Submitted by Mrs Arnoux, Aug 23, 2007 10:45

My children currently attend IS 109. I am very upset and outraged regarding everything that the Department of Education has done. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but that is all that it is an opinion. We must learn to look at the facts.

Fact # 1 Mr. Blake did not take any money for personal use according to the SCI 37 page report. Matter of fact all debts were paid in full and in 2006 IS 109 had a 0 balance. According to the 37 page report everything has been paid but they were not satisfied on how it was paid.

Fact # 2 In 2006 Mr. Blake tried to verbally discipline a troubled child and when that did not worked told the student that he would call his mother.The student became very angry and aggressive. The 2 eyewitnesses (staff of IS 109) had tried to hold him and Mr. Blake called security and security along with the 2 staff members had to hold him down and hand cuffed him. Mr. Blake was never involved in this struggle. As they were leaving the office to go outside the student yelled that Mr. Blake hit and choked him. A secretary told investigators that she heard and saw the boy's neck. You must ask yourself how with all the commotion that was going can you see his neck from your secretary's desk? And how can DOE actually take hearsay as evidence? By the way the DOE can not find or produce the secretary. They do not know where she is. In the report they ignored the 2 eyewitness and also said theywere going to bring them (2 eyewitness) up on charges as well. In the US court of law what court would do such a thing? The student also told 3 other people the Director and a counselor of Project Hope and a Psychologist at another program that he attended. But not one person filled a complaint even though by law they are required to do so. Not even the student's MOTHER filed a report. Let's not forget this happened in 2006. From what we understand there are documents that state that this student is a troubled individual and has made the same false allegations before. How come that information was not provided in the report? If the DOE thought for one moment that Mr. Blake was a danger to children why wait a whole year to have him removed? Instead of the DOE trying to help this student they are trying to use him. You must ask yourself why?

Fact # 3 Why did the DOE wait until less the 2 weeks prior to school opening to remove a principal? How come the DOE decided to this in summer when parents are away? How come no one from the DOE has contacted the parents at IS 109 to inform them what is going on? Who is going to be our principal?

All of these things are important questions and the DOE has not given us an answer. The

DOE has been after Mr. Blake for a very long time and what is going on now is personal.

They are not only trying to remove him from our school but they are trying to

terminate him so he no longer works for they city. IS 109 is the # 1 school in the District

29 Queens. Our reading and math scores have dramatically gone up. We have Saturday

Academy all year round, we have a Teen Center open until 9 pm, an After school

program, Fenecing, drama, dance, Latino, Indian, Video Production. Basketball and much

more. Do you really think the DOE has money to pay for all these activities? Do you

think the DOE will give us, a minority school money for any of these activities for our

children? Our children were featured at the TIrbeca Film Festival for 2 years in a row for

their DVD project "Tuck that Shirt In". This is the video that everyone claims he used

money for the limousines that the CHILDREN RODE IN NOT MR. BLAKE. So what if he did

get our students limosines they deserved it? I children worked hard and the DVD project was an

educational piece and a motivational piece for our students and our community.

Before Mr. Blake came to IS 109, there were 5 principals in 7 years. What was the DOE mind –

set by continuously putting principals in and out of the school? Oh, just to let you know Chancellor

Klein was in both videos. He actually participated in the video and went to both DVD premiere's.

So before you convict someone make sure you research and get to the truth for yourself.

Remember the media does not always report the truth.

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