Parents Think Brooklyn Principal Behind Obscenity-Laced Facebook Tirade
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Hurtful and horrific comments about a Brooklyn elementary school student and his mother appeared on Facebook recently, but the source is questionable.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, the question was whether they were posted from the principal of the school, or her sister – who is her spitting image.
"I'm so hurt," said Talisha Campbell. "I don't understand -- how can a principal do this?"
Campbell is the mother of a third grader at P.S. 243 The Weeksville School in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and she was talking about the Facebook rant directed against her and her son.
The obscenity-laced tirade called the boy the "monkey u made," and referenced confidential issues and information raised inside the school.
The comments were on the account of Sharon Hambright, the identical twin sister of P.S. 243 principal Karen Hambright-Glover. Critics said the principal often uses her sibling for "enforcement" purposes.
"She does use her sister to do her dirty work," said parent Carlos Maldonado. "She's done some really awful things."
Hambright-Glover has been principal at the school about 10 years. But the past four have been rocky, CBS2 is told.
Clashes with parents over school issues have reportedly spilled over into the neighborhood, and often include the principal's twin sister.
Campbell said she was furious that her son was called a "monkey."
"I felt bad, because my kids are not monkeys," she said. "They're human like everyone else's kid."
Campbell also said she believed the principal wrote the comments, and was "using her sister to cover herself."
The National Action Network wants Hambright-Glover out.
"Her sister does not work for the school. She should not be privy to any information," said John Hendrickson of the organization.
"We're calling for her resignation," added the Rev. Kevin McCall. "We're calling for the school chancellor to step in immediately.
And that is apparently what happened. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña spoke with CBS2 in the Bronx on Monday.
"We're monitoring that as we speak," she said. "And I'm the phone every hour on the hour, and we'll get back to you when we have more information."
Requests for comment from the school principal went unanswered.