The Levee’s About To Break – School Chief Carmela Levy-David’s Stormy Days Numbered, Takes Leave From Job

Superintendent of Schools Carmela Levy-David’s first year in the Park City has hardly been a picnic in the park. City Hall and education insiders say her days are numbered over scores of issues including a breach of contract for moving from Bridgeport to Shelton.

She has taken leave from her job, according to the Board of Education agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

“She’s a disaster,” says one Ganim administration official.

A loud minority of four Board of Education members from the nine-member body have been highly critical of her leadership, management and communication style. In addition, morale is suffering, according to hundreds of teachers who have vocally protested her time citing hostile work environment, lack of teacher appreciation and unfair criticism.

Board members Rob Traber, a retired teacher, veteran office holders Joseph Sokolovic, Albert Benejan Grajales and freshman Willie Medina stamped poor reviews of her first year citing disruptive personnel decisions, poor fiscal restraint, staffing issues, communication failures.

“The superintendent spent most of the year telling staff how poorly they were doing their jobs, in many cases abruptly moving them to other jobs, so that they were on pins and needles,” board member Robert Traber wrote. “There was nothing inspirational about this.”

A narrow majority bloc of five – Board Chairperson Christine Baptiste-Perez, Andre Woodson, Akisha Cassermere, Tiheba Bain and Jennifer Perez – have generally supported the superintendent’s initiatives while pushing back on the criticism.

For her part “The evaluation outcomes from four members of the board is reflective of the ongoing hostile work environment, harassment and discrimination that I’ve encountered since I arrived in Bridgeport,” Levy-David said in a statement.