Forest Hills High School at 67-01 110th Street
(Photo: InsideSchools)
June 4, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
Forest Hills High School Principal Ben Sherman resigned on Monday after facing months of complaints and criticism from school staff and parents.
Sherman announced his resignation yesterday in an email to school staffers, just days before a planned protest at the school to demand his removal was set to take place, the New York Post reported.
Sherman, who started at the school in 2017, came under fire in recent months for reportedly allowing the school to slide downhill, due largely in part to failing to punish students for smoking marijuana. Teachers reported being bombarded with the smell of pot in the hallways and classrooms.
During his time at the school, Sherman implemented an open bathroom policy, which left the bathrooms unlocked for student use at all times. He also removed aides who signed students in and out of the bathrooms. Students reportedly began using the restrooms to smoke, vape, cut class and vandalize school property.
Sherman also removed aides from the locker rooms at the school, causing the number of thefts to skyrocket, one teacher reported. He also reportedly made several inappropriate comments to both staff and students.
On Feb. 14, the staff hit Sherman with a vote of no confidence, 195 to 21.
Following his resignation announcement, Sherman moved into a new role with the Department of Education on Monday, where he will work in the office of the First Deputy Chancellor.
“We thank Principal Sherman for his leadership at Forest Hills High School and look forward to his continued contributions to the DOE,” said a spokesperson for the DOE. “We’ll work closely with the community on the principal search process to ensure Forest Hills has the right long-term leader in place.”
Sean Davenport will remain as the Supervising Superintendent at Forest Hills High school and will continue to oversee day-to-day operations through the end of the school year. A new acting principal is expected to be in place by the end of the week.
Featured Events
9 Comments
That’s how ALL school districts do. They don’t fire the principals, they fire the teachers. I’ve worked in schools for eleven years. My worked in schools for 30 years or more. I worked with one principal who harassed the teachers because: 1)she thought they were too old and wanted you gone, and, 2)she didn’t like you. She made their lives a living hell, so they quit. Everyone walked on egg shells. Also, an Economics teacher asked for YEARS money to get new stoves and sewing machines for the classroom, and when she finally did, the principal took the money to use for what she wanted to do and no one could say a word. Another principal I worked for was almost the same way. One year, a teacher didn’t give out pud awards for nothing to the students, and the next year, the teacher had every bad kid, every kid with mental problems and horrible parents to deal with. She harassed the teachers so much that they filed lots of complaint against her and so, instead of firing her, they sent her to another school that was torn down and being rebuilt since the school she was at was torn down and rebuilt, so, instead of firing her, she was given a stern warning that if she got anymore complaints against her, they would fire her, and so she retired after two years of being at the new school. Another principal I worked with wouldn’t buy books for the special ed classes after the teachers put in the orders, and finally one of the teachers threatened to go to the Superintendent about it, and after a semester and a half, finally got the books, and he was just such a horrible man. Didn’t care about anything. Couldn’t figure out why he was working if he didn’t care. My mom was a school nurse and had to deal with several principals. Some were good, but, she said there were a few that were total jerks. So, in conclusion, this is the system and how it works. It doesn’t matter what state you live in, its the same story. Want to say its a good ol boy system, but, the principals I worked for were 2 women and 1 man, so, let’s just say, they close the wagons and protect ‘their own’, now.
Why is no one commenting on the student’s behavior, he did not raise them. Proper education and manners start at home. This is a school not a jail. We should not judge this man without knowing his history and career or issues within this school, maybe he has done great work elsewhere, and fail to control this situation, should his career be over because of it? maybe so, just don’t jump to judgement without having facts.
You have never been locked in a room with 25+ unruly punks for ten months, have you?
He resigned?? u mean a vested pension. He still gets 24% of his final yrs earnings when he turns Geritol age 55 . Yeah some deal!! yep gets a pension check and bennies that will be paid out in a few yrs . This isn’t the end its a beginning for him. Baltimore LA he city of Compton and Oakland will give him a job faster than u can bat an eyelash . Yep an another pension from CALIPERS system after 10 yrs . He still gets over guys and galls period
Typical DOE, reward Admin for their failures.
OMG!! WHAT has happened to my Alma Mater ? I graduated in ’72 from a high rated education system that was held in good standings!! SO SAD!
I think its the lack of caring. My siblings’ high school was a good school when it opened but was trash by the time I was high school age.
Incredible. “Principal completely fails at job – resigns and is given new position within DOE”. Man, I’d sure love to have that kind of job security. Why is he still working in DOE at all??
Why couldn’t he have been removed sooner? And then after he resigns he gets another job working in Administration. This is how the DOE operates. They reward incompetence.