Letter Supporting Ousted Teacher Janice Donahue Surfaces
Names were redacted to protect the identity of Noyes Elementary School students.
The 2011-12 school year officially ended in Sudbury on Friday, but the saga of former first-grade Noyes Elementary School teacher Janice Donahue continues.
A letter written by two Noyes parents whose child had Donahue as a teacher fully supports the 29-year educator, who lost her job over accusations of breaking up a fight of two students over a seat in late April.
The letter was addressed to Dr. Robert Mealey, president of SEA, Janice Donahue, Prinicipal Annette Doyle and Sudbury Public Schools Committee Chair Richard Robison.
In the letter, the parents, whose names were redacted to protect the identity of their child, describe Donahue as "nothing short of an exemplary teacher."
"After struggling in Kindergarten with issues like not paying attention, being competitive, and sometimes spontaneously acting out, he was placed in Janice’s classroom because she represented an effective balance between structure and loving personal attention," the letter states. "And that is exactly what he got this year from Janice."
Sudbury Public Schools Committee has been under fire for the past seven weeks from parents who have demanded answers as to why Donahue lost her job. Both Superintendent Anne Wilson and Robison have stated repeatedly during Committee meetings that by law they cannot discuss matters related to personnel or students.
Parents have swarmed the last three Committee meetings voicing their displeasure over a lack of communication in relation to the incident leading up to Donahue's dismissal, and last week signed a petition asking the Committee to remove Wilson as superintendent.
The Committee responded by saying in a statement they are giving Wilson its full support.
In the letter from the Noyes parents, Assistant Principal Kristin Moffat called the incident between the two students "no big deal" and just involved a scuffle over seats in class.
Wilson has stated in a prior release that misinformation has been reported but did not go into specifics other than stating "no SPS staff member has been or will be disciplined for appropriately intervening in the case of a student fight."
" ... the allegations are so incongruent with what we have experienced with Janice’s personality and capabilities, not to mention heard from numerous other parents in and out of this particular classroom, that indeed we find it hard, if not
impossible, to believe that she has acted in any way worthy of the swift removal from the classroom," the parents wrote at the end of their letter.
Robison said earlier this month that Wilson had hired outside counsel. Donahue has not spoken publicly about her dismissal since May 23, the day her teaching career came to a sudden end.
The SPS Committee next meets on Wednesday, July 25, at 7:30 p.m. at the Senior Center. It will be the first meeting of the 2012-13 school year.
Christine Hogan
7:06 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
I am confused: if Ms. Moffat said it was "no big deal" then why was Mrs. Donahue immediately removed from the classroom. Also, why was a 51A filed 18 days after the "incident" on the eve of Mrs. Donahue's meeting with the administration's attorney? Further, if the parents had the letter notarized, then this letter is, in effect, a sworn affidavit, correct?
Diane
8:18 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
SPS Chair Richard Robison has said clearly, in a SPS Committee meeting, that Janice Donohue's dismissal has nothing to do with breaking up a fight. While this letter is a wonderful expression of support, parents and the Sudbury community clearly deserve more information and explanation. Let's assume all involved, on both sides of this issue, are trying to do their best by our children. The SPS Committee needs to find some venue to relate the true reason for this abrupt dismissal to current and past parents of Janice Donohue's classroom. Without this information, we are not able to respond most effectively. I realize legal issues make this difficult, but the SPS Committee must find a better way to communicate despite these complications. It is clear that community support for Janice Donohue is very strong, yet weeks later we are left wondering what this is really about, and the Sudbury community is largely left demeaned and confused by the committee's behavior.
Christine Hogan
9:04 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Diane: Wonderful points on every front. What I cannot reconcile is if what Chair Richard Robison has said is accurate and that Janice Donahue's dismissal has nothing to do with the incident May 4th, why was she abruptly removed from the school when she returned from her weekend the morning of May 8th? If SPS could explain this I believe many questions will be answered and the community will be better equipped to move on.
Concerned
12:38 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
@HigherExpectations: Robison said Mrs. Donahue's dismissal had nothing to do with a "fight" because the complaint from the music teacher said that she walked right into the music room and shoved a kid onto the floor. So even through the kids all said there was a fight and Mrs. J broke it up, the "official" story is that there was no fight, only a teacher shoving a student <eyeroll>
Diane
9:18 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I completely agree. If they can tell us what has not occurred, they need to find a way to tell us what has occurred. There must be a way to relate factual information to our community. Right now the behavior of the SPS Committee is just inspiring mistrust and anger, which I must believe is not the intent on Sudbury folks volunteering on a school committee. The Sudbury School Committee has to find a way to do better by the Sudbury community, despite the legal maneuvering.
2Labs
10:42 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Other Ma. schools have shared information, and politicians(and others) are fighting for transparency from State agencies.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/04/27/mass_lawmakers_call_for_end_to_gag_orders_on_state_workers/
http://www.commonwealthmagazine.org/News-and-Features/Online-exclusives/2011/Winter/Globe-files-suit-on-severance-records.aspx
http://www.wickedlocal.com/melrose/topstories/x1622878999/Teacher-on-leave-after-porn-allegations#axzz1fDPo0U60
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2011/05/02/gag_orders_save_agencies_pride_but_keep_taxpayers_in_the_dark/
Vigilance is necessary to ensure that public employers do not use authority over employees to silence discourse, not because it hampers public functions but simply because superiors disagree with the content of employees’ speech.
— Justice Thurgood Marshall in Rankin v. McPherson1
2Labs
10:42 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I also saw a case where a court ruled that Cambridge public schools had to release information about the firing of a teacher, and now I can't find it.......
I think a lawyer would have to look at this transparency issue and make a statement as to how it applies to the Mrs. J situation....anyone out there?
Julie Miller
11:19 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I want clarification about the Miss Moffatt comment that the incident was "no big deal". Was this simply two parents stating that she had told them this, or was this a letter to the parents by Miss Moffatt?
2Labs
12:02 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I believe it's explained in the PDF copy above of the letter sent by the parents...also I heard a mom say it in person at the town meeting(ie that mrs moffat had called and said the incident was no big deal).
Edward Stark
12:38 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Rich Robison is a nice guy but certainly does not have the leadership qualities to handle an issue of this magnitude. The same can be said for Gutch and Weiner and the jury's still out with the other two. The unfortunate thing is that there's nothing we can do about it, we voted them in fair and square.
Let's just all not forget when Gutch is up for reelection come March. If she runs again: VOTE HER OUT! Then we vote out the other two the year after and hopefully problem solved.
sla271320
5:51 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Oh Honey,
You're no Edward Stark. :)
2Labs
1:59 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
True for the long run, but still our town has likely committed an immoral act; a senior citizen who devoted her lives to our kids has been crushed. This needs to be brought to light. There has to be an effort for transparency now; it seems that other towns have it.
Diane
2:36 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Thanks for all the interesting links, 2Labs. Will read them all...I agree that this is now a bigger issue than just the specific Sudbury players, important as they may be. This is about transparency, and whether a school administration can just oust a teacher from the school system with no explanation to its citizens. Bravo to all the Sudbury families and parents who have demanded more information and are involved.
SueChap
6:12 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Has anyone requested a disclosure of all litigation, threatened or filed?
This might reveal facts and allow us to move on or ask educated questions.
Diane
10:14 pm on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Wonderful idea, if you know who and where to ask, please do! This is exactly the kind of real info we need - thanks