Suzanne Russell, MyCentralJersey.com
PERTH AMBOY – Cold temperatures in some district classrooms are being addressed, but the way the subject was discussed at a recent Board of Education meeting has sparked a new issue for the Perth Amboy Federation – AFT.
The Executive Board of the Perth Amboy Federation – AFT is calling for Assistant Superintendent of Administration Richard Chromey to publicly apologize to Patricia Paradiso, the federation’s president, for characterizing her as a “Henny Penny” in allegedly alarming others about the heat problem.
In a video of the Feb. 7 Board of Education meeting, which was posted earlier this week, Chromey asked the audience to remember the story of a chicken named Henny Penny, who proclaims the sky in falling when an acorn lands on her head.
[…]“Instead of responding to the substance of the issues raised by Paradiso, Chromey denigrated her efforts to safeguard the health and welfare of students, faculty and staff and likened her to an alarmist, hysterical, female character,” said Donna Tartza, a physical education teacher and district union representative.
The union authorized Tartza to call on Chromey to publicly apologize to Paradiso and the entire staff.
“This type of personal attack is sexist and demeaning,” Tartza said. “It’ is an attempt by the superintendent, Dr. David Roman, Chromey and the rest of central administration to discredit the federation leadership and it’s members. Instead of framing his presentation by belittling a dedicated educator who is concerned about our staff and students, Mr. Chromey should have used that time and effort toward collaborating to really solve ongoing district issues, one of them cold classrooms.”
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