The Firing of GiGi Kearns: And Why Educators Are Afraid to Educate

By: Brian G. Drewes

On Friday May 22, 2015, I went to Dickinson Avenue Elementary School to pick up my son from the SCOPE after care program that he attends Monday through Friday following school.

As usual I was greeted by Gigi, the supervisor of the program and my son’s SCOPE “teacher” for the last two years. My two year old, who was with me, ran to Gigi to give her a hug. She has a two year old child as well, a daughter, and Gigi is proud that my son is so comfortable with her that he anxiously runs into her arms. It comes as no surprise though as Gigi is just one of those people you immediately like and trust. She had been with SCOPE for 15 years, and as a former New York City Police Officer, my wife and I were always reassured with her presence.

This afternoon was different though as Gigi quickly took me aside to explain the day’s events.

SCOPE had conducted a lockdown drill that day to expose the kids to the possibility of dealing with certain situations. This was apparently the first time SCOPE had conducted this type of drill. It was explained that these procedures were needed in the unlikely event that the children were ever in danger, and stressed the importance of kids listening to their teachers and following their specific instructions. At one point during the drill, the children were taking shelter under their tables. At one table, laughter broke out. The children were told to keep quiet and eventually the laughter subsided.

Gigi explained to me that my son was one of the six children at that table and that he had laughed along with the others. She told me that when the drill was over, she took a few moments to speak with these children separately to explain the importance of what they were learning. One of the kids made a reference to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary and asked if this was the reason for the drill. Gigi answered the child’s question and in general terms she explained what had happened at Sandy Hook. She used her phone to show them pictures of that incident including a picture of children being led out of the school single file, a picture of a crying parent and one of police officers on the scene. At no time were any violent or graphic images shown to any of the children and I feel awareness, not fear, was the message.

Related:

• After-School Program Re-Investigates Supervisor’s Lesson on Sandy Hook Shooting
• Long Island After-School Program Supervisor Fired After Lesson on Sandy Hook Shooting

I appreciated that Gigi made me aware of the whole story right away and I thanked her for taking the time to address my child separately as I feel this is a lesson that could literally be the difference between life and death. Considering Gigi’s years of experience as a New York City Police Officer and youth counselor, I appreciated having access to someone that could properly explain a delicate situation that parents and teachers alike find difficult to address.

The following Friday, I again went to pick up my son and I learned that Gigi was fired by SCOPE and that it was because of her “handling of the lockdown drill”. I was not happy to hear this and upon speaking with several parents of the other children, I realized I was not alone.

I learned that Gigi had explained the situation to the parents of all six children involved and that most parents, like me, appreciated the way Gigi handled the situation. In fact, it was one parent, only one, that took exception to Gigi speaking with the children.

Here is where the problem begins:

First of all, it seems that Gigi was fired on the “say so” or dissatisfaction of one parent. SCOPE claims to have investigated the matter but I don’t see how that can be as no other parents were contacted or questioned. If they were, it would be known that the overwhelming majority support Gigi’s actions and the way she handled the situation. In fact, an online petition for the reinstatement of Gigi has reached several hundred signatures. Many parents have tried to contact SCOPE’s directors, but have received very little response or detail. SCOPE simply states that this was a personnel decision and that it was the event itself that led to Gigi’s termination, not the opinion of any one parent.

Ok, let’s say that is true. That would raise a more important question:

If Gigi’s actions were in fact so blatantly wrong, so inappropriate, and so egregious that a termination is warranted, why weren’t any of the parents whose children were involved ever contacted by SCOPE?

In essence, Gigi Kearns was terminated for something she did to my son….

Yet, not one person from SCOPE or Dickinson Avenue School has reached out to apologize to me or my wife. Not one person has called to explain how they were outraged by what their employee did and that the matter has been resolved. No one cared enough to call to see how my son was dealing with the way this was handled or to ask if he needed anything going forward.

How can that be?

So either we have an organization caving to the demands of one unhappy parent, or we have an organization that values its customers at what I would call criminally low levels, considering the responsibility of what their business entails…..the safety of our children.

Either SCOPE is corrupt and allowed the preferential treatments of one parent to outweigh the thoughts and wishes of the greater majority, or they are scared.

Scared of some backlash because one of their employees, a good educator with 15 years’ experience with SCOPE and several years with the New York City Police force, took the time to do what she felt was right….what us as parents feel was right….something that just might save a child’s life one day.

As much as this is about Gigi Kearns, and as much as I would like to see her reinstated to her position, it is about so much more. I want my children to live in a world where doctors can give their patients care without the fear of malpractice, where honest police officers can serve and protect without a camera on their shoulder questioning their every move, and where a teacher is allowed to teach according to what they see day in and day out. A world where people respect the professionals they rely on, and allow them to apply their training and experience to their profession.

That is the real problem here.

After enough educators like Gigi Kearns lose their job for doing what they feel is right, there will cease to be educators like Gigi Kearns. We will be left with employees, working in fear, doing no more than they are mandated to do. Never taking an additional moment or action for the betterment of a young child. They will cease to recognize or care if an individual child needs an individual approach, or a precious extra moment. Their thoughts will remain in the box and the children will be left with unanswered questions and unfulfilled needs. They will remain uneducated.

I don’t know about anyone else, but that scares the hell out of me.