Principal "Dives Into Impulse" of Quitting Her Job

By Alicia Dorr in News on Mar 2, 2006 9:18PM

Apparently out of the blue, the principal of Clemente High School resigned from her position. Also unexpectedly, she did so via email while on vacation in Brazil.

A storm of upset parents set off a news frenzy before she could click send. People in the community were upset and confused, especially considering there have been escalating problems with violence, crime and shootings near the school. And maybe that she used the adjectives "sunny" and "balmy" to describe her vacay spot. And possibly the email thing.

The explanation that her grandfather's old saying "More grows in the garden than the gardener knows he's sown" was part of what inspired her hasn't really been enough to satisfy parents and board members. She wrote again amid the outrage today, explaining that she was "surprised by the reaction" over "something as simple and trivial" as her resignation from a public school in Chicago.

In her words: "Now, with this avalanche of news stuff...I am wondering if I was brainless."

It may be true that she didn't mean any harm, but only time will tell whether that will suffice for the people who are distressed about the situation. After all, they won't be in Brazil while they mull it over.

Photo via Sun-Times