An officer takes notes as Carlos McGregor leaves discussion with Rosa Soto-Thomas. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT/VI CONSORTIUM
St. Croix District Superintendent Carlos McGregor has invited parents and guardians of students attending the Eulalie R. Rivera and Arthur A. Richards K-8 schools to attend important informational meetings today at the St. Croix Educational Complex High School auditorium.
- Eulalie R. Rivera K-8 School Parents (5:30 p.m.)
- Arthur A. Richards K-8 School Parents (6:15 p.m.)
The meetings follow the closure of the Arthur A. Richards K-8 School on Friday by the Department of Education because of an odor permeating the modular classrooms. During a meeting on Friday morning at the school, teachers shared their experiences of working with the odor. Teachers and students have fallen ill because of the foul smell, and Dionne Wells-Hedrington, Department of Education chief operations officer said the department would not allow teachers and students back at the facility until the problem is fixed.
Mr. McGregor, who had called police for American Federal of Teachers St. Croix District President, Rosa Soto-Thomas because he said a meeting being held Friday morning about the odor was only for staff, saw his heavy-handed action backfiring as Mrs. Soto-Thomas and others were allowed to stay for the meeting. The AFT president had argued that she had a right to be part of the meeting because the discussions being had affected her members. Teachers stood in solidarity with Mrs. Soto-Thomas, and loud cheers reverberated through the auditorium when she was through blasting Mr. McGregor, D.O.E. and AECOM, the contractor which built the modular units.
Full story here. Video on the encounter with police, Mr. McGregor and Mrs. Soto-Thomas is here, and the video with teachers voicing their concerns is here.
