The day after New Haven's superintendent of schools disciplined four members of the school system in connection with a grade tampering probe, he has suspended Hillhouse High School Principal Kermit Carolina for three days.
Dr. Reginald Mayo began an investigation last fall after an assistant principal at Hillhouse High School leveled accusations that Carolina tampered with grades and gave preferential treatment to student-athletes at the school.
On Tuesday, Mayo announced the suspensions of four people for their roles in the grade-tampering, including Wanda Gibbs, principal at Riverside Academy, Hillhouse Assistant Principal, John Nguyen, part-time administrator Ed Scarpa, and Hillhouse football coach Thomas Dyer.
Each was suspended for two days without pay.
Mayo met with each staff member to issue the discipline, but could not reach Hillhouse Principal Kermit Carolina on Tuesday. Carolina left early from school and did not return the superintendent's phone calls, according to Mayo.
On Wednesday, Mayo said he heard testimony from each staff member, including a PowerPoint presentation by Principal Carolina and his attorney.
Carolina has been issued a three-day suspension without pay -- Thursday, Sept. 27 to Monday, Oct.1 -- for his role in overseeing grade and credit changing and inflation, attendance rule changes and preferential treatment of certain students at Hillhouse, according to Mayo.
- Carolina will meet with Superintendent Mayo and his director, Dr. Iline Tracey, within 30 days to outline his professional goals for his evaluation. His conduct in this case will be a factor when setting goals and undergoing evaluation. His performance over the course of the school year will determine how much weight his conduct will hold in your final evaluation.
- Carolina shall attend all professional development for administrators offered by the district this year.
- Carolina will meet regularly with Dr. Tracey to review his progress toward goals.
- Carolina will meet with athletic coaches and make it clear in writing that they are not to request grade changes and credit consideration from teachers.
“It is time to put this matter behind us and return to our core mission of educating our children. Our role as educators and leaders is to help our students succeed in the classroom, go to college and build a bright future. Any decision we make that is not in the best interest of our students is the wrong decision. It’s that simple,” Mayo said in a statement.
