West Pullman LSC votes principal out

West Pullman LSC votes principal out

Lifted by a tide of parental and faculty fury during its meeting Wednesday, West Pullman Elementary School's Local School Council voted unanimously to fire principal Jonadab Omeke.

"We are asking it to be done immediately," LSC Chair Felicia Hayes said following adoption of a Council motion "to terminate the current principal for cause."

Omeke, beleaguered by parents and teachers for almost the entire 16 months of his term at West Pullman, 11941 W. Parnell Ave., showed unwavering composure during the two-hour course of the acrimonious afternoon meeting.

Not once did the dignified educator lose his poise as parents and teachers hurled charges ranging from budget mismanagement to incompetence to misogyny at him.

Said 38-year veteran public schools teacher Mary Stroud, "I invite (schools CEO) Mr. Duncan to compare schools in other neighborhoods with this school. You talk about angry. Teachers are spending their own money.

"We're spending $40 to $60 every time we go to Kinko's. I'm not proud of America because America has not found the way to educate the poor."

Promising to continue spending for supplies that for the moment are unavailable at West Pullman, Stroud said, "Kids are not receiving a quality education in this school and in many segregated schools. I invite the superintendent (Duncan) to come out after he surveys schools on the North Side."

Resource Dept. head Verdella Roberts said, "We don't have textbooks. Money was spent in July, but books didn't arrive. Teachers did not have input," in the textbook selection and purchase process, she added.

"We're treated like crap. Maybe that's because of the principal's culture," she said.

Omeke, whose salary is $86,838, sat by helplessly as Catherine Coker, a West Pullman graduate and mother of three current students, complained about his handling of a recent false fire alarm, failure of the school security to allow her daughter into the gym on a cold morning, and then, referring to the issue of his "culture," of Omeke's alleged misogyny.

"I'm not a racist, but when it comes to women, you have a cloud over your head," she shouted at Nigeria-born Omeke. Calmly ignoring the charge he said "I'll investigate" Coker's other complaints.

Hayes did not dispute the misogyny accusation.

"I believe the charges about Mr. Omeke's attitude toward women," she said. As for expressions of disrespect toward her, she said she has sensed it "on occasion."

LSC member Dee Taylor concurred and said Omeke's alleged misogyny is one of the reasons for the dismissal action.

"Disrespect for women. We've lost five good teachers. All women," she said.

Complaints about textbook shortages persist and before the LCS motion to fire Omeke, Hayes said she awaits response to a letter from him to a textbook publisher demanding delivery of basic texts in science, math and social studies.

"The science book company wants to give us books, K to 8th grade, and accept payment next year. I don't have full details, but we will buy the books and pay next year," Omeke said.

"Let us know," Hayes said.

CPS Chief of Staff Peggy Davis said three reasons explain the textbook shortage.

"The principal didn't have enough books at the start of school and there were more students than were anticipated," she said.

"The LSC didn't vote to transfer discretionary funds. They had a lot of time to use supplementary funds for textbooks. The LSC didn't transfer funds until Oct. 17. Why? It's a mystery. It could have been done."

Finally, Davis said, "Books were not delivered from the vendor."

"The textbooks have been ordered and they are being distributed at this moment," Omeke said Thursday.

"The parents have been calling me all kinds of names, and this is a man who has traveled seven continents. All the principal is looking for is the education of children.

"We need an after-school program and they brushed aside the need for $27,000," to pay for it," he said of the LSC. "They are supposed to vote that I spend the money. Maybe they don't know their priorities," he said.

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