When Michael Bloomberg became Mayor of New York City, he appointed former Department of Justice Attorney (and former partner of New York State Administrative Judge Judith Kaye's husband Stephan at Proskauer Rose LLP) Michael Cardozo as Corporation Counsel. You can read about Mr. Cardozo's opinion about Haitians in the book Storming the Court: How a Band of Yale Law Students Sued the Government and Won by Brandt Goldstein (Scribner, 2005) when he slammed the door on the Guantanamo refugees' coming to America: "In the view of those close to the president (Clinton)," Cardozo said, "he can weather dead HIV-positive Haitians on Guantanamo better than the political fallout of letting them into the US." (p. 214).

April 26, 2005
School Official Faces Firing Over Mistreatment of Haitians
By SUSAN SAULNY, NY TIMES

School officials said yesterday that they have begun proceedings to fire an administrator at a Queens elementary school after investigators confirmed that she recently called a group of Haitian students animals and ordered them to eat lunch without utensils on a gymnasium floor.

But the investigators said they did not find sufficient evidence to substantiate a claim from some of the students and their parents that the administrator, Nancy Miller, an assistant principal at Public School 34 in Queens Village, made a derogatory statement about their Haitian ethnicity.

The students had asserted that Ms. Miller called them animals one day last month and made them eat on the floor because that is the way people eat in Haiti, "like animals." Parents and their supporters protested outside the school two weeks ago and called for Ms. Miller's termination.

"This is wholly unacceptable behavior and should never have happened," Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein said. He added, "I anticipate that Ms. Miller will be removed from her job as assistant principal and from the school, and that we will begin termination proceedings against her."

Mr. Klein also said that Ms. Miller would not be allowed to return to the school and that she is scheduled to have a disciplinary conference later this week.

Releasing its findings in a 22-page report, the school system's Office of Special Investigations largely upheld what the children - a group of fourth- and fifth-grade students in a bilingual Creole and English class - said happened during lunchtime at the school on March 16. The report included 27 interviews with student and adult witnesses, many interviewed multiple times. It also scrutinized written accounts that some of the students involved in the incident wrote just days after it happened.

In the report, the investigators said they found the students' claims credible because of the consistency of their accounts and their demeanor while being interviewed.

One fourth-grade girl told an investigator, "I was upset because Ms. Miller called us animals and made us sit on the floor and eat with our hands."

Another student said: "People were looking at us. We were embarrassed. There was a girl laughing."

Ms. Miller denied many of the allegations. But the investigation did not find all of Ms. Miller's account to be credible.

According to the report, Ms. Miller said she thought the class was finished with lunch when she seated them on the floor, which she described as an attempt to separate several misbehaving children who had been pushing and shoving in the lunch line. She also said she never used the word "animal."

A spokesman for the union that represents Ms. Miller said the office was closed yesterday and that no one was available to comment on the case.

The executive director of the Haitian Centers Council, Dr. Henry Frank, did not return several calls for comment yesterday. Dr. Frank, a leading voice of the Haitian community, became involved after parents asked him to intervene because they were not getting any responses to their complaints from school officials.

The school was closed yesterday for spring break.

The coverage of this incident did not truly begin until the public forced the issue. ICOPE Co-founder Carmen Santana is outraged: The New York City Department of Education ignored all pleas for help, and Deputy Mayor for Education Dennis Walcott, who is African-American, turned his back on the children and their parents and refused to do anything. Will the parents of New York tell him what they think of Mr. Walcott and Mayor Bloomberg at November's election?

Suspend PS 34 ass't principal - pol
BY WARREN WOODBERRY JR., DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

State Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans) has called on Schools Chancellor Joel Klein to suspend the assistant principal who allegedly made Haitian fourth-graders at Public School 34 eat on the floor "like animals" last month.
Assistant Principal Nancy Miller allegedly meted out the degrading punishment to all 13 students in the school's only fourth-grade bilingual class - even though just two were involved in an in-school scuffle March 16.

Miller has been transferred to a desk job in the School District 29 regional office. However, Smith demanded yesterday that Miller and PS 34 Principal Pauline Shakespeare be fired should the accusations be proved true in a probe by the Department of Education's office of special investigations.

"If the charges are true, there is no room in a system - where the mayor and chancellor are trying to improve and are doing a good job - for individuals who don't have the basic respect for human beings and their culture," Smith wrote in a letter to Klein.

Miller was accused of ordering the children to sit on the cafeteria floor and use their fingers to eat their lunch of chicken and rice while the other students watched.

"In Haiti they treat you like animals, and I will treat you the same way here," Miller allegedly told them.

Some of the punished children were so humiliated they cried and begged Miller for spoons to eat with.

"We can't fire someone for allegations. It has to be investigated," said Education Department spokesman Keith Kalb. "Counselors have been provided to the school. These allegations, if true, are unconscionable, and we would not tolerate this from any employee."

Parents of some of the punished fourth-graders have complained that Shakespeare tried to cover for Miller. They also say that before classes were dismissed that day, school officials tried to bribe the kids with ice cream to not report the incident.

As Simone Ravenell of Queens Village waited to pick up her daughter Shada, 8, outside the school at 104-12 Springfield Blvd., she said she was shocked at the allegations, saying Miller had developed a reputation of being gentle with the schoolchildren.

"For her to do a 360 like that - it's very weird," said Ravenell. "It's hard for me to believe Ms. Miller would do something like that."

Haitian Parents Protest the Abuse AT P.S. 34
Protest the abuse of Haitian School children at PS 34

Articles on this page

*Queen School Disgrace - Outrage as Haitian kids have to eat 'like animals' by Juan Gonzalez, NY Daily News | April 12, 2005;

*Protest abuse at P.S. 34, demand resignation Shakespeare & Miller, April 12, 2005;

*Irate Haitian parents plan a protest BY ELLEN YAN, Newsday | April 12, 2005

*School official transferred during investigation by Ellen Yan, Newsday|April 12, 2005

*Parents Protest Incident Involving Haitian Pupils , New York Times | April 13, 2005

*Qns. school feels anger of Haitians, KATHLEEN LUCADAMO|Daily News|April 13,2005

* Parents Call for Principal's Ouster, Beth Fertig, WNYC Radio, NYC | April 13, 2005

* Haitian Group Calls For Firing Of Principal Over Lunch Room "Abuse," Hardbeatnews | April 13, 2005

* Hip Hop artist, J.G., weighs in on the Abuse of Haitian kids at PS 34

Queens School Disgrace: Outrage as Haitian Kids Have to Eat Like Animals
by Juan Gonzalez, NY Daily News

It's the kind of spat that flares thousands of times a day in schools all over the country.

But at Public School 34 in Queens Village, Assistant Principal Nancy Miller's ghastly way of handling a minor scuffle between two Haitian fourth-graders has sparked fury.

According to parents and students, Miller, who is white, chose to punish all 13 Haitian pupils in the school's only fourth-grade bilingual class - even though just two were involved in the March 16 incident.

She ordered all 13 to sit on the cafeteria floor, then made them use their fingers to eat their lunch of chicken and rice, while all the other students watched.

"In Haiti, they treat you like animals, and I will treat you the same way here," several students recalled Miller saying.

Some of the punished fourth-graders were so humiliated they began to cry. A few begged Miller for spoons to eat.

Her behavior has triggered a probe by the schools' office of special investigations, as parents accused Miller of racial bias and demanded that she and the principal be fired.

One of those punished was WOOSEVELT ISAC. His father, SONY ISAC, noticed the boy was upset that night. "He was almost crying," ISAC said yesterday. "I asked him what was wrong. Then he told me, 'They put me sitting on the floor. They put me to eat with my hands.' I couldn't believe it."

At the suggestion of a teacher, several children wrote their accounts of the incident that afternoon in their bilingual class.

This is what one child wrote:

"Mrs. Miller made me and our classmates sit on the floor to eat our lunch. She said that we are animals and we got it from our country. ... I was hurt, and when I got to my class I told my teacher about what happened. I did not like what she said about my country."

ISAC and other parents complained to the principal, Pauline Shakespeare. They claim that Shakespeare, who is black, tried to cover for Miller.

They also claim school officials tried to bribe the kids with ice cream to deny the incident happened!

An April 1 note written by one of the children, RONALD DESTINE, backs that claim:

"Today after questioning my friend and I for the fourth time, the principal (Mrs. Shakespeare) sent the guidance lady (Mrs. Gilbert) to get me in my classroom while I was reviewing math.

"When we got to her room, Mrs. Gilbert asked me what the school could do to have us change my story.

"I answered, nothing because I want the truth to come out! At this time, she offered free ice cream to us so we could say something else. "I have a big math exam coming this month, and I would like for the principal to stop harassing my classmate and I. Please do something."

No one at the school was talking yesterday. When I reached Miller by phone yesterday, she would only say, "I can't talk about it, because it is under investigation."

Shakespeare did not return calls for comment. Elizabeth Bandy, the school's parent coordinator, sounded more like another bureaucrat than someone representing parents.

"I heard about it but I'm not at liberty to speak about it because it's under investigation," Bandy said.

A spokesman for Schools Chancellor Joel Klein confirmed that the office of special investigations has opened a probe into allegations of corporal punishment by Miller, noting that Education Department officials were taking the charges seriously.

Word of what happened in PS34 has been the big topic on the city's many Haitian radio programs for more than a week.

"The community is definitely outraged about this," said Dahoud Andre, host of one of those programs, "Lakou Nouyok."

Parents and Haitian community leaders plan to picket the school today.

They want it made clear that educators who abuse and intimidate children, of any race, don't belong in our schools.

Originally published on April 12, 2005

PROTEST THE ABUSE AT P.S. 34
THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY SAYS:

NO TO RACISM!
NO TO DISCRIMINATION!
NO TO THE DENIGRATION OF OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR OWN SCHOOLS!

On March 16th 2005, following an altercation between some students in the lunchroom of PS 34 in Queens Village, Mrs. Nancy Miller, the Assistant Principal of the school, singled out the 13 Haitian students of the school's only 4th grade bilingual class and forced them to sit on the floor to eat their lunch of chicken and rice with their bare hands.

When the students protested, she screamed at them in front of the all the other students in the lunchroom: "In Haiti they treat you like animals and I will treat you the same way here".

Instead of acknowledging this cruel and inhumane treatment of our children and the entire Haitian community, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Pauline Shakespeare, who according to a Haitian parent described her child's behavior as "animalism", has chosen to stand with her Assistant Principal.

She has been repeatedly pulling some of the 13 Haitian children out of their class to try to convince them that the March 16th incident never happened. According to one of the students, Mrs. Shakespeare has even gone as far as offering the children free ice cream if they were to "say something else".

* We vow to our 13 children, who were so savagely humiliated by this racist white woman who we are paying to educate them, and to all our children everywhere that we will not allow this crime to go unpunished. * We demand no less than the firing of both, Mrs. Nancy Miller and Mrs. Pauline Shakespeare. We don't want them transferred to another school where they will simply continue to abuse other parents' children.Haitian children are human beings with the same rights as every other U.S. citizen. Support our communities call for justice for these innocent children by calling to express your outrage and echo our demand.

CALL, WRITE, E-MAIL, & FAX:

Regional Superintendent Judith Chin
718-281-7528
JChin@nycboe.net & LOjeda@nycboe.net
Chancellor Joel Klein
TELE: 212-374-0200
FAX: 212 374 5588
chancellor@nycboe.net

CALL:
* Robert Small - Head of Special Investigation into this PS-34 abuse case
* Jennifer Graham - Head of the Response Team for Chancellor Joel Klein on this PS-34 matter at 212-374-5156
* Local Instructional Superintendent Janet Won at 718-281-3407, and
* PS-34 at 718 465 6818
CALL:
Your local congressional representative in New York, the media and the mayor's office to spread the word and fax this sheet to all Press contacts.

The Haitian community will not tolerate human rights abuses in the U.S.

We have suffered ENOUGH!!! Our children will be vindicated only with a full and public apology, the firing of both Miller and Shakespeare and the school providing counseling and trauma care to these 8 and 9 year old innocents.

For more Information:
Call 718-464-6068
COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE FOR THE 13 HAITIAN CHILDREN AT PS-34
April 12, 2005

Irate Haitian parents plan a protest
BY ELLEN YAN, STAFF WRITER, Newsday
April 12, 2005

After a lunchroom squabble between two Haitian students, a PS 34 administrator ordered 13 youngsters from the Caribbean island to sit on the school floor and eat their chicken and rice with their hands, parents will allege during a protest at the Queens Village school today.

"In Haiti, they treat you like animals and I will treat you the same way here," parents said assistant principal Nancy Miller screamed at the Haitians in front of their schoolmates.

The alleged March 16 incident is fueling parents' demands for Chancellor Joel Klein to fire Miller and principal Pauline Shakespeare, who parents say backed her administrator and who also allegedly told a Haitian parent that her child's behavior was like "animalism."

Miller and Shakespeare could not be reached late yesterday for comment.

Ernsue Cayo, 11, said she started crying after a classmate pushed her.

When Miller found out, she pointed to students in the lunch line, saying "You. Sit right there." Ernsue and her bilingual class of fourth- and fifth-graders were
allegedly told to sit on the floor.

"Eat with your hands," Ernsue said Miller told students who wanted to get utensils. Some kids refused to eat.

Roosevelt and Stanley Isec, brothers in the same class, asked to sit on the bench, but Miller allegedly told them no. "My friend said 'I don't want to sit on the floor,'" Roosevelt, 10, said. "He was crying. She said 'You have to sit on the floor because your class was fighting.'"

With anger growing in the city's Haitian communities, parents alleged that administrators tried bribing students with sweets. "They tried to offer them ice
cream, Munchkins, everything to appease them, to say it's not true," said Francia Devil, a Haitian immigrant who has two children in the school and helped organize the protest.

Klein spokesman Keith Kalb declined to say what happened because the Department of Education is investigating. "We are taking this very seriously," he said.

In the three weeks since the alleged incident, no one from the department has calmed parents or let them know what will be done, said Henry Frank, executive
director of the Haitian Centers Council, a Brooklyn-based advocacy group.

"The chancellor must explain why for so long he has not done anything to correct that wrongdoing," Frank said. "That person should not be at the school. It's
not good for the mental health of the children and it is not good for the learning processes of the children."

Copyright © 2005, Newsday, Inc.

APRIL 13, 2005 UPDATE ON: PROTEST ABUSE AT P.S. 34

Ezili Danto's Note: Our pains as a people, the indignities suffered and humiliations endured are not fuel for political candidates nor non-profits to fill-up on. We say to all opportunistic parasite willing to play the "I am the Haitian advising the Chancellor, or the school system, whatever, and I understand-spiel" – Don't. We say also to those so-called "progressive leaders" who are known to continually sell out the Haitian community to the powers-that-be: Don't even entertain the possibility of masturbating on these children and parents' pains. Get a clue! Buy one if you must. But get it quickly. These babies must not suffer more by anyone in authority playing the "Haitian card" to career advancements. Non-profits get over the dollar signs you see here to increase your "do-gooder" grants – either here neither in the U.S. nor in Haiti. Once and for all, we demand validation of our 13 children's human, civil and cultural rights; respect for Haitians in a manner chosen by the parents (such as mandatory "Haiti, its people and culture are beautiful" sessions for authorities at PS34) and redress to this injustice by no less than the firing of Miller, Shakespeare, counseling for the traumatized children and a very public, public apology, including one, in the Cafeteria at the school, in front of all, made specifically to the wounded, humiliated and embarrassed 13 children.

Keep the Pressure ON!
Tell them a transfer will NOT do!
Miller and Shakespeare must be FIRED!
Friends,

As we said during the protest yesterday, as far as we are concerned
both racist abusers, Assistant Principal Miller and Principal
Shakespeare, are already gone. The only thing that can bring them back into the school system so they can continue abusing our children is the collaboration of Haitian lackeys and sellouts who will be used to pacify some in our community and try to make us believe that what happened either did not happen or that it was simply another cultural "misunderstanding".

Remember Louima!
Remember Dorismond!

Already some major developments:

Miller has been transferred to "a regional office" for her safety.

Some local politicians have called a press conference in front of City Hall today supposedly to demand that both Miller and Shakespeare be fired. As late as they are in responding to this issue we certainly hope this is what in fact happens today. We are certain though that some of the Haitian faces appearing with the politicians will be exactly some of those who sat on this case for nearly 2 weeks trying to keep it on the down low while the Dept. of Education conducted its "investigation".

Let all beware: Our community will not negotiate our children's
respect. This one is NOT for sale: Miller and Shakespeare MUST BE FIRED!

There is supposed to be some grievance committee parents meeting tomorrow, Thursday April 14th at 7pm, at PS/IS 270Q located at 233-15 Merrick Blvd in Rosedale. We urge all who can to attend to make sure that nothing gets negotiated or sold at this meeting.

The message of the Haitian community is crystal clear: Miller and Shakespeare MUST be fired! Continue to apply the pressure to ensure that our message is not distorted.

Call all the politicians and ask them why they have yet to demand that these racists in our schools be fired.

NYC Activist Ms. Carmen Santana, Co-Founder of ICOPE, told parentadvocates: "This is a crime against children. There is no justification whatsoever for behavior such as this, the people involved must be fired for breaking the childrens' spirit."
ICOPE: The mission of the Independent Coalition On Public Education in New York City (ICOPE) is to bring about the creation of a human rights-based public education system in New York City

School official transferred during investigation
BY ELLEN YAN, STAFF WRITER, Newsday
April 12, 2005, 8:47 PM EDT

A Queens school administrator accused of ordering Haitian youngsters to sit on the floor and eat chicken and rice with their bare hands will be transferred to a regional office while the education department investigates the alleged March 16 incident.

The move for Nancy Miller, an assistant principal at PS 34 in Queens Village, came late yesterday after dozens of parents and advocates for Haitians picketed outside the school, demanding Chancellor Joel Klein move more quickly to punish Miller and principal Pauline Shakespeare for allegedly backing her.

Miller requested the transfer, according to Klein spokesman Keith Kalb.

But protest organizers and parents said they were not satisfied.

"She's got to be fired," said Francia Devil, a PS 34 Haitian parent who helped set up the protest.

The alleged incident has outraged many in the Haitian community. Miller allegedly barred a bilingual class of fourth- and fifth-graders from sitting on cafeteria benches and getting utensils after a lunchtime squabble between two students in the class.

"In Haiti they treat you like animals and I will treat you the same way here," parents and children said in quoting Miller. Some advocates and parents are angry that the department has not taken quick action, saying the administrators tried to bribe the kids with sweets to say nothing happened.

"These are very serious allegations," Kalb said, "and the chancellor has ordered a full investigation to be conducted quickly and thoroughly."

Parents Protest Incident Involving Haitian Pupils
By SUSAN SAULNY, NY TIMES
April 13, 2005

A group of Haitian parents and their supporters protested outside a public school in Queens yesterday, asserting that an assistant principal punished more than a dozen Haitian children by calling them animals and making them sit on the floor to eat their lunch without utensils.

The parents say that after a pushing incident in the cafeteria, an
assistant principal singled out about 13 children on a Wednesday in March and told them: "I know where you come from. This is the way you eat."

Nancy Miller, the assistant principal at Public School 34 on Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village, denied the allegations through a spokesman for the city's Department of Education, Keith Kalb.

Mr. Kalb said that school officials "take these allegations very seriously" and that Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein has opened an investigation. He would offer no further comment.

The parents said they protested because they contacted the school and city education officials almost a month ago and have not had a response.

They have asked for Ms. Miller's removal, and for disciplinary action against the principal, Pauline Shakespeare. Mr. Kalb said last night that Ms. Miller had asked for reassignment pending the outcome of the investigation.

The parents and their advocates say the incident began at lunchtime on March 16 when one fourth grader in line for lunch pushed another, who started to cry. When Ms. Miller noticed, they say, she pointed to the Haitian students and ordered them to sit on the floor and eat with their hands as punishment.

The incident was reported yesterday in Newsday and The Daily News.

Mikhael Benyisrael, an artist from Haiti whose daughter attended P.S. 34, said: "This is a disaster. You have to imagine a kid at 10 years old. This is the age a child builds up a personality. This is going to affect them for the rest of their lives. It will lower their self-esteem."

Marcelle Starck, whose son, a fifth grader, was not among the punished students, said: "We need an answer. We are not animals. She called them animals, but she is worse than an animal."

Frustrated with the lack of response from school officials, the parents contacted Dr. Henry Frank, the executive director of the Haitian Centers Council, a consortium of advocacy groups based in Brooklyn. About three weeks ago, Dr. Frank, a leading voice of the Haitian community nationally, wrote letters to Mr. Klein and the regional superintendent on the parents' behalf. He said he never got a response.

It was "not only an insult to those kids, but it is an insult to the Haitian community at large and an insult to Haiti," Dr. Frank said.

Qns. school feels anger of Haitians
BY KATHLEEN LUCADAMO
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Dozens of angry parents demonstrated yesterday outside a Queens
elementary school where an assistant principal allegedly forced
Haitian-American kids to eat on the floor "like animals."

"This should not happen to any kid," said Gerald Etienene, 45, whose fourth-grade daughter, Vanessa, was one of the students who said they were humiliated at Public School 34. "I could not believe it."

Carrying signs reading "We Demand Respect," parents called for the firing of Assistant Principal Nancy Miller, who allegedly ordered the bizarre punishment after some kids misbehaved last month.

Ronald Fils joined the protest as he picked up his two children, ages 8 and 9, from the school in Queens Village.

"I feel mad," Fils said. "These kids should not be treated that way."

Schools investigators have been interviewing the children involved and others who may have seen the alleged incident.

Neither Miller nor Principal Pauline Shakespeare have been disciplined so far. Neither could be reached for comment.

"Obviously, we are taking the allegations very seriously," said Jean Desravines, a top aide to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein who was at the school yesterday.

"It's something that's disturbing, if true," added Desravines, who is of Haitian descent.

Originally published on April 13, 2005

WNYC Radio, NYC
April 13, 2005
Parents Call for Principal's Ouster
by Beth Fertig

NEW YORK, NY, April 13, 2005 - Haitian parents and community members are demanding that Chancellor Joel Klein fire the principal and assistant principal of an elementary school in Queens Village, over allegations of racist behavior.

The parents claim their children were humiliated by one of the administrators and that the other tried to cover it up. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

Nine year-old Esther Monnuis doesn't have a lot of words for what she was feeling one day last month, during lunch time. She just knows she was sad.

ESTHER: I don't know any words that stands for sad but I know I was sad and other people were sad too, we were separated and sitting on the floor without no spoons and we had to eat with our hands.

Esther says her fourth grade Haitian bilingual class at PS 34 was ordered to sit on the floor by Assistant Principal Nancy Miller after a couple of kids got into a fight. She recalls the words Miller used when she ordered the kids to eat rice and chicken with their hands.

ESTHER: She called us animals. That's the only word she said. Haitians are animals.

But while Esther says she was sad, her mother - Federline Mercy - was angry.

FEDERLINE: I want the lady fired!

DEMONSTRATOR: Miller must go! Miller must go!

About forty Haitian-Americans held a protest yesterday outside the elementary school in Queens Village. They demanded that Chancellor Klein fire Miller and the principal, Pauline Shakespeare, for allegedly trying to cover up the incident.

Elsie Saint Louis Accilion of Haitians United for Progress says she's seen letters the kids were encouraged to write by their concerned teacher.

She also says a few students claim the principal tried to get them to change their stories, and even tried to bribe them with ice cream.

She's disappointed nothing has happened since the lunchtime incident occurred nearly a month ago.

ACCILION: No one has responded, the principal is still in the school, the parents are afraid to talk, they're afraid what's going to happen to the children. It's unacceptable.

The chancellor's office says the incident was referred last month to the Education Department's office of Special Investigations.

Yesterday, a top advisor to the chancellor met with parents at the school to address their concerns. Jean Desravines said he sympathized.

DESRAVINES: As someone of Haitian descent it's something that's disturbing, if true. However, we can't make decisions based on allegations and that's why the chancellor felt it was important to refer to the office of special investigations.

The Department of Education issued a written statement promising the investigation will be conducted quickly and thoroughly. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.

April 13, 2005
Haitian Group Calls For Firing Of Principal Over Lunch Room "Abuse"

Hardbeatnews, QUEENS, N.Y., Weds. Apr. 13, 2005: Saying no to "racism! discrimination and the denigration" of Haitian children in schools, several Haitian activists yesterday afternoon picketed PS 34 in Queens Village over allegations that 13 Haitian students of the school's only 4th grade Bilingual class were forced to sit on the floor to eat their lunch with their bare hands and verbally abused by
a white assistant principal.

The protest action comes on the same day that Daily News columnist, Juan Gonzalez, detailed the incident through interviews with parents and the children who claimed that on March 16th, following an altercation between some students in the lunchroom of PS 34, Nancy Miller, the assistant principal of the school, forced the 13 to sit on the floor to eat their lunch of chicken and rice with their bare hands. When the students protested, she screamed: "In Haiti they treat you like animals and I will treat you the same way here."

Members of the Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees and other Haitian groups are calling for both Miller and Pauline Shakespeare, the school's principal who vowed to stick by her assistant principal, to be fired.

Meanwhile, Chris Owens, candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Brooklyn's 11th Congressional District, expressed outrage at the alleged mistreatment of the students as did Michele Adolphe, a Haitian-American community leader and day care director in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and likely candidate for the New York State Assembly.

Owens called for a full investigation while Adolphe, said, "No child in any school should endure the pain of such ignorance, whether from adults or children."

The NYC Board of Education has said it is investigating the allegation.© 2005 Hardbeatnews