At the end of February, the principal of I.S. 141 in Astoria was temporarily removed from his post amid an investigation by the Department of Education. And the rumor mill began.
Eight weeks later, Anthony Aldorasi has neither been reinstated nor been accused of any wrongdoing. Some parents are worried.
"If it’s something that happened to a child or funds from the school were used inappropriately, I think we should know about it,” said one parent, who chose to remain anonymous.
It is routine for the Department of Education to transfer employees under investigation from their schools to the regional office, where they go to work and receive their salaries until the investigation is complete. It is sometimes dubbed the “rubber room.”
Some parents were unhappy hearing this news from their middle schoolers. “As a parent, I should have been more informed,” said Maha Husein. The quiet removal has raised her suspicions. “If he’s not guilty, then why take him out?” she asked.
Others tried to quell the unsubstantiated rumors. “The school is functioning the same. The kids are doing great. It’s not affecting the school, which should be their main concern,” said one PTA member who also asked not to be named.
The allegations against Aldorasi first came in December, according to Dina Paul-Parks, a spokeswoman for the department. She remained mum on the nature or possible duration of the investigation. “These are personnel issues and are confidential,” she said.
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