Parents, students fight for assistant principal's job

By: Racheida Lewis/NovelTeenInk, Banneker AHS

Posted: 8/10/08

Parents, faculty and students gathered in the Banneker Academic High School teacher's cafeteria on June 19 seethed with anger. Their popular assistant principal Bevadine Z. Terrell had been terminated - a casualty of DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee's aggressive effort to reform District public schools. This was the woman who had pictures of her students and her accomplishment on her desks. She had papers for scholarships, programs, and contests scattered across a table. She knew every student by his or her name and got things done without question.

But Terrell had become one of 48 D.C. schools assistant principals whose contracts were not renewed this year. According to D.C. law, principals and assistant principals serve on a year-to-year contract and can be terminated without cause. A source at the DCPS central office told The District Chronicles that they would not comment on the non re-appointment of Dr. Terrell for "personnel reasons."

Terrell's supporters had demanded to know why she was terminated. Principal Anita Berger initially denied that she had anything to do with Terrell's termination. But PTA members and other Terrell supporters were not convinced. They decided to organize meetings to find answers and to try to keep Terrell employed as an assistant principal in the school system.

"The fact that she can't work as an assistant principal in DCPS anymore at all is absurd," grumbled 18-year-old Latasha Russell, a 2008 graduate of Banneker.

Other Banneker students of all grades, alumni and even students from other schools found Terrell's termination bizarre. "A dire mistake occurred at Benjamin Banneker Academic Senior High School," e-mail and text messages on Facebook proclaimed. "A 'diamond' is being discarded with the dust."

News of Terrell's demise among students got around just as fast as it happened. Jerod Hairston, 17, a rising junior at Banneker, just cried. "Why does this happen to me now," he asked. "I'm going to really miss her. I don't think there is anyone that can replace her."

Hannah During, 16, a rising senior, said, "She was more than an assistant principal; she was a friend. She knew us personally and really cared for us, not because it was her job but because she truly loved us. I cannot believe they would do this to her."

Aziza Tichavakunda, 16, was shocked when she heard the news. "I found out from Facebook a few days before the first PTA meeting," she said. "She knows my name, genuinely cares about me, and has helped me win scholarship money.

"She helps loads of students at Banneker and had expressed an interest in having an advisory for students interested in science in math, which was something I was excited about. Without Dr. Terrell, Banneker will definitely be gloomier," Tichavakunda continued. "Many of the teachers and students are stressed out and it was always nice to see her smiling face and know that someone cared."

Parents such like Debra Swingon-Stokes and James Holloway were also upset and wanted to get Berger to change her mind on Terrell. They organized weekly meetings, which drew crowds of students, parents and teachers. But Principal Berger would not change her decision. Chancellor Michelle Rhee and Patricia Tucker, instructional superintendent of Banneker, also stood by Berger's decision. Mayor Adrian Fenty said he wouldn't consider reappointment because Ms. Berger's decision was obviously in the best interest of Banneker.

Berger eventually said she fired Terrell because she didn't have the qualifications Ms. Berger needed to take Banneker to the next level, something Terrell's supporters dispute.

"She deserves a freaking ticker-tape parade in my opinion; or at least a blimp," groused James Monack, a former history teacher at Banneker. "The love that she has for students just explodes off of her the moment she walks in a room and kids feel that."

Swingon-Stokes, president of the PTA, complained that a major decision about the school was made without anyone being told or involved. "We don't think that's right," she said sadly.

Her anger and frustration are exacerbated by her recollection of Fenty's promises during the mayoral campaign. "He knocked on our doors, asking us to vote for him. He said he would listen if we had concerns. And he's not doing that."