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Police arrested the principal of Eastside Community High School yesterday after getting in a confrontation with school security officers who were attempting to arrest an honors student. The incident began when a 17-year-old Isamar Gonzales entered the school early (7:55AM) and school security officers told her to leave. She refused and was eventually arrested for hitting one of the officers in the face.
Principal Mark Federman asked that the student be led out of a less public side door rather than the front door where the student body was assembling at the start of the day. When they refused, Federman allegedly pushed one of the guards and was arrested. Both principal and student were led from the school in handcuffs - out the front door. Gonzales' mother said, "They got her in handcuffs when she's supposed to be learning." Another parent also said that a security officer grabbed Gonzales' hair.
The City Council is coincidentally holding hearings on who holds the ultimate authority within city schools: principals or school safety agents, who operate under the jurisdiction of the police department. Critics have accused safety officers of escalating behavioral problems in school to criminal acts. Gonzales was charged with assault and Federman was charged with resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. The 37-year-old principal has held his position at the school for seven years and is reportedly popular with students and teachers (one student told the Times, "His jokes are corny, but he cares for this school.").
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I have to side with the Principal. As my mom is a retired NYC Elementary Principal-at the end of the day, she was always responsible for what went on in the school.
She accepted responsibility whether it involved a Security Guard, Custodian, Parent, AP, Student at issue.
The principal was protecting a student. That is their number 1 job-to protect the students-whether from poor education, parents, other students or security.
Usurp that power and put it into a security guards hands? No way.
Security is there to secure the school, not discipline students. This issue should have been handled later on in a meeting between the girl, her parents, the security guard(s) and the principal, not right there at the scene of the incident.
Its another example of people who did not have power gaining it and becoming unreasonably power hungry.
School security guards and airline personnel are two prime examples.
It sounds like the girl did learn something that day. Slap a security guard, and get arrested. Or should students be allowed to slap school security guards?
When arriving at school early is deemed to be a criminal act, that's when you know NYC has become an over-policed cesspool. School security should be put in the hands of the DOE, not the NYPD. (the only surprising thing is that it hasn't become a function of the corrections department already, with the way the mayor likes to treat kids these days).
Odds are the charges will be dropped against the girl. If the principal sided with the student against the guards, I would believe the guards were probably manhandling the girl.
It probably went like this:
Guard: Wha' cho be doin' here so early. Dun you knows you's fi' minutes early, woman?
Girl: But it's 7:55. The door was open. I wanted to get in on time for my 8:00AM class.
Guard: Dun you be givin' me no lip, bitch. I's sho you some respek. Git here, bych (grabbing the girl).
Girl: OOWW! You're hurting me! Help! (girl pushing guard away).
Guard: I's gonna arrest you's now.
Principal: Leave her alone! She's a student here.
Guard: I's gonna arrest you to, cracka!
Well that will teach NYC public school students to show up early for school!
#5 - ugh. you're disgusting.
she got in trouble for coming to school early?
what's wrong here?
I know Mark Federman. He's an outstanding human being, and an amazing principal. He's one of the good ones who really cares about his school and the students. His arrest is completely shocking.
There have been incidents going on for some time now with school security threatening teachers, principals, etc., who defend mistreatment of students. I hope the one good thing to come out of his arrest is that this behavior will finally come to light. It's abuse of the system, pure and simple.
I work for a NYC-based college and the security guards at most schools are TERRIBLE people and aren't suited to do much in life. What the hell kind of message is this where an honors student gets this kind of treatment. I applaud her and hope she gets a full scholarship somewhere -- the only she'll have the beat is the 50% graduation rate in NYC.
Well I am a student at this school and Mark is a very funny good guy which everybody agrees on. I am happy that he stood up like a bystander and tryed to resist embarrasment for a classmate of mine by not letting her leave through the front of the building. Even though both were arrested, charges should be drop and we should get rid of that security guard
_ Felix