Principal comes under fire for using racial slur
By Dennis Valera
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NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (WFSB) — A New Haven principal has come under fire for using a racial slur.
The Board of Education has demoted Laura Roblee, but calls for a more severe punishment are growing.
She was the principal at Breenan-Rogers School, but was demoted following an incident back in March.
Officials said she’s now being transferred to the central office, but it is unclear what her new job will be.
The superintendent said they’re still reviewing her resume and skill set.
Meanwhile, a group of religious leaders said Roblee should’ve just been let go altogether.
“Somebody has got to go, whether it’s Dr. Tracey or whether it’s Miss Roblee, or whether it’s the mayor. There has to be some transparency here,” said Rev. Boise Kimber, of the Greater New Haven Clergy Association.
The association continued their calls for the firing of Roblee.
According to an investigative report released on Monday, Roblee used the n-word while discussing anti-bias and anti-racism training with two teachers.
Roblee allegedly said it again when the assistant principal brought up the teachers’ concerns.
The report found Roblee said the slur to the teachers, but says it’s “disputed” if it was said to the assistant principal.
New Haven Public Schools released a statement from Roblee, who apologized for her behavior.
It said “I do not want anyone else defending me or trying to justify the disgusting thing that I said. I realize I did something wrong and I understand there have to be consequences… In order to move forward and begin to help repair the harm, I will be engaging in some counseling.”
Before she released the report, Superintendent Iline Tracey said they plan to address the emotions surrounding this incident.
“With all that is going on, and with folks indicating they were hurt, I have to acknowledge their feelings as the superintendent. I’m not putting that under the rug,” Tracey said.
Focusing on those directly involved at the school, she said “we have someone we’re consulting with who’s more objective in this situation to take on that, of having conversation with the assistance principal, and I will have conversation with the assistant principal and the two teachers in particular, and then we’ll work on a plan to address the entire staff.”
As part of Roblee’s demotion, she will no longer be paid over summer vacations.
It’s not entirely clear exactly when she’ll start working at the central office.
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