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H. Grady James, principal of Hawthorne Avenue School, was suspended Friday, hours after the schools teachers and parents protested the One Newark plan that would change the neighborhood school into a charter school.

(Handout)

NEWARK — Five Newark public school principals were suspended indefinitely on Friday, including four who spoke at a community meeting opposing proposed changes to the state-run school district, according to two sources who sought anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the press.

A video on YouTube shows four of the administrators with mayoral candidate and Newark Councilman Ras Baraka, who is on leave as principal of Central High School, at the meeting at the Hopewell Baptist Church. The Wednesday meeting was held to oppose Superintendent Cami Anderson's One Newark reorganization plan. The suspension of the fifth principal was the result of an incident unrelated to that meeting, according to the sources.

A letter from the district’s head of personnel, Vanessa Rodriguez, informing the principals of their suspension on Friday, was obtained by The Star-Ledger. In it, Rodriguez writes that "an investigation has been launched regarding an incident that occurred on or about Jan. 15, 2014. As a result, you have been placed on suspension effective immediately. You are not to report to any Newark Public School facility until further notice."

The four principals who attended the meeting are H. Grady James of Hawthorne Avenue School, Tony Motley of Bragaw Avenue School, Dorothy Handfield of Belmont Runyan School and Deneen Washington of Maple Avenue School. The fifth suspended principal is Lisa Brown of Ivy Hill School.

Two of the principals declined to comment, the other three could not be reached.

The principals work at schools affected by the One Newark plan. Hawthorne and Bragaw are targeted for use by charter schools and Maple is set to become an early childhood learning center. Belmont Runyon has been designated a "renew" school, which means new leadership will be installed and teachers will be asked to reapply for their positions. Brown’s school, Ivy Hill, is designated for "redesign."

Newark school spokesman Matthew Frankel said it is "unequivocally false" that the four principals were suspended for voicing their opinions.

"It is NPS’ obligation to ensure families and students have a safe environment as well as ensure equitable access to an education," Frankel said. "The matter is currently being investigated and is confidential.

Leonard Pugliese, executive director of the City Association of Supervisors and Administrators, the union representing principals and other chief school administrators, said he was outraged at the suspensions and the lack of information provided by the district. The four principals were not told if they would be paid during their suspensions, or how long the suspensions would last, Pugliese said.

"CASA is opposed to these suspensions and we will vigorously advocate on behalf of the suspended principals, both about these suspensions, and any other future disciplinary action that may grow out of the investigation," he said. A meeting with all five is set for tomorrow, he said.

A YouTube video of the meeting shows the four principals speakiing after Baraka calls Anderson’s plan "an attack" on the South Ward. They say their schools are improving despite district cuts to personnel, including guidance counselors, reading specialists and librarians.

In the video Washington says she has told her parents to boycott next year’s enrollment system, which allows families of students to choose up to eight schools if they want to change or are in a school that does not offer their grade.

"I’m going down fighting. I’m no longer going to stand still and stand quiet," Washington says in the video. "I’m a fighter and I’m mad as hell and I’m trying to get my staff riled up and mad as hell as well."

Baraka Sunday called for Anderson’s firing, saying the suspensions are "the last straw in a chain of inept, and horribly out of touch decisions. The people of Newark need to hear the views of those within the school system who disagree with Ms. Anderson. The four principals have a constitutional right to speak out. The Newark school district is not a military dictatorship, and Ms. Anderson is neither an army general nor a police chief. Her behavior must be governed by the principles of our democracy."

Grace Sergio, the president of the parent-teacher organization at Hawthorne Avenue school said she was not surprised to learn of James’ suspension.

"We were kind of expecting it, basically. (Anderson) is going to try to shut up whoever wants to speak out," she said.

Sergio said James "has done wonders for our school" during his six-year tenure, including the last four as principal. She predicted the suspension will strengthen the school’s opposition.

"If anything, it just put more wood on the fire," she said.

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