Principal Out At East Harlem's Central Park East I, Officials Say

EAST HARLEM, NY — A principal of an East Harlem elementary school has taken another role within the Department of Education, immediately ending her tenure at the school, a department spokeswoman told Patch.

Monika Garg, who served as the principal at Central Park East I since 2015, will no longer run the school, a DOE spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman did not provide details about Garg's new role within the department.

As the school transitions to a new principal, Dolores Esposito will oversee the school. Just last week Esposito was appointed as a special supervisor for the school and it's former principal.

"I thank Principal Garg for her leadership and dedication to serving the CPE 1 community," NYC Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña told Patch in a statement. "Acting Superintendent Esposito is overseeing the school and is working to select the next leader."

Garg had fallen out of favor with many Central Park East parents in the recent year, with tensions escalating when a group of parents occupied the school auditorium on the night of April 6 to call for her firing. This vocal group of parents — not representative of the whole school population — rebuked Garg for attempting to change the school's culture. Central Park East had long been regarded as a liberal, progressive environment. These parents accused Garg of retaliating against teachers who resisted her changes, denying the school's bullying problem and lying to and manipulating families.

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