SOMA School Group Wants Principal Back, Plans Rally

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Columbia High School Principal Elizabeth Aaron has reportedly been reassigned… and hundreds of members of the South Orange-Maplewood school community want to know why.

Many members of the SOMA community continue to seek answers about what caused district administrations’ decision to remove Aaron from her post as principal at CHS last week. Their quest to find out more information will lead to a rally outside of the school's administrative offices at 525 Academy Street in Maplewood on Tuesday, July 10 at 10 a.m., according to a newly formed group of community activists calling themselves the Emergency Committee to Reinstate Principal Aaron (ECRPA).

The Village Green reported that according to an email from Interim Supt. Thomas Ficarra, Aaron will join the central office team as a “principal on special assignment.” Director of Planning and Assessment Kalisha Morgan will replace Aaron as interim CHS principal effective July 2. (Read the full article here)

Aaron has been an active Twitter user under the @CougarPrincipal handle over the past years. Her last post – made on June 29 – retweets a quote from U.S. Rep. John Lewis:

“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. #goodtrouble”

According to the SOMA district website, the Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Aaron as principal of CHS at its meeting on March 17, 2014. She began her new role on July 1, 2014.

Administrators offered high praise for Aaron at the time of her appointment:

“Aaron joined Columbia High School as Assistant Principal in July 2013, bringing extensive experience in secondary education. She has served as a high school history teacher for more than a decade, teaching in both Asbury Park High School and Summit High School, including World History, US History, Government and Politics, and AP American History. While teaching, Ms. Aaron also filled multiple teacher-leader roles, including developing curriculum, creating new programs for tutoring and research projects, piloting and leading an initiative for inclusion, and serving on school and district professional development and hiring committees. In addition to her years of teacher leadership, Ms. Aaron has also directed programs for high school students at the Newark Museum, managed a Teaching American History grant for the Newark Public Schools, and designed a multi-agency Saturday program benefitting Newark students from 13 high schools.”

Administrators added:

“Aaron is a Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at Rutgers University, earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration at Kean University, a Master’s in Teaching History from Rutgers University, and her B.A. from Boston College. She currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University Graduate School, and as their outreach coordinator for public education programs for the Department of History and Institute on Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern Experience.”

‘REINSTATE PRINCIPAL AARON’

The ECRPA posted the below statement on the Patch Maplewood Bulletin Board on July 3.

“Within days following a surprise email on the evening of Saturday, June 30, more than 560 members of the Columbia High School (CHS) community have mobilized on social media to form and join the "Emergency Committee to Reinstate Principal Aaron" (ECRPA) - with a first rally planned outside of CHS administrative offices (525 Academy Street, Maplewood) on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 10 a.m.

“As taxpayers and parents of past, current and future CHS students, we as ECRPA members are outraged that Ms. Aaron was removed from her position abruptly, and without any clearly-stated or apparent cause. We are also deeply troubled by the release of this information on a Saturday night before a holiday week -- clearly an attempt to bury this news and hope it blows over.

“It will not. Ms. Aaron's combination of skills, energy and warmth make her uniquely qualified to succeed in a complex and challenging high school environment. She is at once an excellent administrator, a visionary and leader, a tremendous communicator and excellent mentor -- excelling at one-on-one communications with both students and staff at CHS. She stands in the doorway of CHS every morning and greets students by name. She proudly attends an unending series of CHS events, whether sport, academic or club-related. She has creatively stretched CHS' insufficient funds and resources in ways that have bettered the lives of our children and of students who are yet to walk through CHS's doors.

“We will not sit back and accept the disturbing and poorly communicated decision of an Interim Superintendent and Board of Education (BOE). We demand the immediate reinstatement of Elizabeth Aaron to Principal of CHS. We also demand that the SOMSD administration upholds our beloved community's values of fairness and democracy in addressing this matter. We are tired of seeing excellent educators and administrators brought into our district, only to lose them just as they've had the opportunity to hit their stride.

“ECRPA will organize rallies, petition drives and other actions until Principal Aaron is returned to CHS. Additionally, ECRPA is taking initial steps to force a recall vote for the BOE.

“ECRPA urges all concerned SOMSD parents, students, teachers and administrators to join in the July 10 rally and sign up to learn about other activities.”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Maplewood Facebook page here.

Don’t forget to visit the Patch South Orange Facebook page here.

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File Photo: South Orange-Maplewood School District