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| TCCS Principal Worrell-Breeden |
Statements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, AFT, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) or its members. Views are my own.
One of my worst twenty-something memories was a visit to my
best friend after her boyfriend committed suicide in their apartment. He shot
himself in the head on the bedroom floor. When I arrived to help my friend retrieve
her belongings, I vividly remember seeing the large pool of blood matted into
the carpet. The impact of this man’s decision to end his life stayed
with me for many years to come.
Those memories came rushing back when I heard about the forty-nine year old Harlem principal who took her life by jumping in front of a New York subway train.
Those memories came rushing back when I heard about the forty-nine year old Harlem principal who took her life by jumping in front of a New York subway train.
Principal Jeanene Worrell-Breeden committed suicide in April
of this year. According to the NY Post,
“around 9:20 a.m. April 17, Worrell-Breeden walked onto the platform at
the subway station at 135th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem and threw
herself in front on an oncoming train. She was rushed to the hospital, where
she would die eight days later (April 25th) from her injuries. The
medical examiner ruled Worrell-Breeden's death a suicide.”
According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, one-third of all suicides are from hanging. Subway related suicides are the least
likely form of suicide and represent 7% of suicides in New York City. Men are
far more likely to attempt suicide via subway than women.
The aftermath of Worrell-Breeden’s suicide sucks for
everyone she leaves behind. Her family, her school community-
her colleagues, her students and their parents.
Worrell-Breedon was the founding principal of Teachers
Community College school, an elementary school in West Harlem. A tribute to honor the
popular principal is listed on the school’s web page. It reads- “Principal
Breeden was a tireless champion for all of the children of TCCS, and she will
be greatly missed.”
Worrell-Breeden was a highly accomplished career educator,
graduate of Penn. State, held two master’s degrees (from NY City College and
Fordham) with 20 years of experience in NY City public schools and served as a
classroom teacher, staff developer, assistant principal and principal.
Authorities revealed that the suicide occurred during a
Department of Education (DOE) investigation that started the same day the
principal took her life. A complaint was
made that Worrell-Breeden cheated on the Common Core standardized test. An
internal investigation found that the principal had cheated by forging students’
answers.
Prior to her death, Worrell-Breeden confided in a colleague
that she had completed 3rd grade students answers on incomplete
exams. While students were interviewed, the principal had yet to be questioned
due to her untimely death.
Department of Education (DOE) spokeswoman, Devora Kaye issued the following response
to parents, "Principal Worrell-Breeden was the subject of allegations of
testing improprieties.” An investigation substantiated these allegations, and
we closed the investigation following her tragic passing."
There are plenty of ways to commit suicide, but few more
painful than hurling oneself in front of a train. Why would anyone want to suffer
this way? Has it come to this for those of us in education?
There is so much emphasis on high-stakes testing that many in
education feel the heat. According to Arthur Goldstein, NYC educator and fellow blogger, “the recent example could only have been possible against
the backdrop of ed. "reform." Ed. "reform" is killing
the teaching profession; it kills the will of some students to learn. It
closes schools, rips communities apart and, apparently, takes lives. I
would argue its long-range damage will be far more severe and, sadly, that
damage remains to be seen.”
And for some like Worrell-Breedon, it drove her to choose "dishonesty" and impose a self-justice that’s unthinkable.
And for some like Worrell-Breedon, it drove her to choose "dishonesty" and impose a self-justice that’s unthinkable.
© Candi Peterson 2015
Wow. This article makes you think. Your life is all you really have. How sad. How very very sad. The pressure to cheat, to fake results, to make things more than they appear to be. Sort of like our data on teacher retention.
ReplyDeleteVery unfortunate. ..the stress, insurmountable pressure to produce student achievement.
ReplyDeleteIt breaks my heart to read this. I that when Dept of Education authorities notified her of these allegations that they offered counseling at the same time. Perhaps she'd still be alive today.
ReplyDelete