Classical Magnet School parents, students and faculty met with Superintendent Christina Kishimoto Monday night to air their frustrations over the mid-year transfer of their principal.
A week earlier, Kishimoto announced she was assigning Timothy Sullivan Jr. to lead the struggling Latino Studies Academy at Burns for the rest of the school year. Joining him is Classical Assistant Principal Elaine Papas.
The move has roiled families and staff of the grade 6-12 magnet school, and on Monday, at least 60 people packed into a room at Classical to hear Kishimoto's explanation. She also absorbed criticism during a lengthy Q&A, according to those who attended.
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Reporters were blocked from attending Monday's gathering at Classical. "This is a meeting with parents and I want the parents to be able to tell me what's on their minds, and so that's why it was a closed-door meeting," Kishimoto said later.
School officials also barred a Courant reporter from entering a community meeting last week at Burns in which Kishimoto discussed the changes at that school. Former Burns Principal Lourdes Soto was dismissed in the shakeup.
Meetings are presumed to be open under the state's Freedom of Information law, unless specifically exempted. School spokesman David Medina said Monday night that the corporation counsel would provide a legal citation justifying the exclusion of the media. By Tuesday evening, none had been provided.
The Hartford Courant should file a FOIA request and demand copies of the audio recording of the meeting as well as all emails from Superintendent Kishimoto pertaining to restricting media from covering her meetings.
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