Teachers' 'Smash Space' Draws Apology From Kensington Principal

KENSINGTON, MD — A Kensington elementary school principal is under fire after Montgomery County schools confirm she set up a "smash space" on school grounds for teachers to relieve stress by using baseball bats on a broken rocking chair, WTOP reports.

Kensington Parkwood Elementary School Principal Barbara Leiss said she set up the space on the school's loading dock in early March. She said she got the idea from reading business articles that discussed companies providing items to be smashed by employees as a way to reduce stress. Leiss thought that a "smash room" would give teachers an outlet and a way to decompress.

"This was a lapse in judgment,” Leiss wrote in a letter home to parents.

Sarah Sirgo, the director of school support and improvement, said MCPS does not condone this behavior and that they're investigating the incident.

“MCPS has a long-standing commitment to providing its employees with wellness support to help staff manage stress,” Sirgo said in the statement.

According to CBS, parents said the "smash room" is "outlandish" and "hard to believe."

There's no word on whether Leiss or any other school employees will be disciplined since this is an ongoing investigation.

See the WTOP post here.

Photo: Montgomery County Schools