Effigy of Obama in Rhode Island School, Frances Gallo Speaks

Superintendent Frances Gallo Fired All Teachers at Central Falls High School Then Finds An Effigy of President Obama in a Classroom

When Frances Gallo fired 88 teachers from Central Falls High School in Rhode Island she knew that the teachers union would be upset with her but she was still surprised when hate mail flooded in to her inbox and someone wrote to her "I wish cancer on your children and their children and that you live long enough to see them die." The terminations will take effect this June.

• Rhode Island Teachers Fired
  

Then CNN heard a rumor that the teachers had placed an effigy of President Obama in the school and asked Frances Gallo about it. She said that she hoped it wasn't true, but she went hunting for it one day when the school was empty. The teachers had assured her that their anger at her decision was not affecting their role in the classroom.

When Frances Gallo was searching the school she found newspaper headlines about the story all over the walls, with many placing emphasis on Obama's support of Frances Gallo.

She said she found the Obama effigy on the third floor in a classroom; it was a doll about a foot tall, hanging up by it's feet from a white board and it was holding a sign that read 'Fire Central Falls Teachers.'

She asked the teacher whose classroom it was and he said that the whole thing was a joke in his opinion. But Frances Gallo said that she thought the teachers were doing harm to their students by doing this.

Central Falls High School: A National Pariah

The teachers were fired when Central Falls High School was named one of the lowest-performing in Rhode Island and in a 5-2 vote the School Board decided to fire the teachers rather than implement a transformation model, which would mean teachers spend more time with students with longer school days and more work in the summer for them.

Gallo said that she wanted to undertake the transformation model and the union agreed. But when Gallo said that they would pay $30 an hour for the extra work required, the teachers union asked for $90 and talks broke down. The union said they were not allowed to offer any alternatives to the case, as Frances Gallo just said 'take it or leave it.'

President Obama stated that if a school continues to fail to show improvement year after year then there must be some accountability, even though he stated that firing teachers is really the last resort.

The students at the school have said the atmosphere is emotionally charged with some teachers even asking students why they didn't study more to improve their grades.

The students have stated they want to be more involved in their new school and Gallo welcomes that idea.