with, and the families they represent.
We ask you to ponder this— are we truly a culturally inclusive and restorative district if we don’t face and address harm when it is committed, but instead, hide the conflict, gaslight the community and shuffle the perpetrator to another school to continue causing harm? We implore you to reflect on your actions, word choices, and the decision you made without all facts present, so the next time harm like this occurs, you will be able to handle it in a truly restorative way for all stakeholders, not just the offender.
Respectfully,
K. Rodriguez
P. Gagliardi
A. Johnson
T. Fargeorge
L. Holmes
A. Carrano
R. Williams
S. Verna
M. Thomaswick
T. Mayes
B. Yanez
B. Merritt
B. Wolkowicz
A. Wellman
B. Hanaif
M. Zullo
K. Milliken
J. Myrick
R. Baker
L. Gay
P. Dougherty
M. Katz
T. Peterson
S. Reynolds
A. Winfrey
A. Maldonado
J. Giordano
K. Kazakewich
J. Frost
P. Williams
B. Averna
C. Barrio
E. Franco
A. Zoufaly
A. Lamb
S. Van Wie
D. Webber
A. Gibbs
L. Barham
Statement From Superintendent Iline Tracey
Emily Hays Photo
Schools Supt. Iline Tracey.
Monday, I presented to the Board of Education a personnel report. It included my recommendation to change the status of a principal related to an incident that occurred after a critical race theories workshop. It was reported that an insensitive term — the “ N” word was used. Upon investigation, it was used in a hypothetical situation. I, like so many in our community, find the term, whether used directly or not, to be grossly offensive. Upon learning of the incident, our Human Resources Department initiated an investigation. After reviewing the investigative report and considering the context in which the language was used, I am confident that we were right to hold the principal accountable for her actions. After consulting our attorney and meeting with the union, I determined the actions to be as follows:
The principal was demoted, which resulted in reduced compensation. Contrary to reports, she has not been given an assignment as of yet. She will undergo sensitivity training and continued critical race theories training to learn about the impact of her words and to prevent such an incident from happening again. She has also been asked to work to repair the harm to the individuals in the school with whom she interacted for the words she used. As a district, we have been engaged in discussions on critical race theories and need to utilize this along with restorative practices to repair any harm that was done. In addition, the report will be released publicly.
Assistant Superintendent Keisha Redd-Hannans provided support to the school. We also sent an administrative coordinator, who spent all this time at the school. A letter was sent by Redd-Hannans informing staff of the absence when the principal was put on leave pending investigation.
I’d like to thank the Board of Education for their decision to support accountability in this matter. To not act, to not show that this behavior isn’t in line with our values as a district, would have been a mistake.
This article was updated with more accurate information about who signed the open letter and with an additional statement from Superintendent Iline Tracey.
Geeze. This letter is ground shattering. To read what Dr Tracey said underneath puts her in a dimmed light. Watching this closely. People in central office, on the BOE, and at city hall should just walk away gracefully, because the letter from the people paints a cover up and lies. I'm extremely disappointed and saddened.