At Icahn 7 elementary and middle charter schools in Soundview, teachers and school officials are offering wildly differing accounts of what happened on the last day of classes — when as many as half of all teachers were told not to return in September.
At the elementary school, the staffing dismissals came midway through Friday, June 30. Teachers told the Bronx Times they were not allowed to retrieve belongings from their classrooms or finish out the day with their students — but school officials dispute those accounts and say that the situation was handled “in the best interest of the students.”
Nonetheless, some parents are sticking by the teachers. Rebecca Tavarez, who has had all four of her children enrolled at Icahn 7, told the Bronx Times that she and her husband were appalled at what she heard.
“To be escorted out of the building? I’ve only seen that in movies,” she said.
Although the exact number of teachers affected remains unclear, only a few were left at each building after June 30, according to Icahn 7 middle school Principal Panorea Panagiosoulis, who claims that six to seven teachers were let go from both the elementary and middle schools. The schools began the 2022-2023 year with 24 faculty members, according to an Icahn 7 spokesperson.
The spokesperson told the Bronx Times that the number of teachers remaining on staff was “significantly higher” — off by as much as 50% — and that the amount of dismissals teachers are alleging “ is not accurate.”
The spokesperson said that the school could not confirm the exact number of unfilled vacancies or teachers dismissed, but told the Bronx Times they “are very confident that all the positions will be filled by the beginning of the school year.”
The 2023-24 academic year at Icahn 7 is scheduled to begin on Sept. 11.
The Bronx Times reached out to Gail Golden-Icahn, chair of the school’s board of trustees, and schools Superintendent Edward Tom;…
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