Page 11 - Florida Sentinel 3-19-21

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Parents Plan Rally With Hopes Of Keeping Principal At St. Peter Claver Catholic School
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Parents and concerned sup- porters will gather outside St. Peter Claver Catholic School on Thursday afternoon, March 18, 2021, (after school) to show sup- port for the Principal, Sister Maria Goretti Babatunde, SSMA.
Parents and guardians of students enrolled at the school received a letter dated February 26, 2021, from the Office of the Superintendent, Office of Catholic Schools & Centers, Dio- cese of St. Petersburg, Christo- pher L. Pastura, Superintendent.
The letter shared by Supt. Pastura and a parent, states, “...After much prayer and reflec- tion, I have decided to make a change in the future leadership structure of the school. Conse- quently, Sr. Maria Babatunde will be leaving St. Peter Claver in June, at the end of this academic year.”
Although the letter does not mention termination of Sr. Ba- batunde, Supt. Pastura told the Sentinel that she was not being terminated, but her con- tract was not being renewed. “A change in leadership is neces- sary,” he said.
He added that each principal in the Diocese is hired differently, and he could not say where Sr. Babatunde would be going, or if she has been reassigned.
Ms. Yvonne Rogers,
whose daughter has been a stu- dent at the school for several years, raves about her academic success under Sister Ba- batunde. Ms. Rogers along with other parents believe that the principal is being forced out.
Another parent, Kerryan Gayle, mother of 2 children at the school, said her kids have been there since they were 3 years old. They’re now 9 years old. She talked about the mother figure that Sr. Babatunde has been to all the children, not only sharing her love, but the love of God is being taught. She asks, ‘why doesn’t the Diocese want to renew her contract?’
Ms. Debora Barr, a mem- ber of the Advisory Board of St. Peter Claver Catholic School, submitted an extensive letter to the Sentinel. She said the Board received an email dated February 25, 2021 informing them of the Superintendent’s decision. He stated that faculty and staff had been informed the same day and letters to the parents were forth- coming the following day.
Ms. Barr further explained why parents have suspicions about the removal of the princi- pal.
“SPCCS is a 127-year-old
ministry of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church and the princi- pal is hired and employed at the pleasure of the parish pastor and parish. Therefore, such decisions as this are made by the pastor and not the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers.
“Coincidentally, there is no pastor due to the former pastor being reassigned in December, 2020. As of this date, no pastor has been assigned over the flock at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. It is very unusual for a parish to be without a pastor for such an extended time. Deacon James Ben Hooks has been temporarily assigned over pas- toral care of the parish.”
“During our zoom board meeting of March 10th, neither Mr. Pastura nor Mr. Mark Majeski, who is the Associate Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Centers, seemed in- terested in the input of the School Advisory Board. How can it be that the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers has nothing positive to say about such an ac- complished principal?,” she asked.
Sr. Maria arrived at SPCCS in 2008. Enrollment was at just 60 students and the school was facing closure. She surveyed and canvassed the surrounding neighborhoods and churches, telling them about the school and requiesting that they send their children.
Pre-pandemic enrollment topped out at 250 students, num- bers not seen at the school since the 1950s and 1960s. Currently, there are 167 students at the school.
Ms. Barr further stated: “The removal of Sister is con- cerning enough, however paired with the fact that under the lead- ership of Mr. Pastura and Mr. Majeski all the diocese’s reli- gious sisters (all of whom are women of color) are gone, a very disturbing pattern begins to emerge. Sister Maria is the last religious sister and woman of color principal in the diocese’s 36 schools and centers. How can this be? Were there no other reli- gious sisters in the orders able to replace the departing sisters?
“An even more disturbing question is why is Mr. Pastura and Mr. Majeski so intent on removing Sister and taking con- trol of this historic school? Many have begun to speculate that their ultimate goal is to ensure that the school closes and to sell the property. The property that the school sits on is approxi- mately one city block of land: land that is in close proximity to downtown Tampa, Ybor City, Channelside, Harbor Island and the RiverWalk.
SISTER MARIA BABATUNDE ...Contract as Principal of St. Peter Claver Catholic School ex-
pires in June.
“This speculation is only fur- ther fueled by the fact that the Boys and Girls Club is selling the property adjacent to the school. A deal that the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers involved themselves in by removing Sis- ter’s ability to retain the Nick Capitano Boys and Girls facilities.
“As an active and involved
member of the Advisory Board, it became obvious to me that there is an undercurrent (outside of the parish community) interested in removing the school from the parish ministry and placing it under the control of the Diocese.
“The first step to transfer- ring the school to the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers, re- move the pastor. The second step removes the principal. Both of those objectives appear to have been achieved.
“To what ends is the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers so intent on control of the school, remains unseen at the present moment, but what is apparent is that none of this is being done in the best interest of the children this school serves. At the end of the day, the decision to terminate Sister Maria only serves to harm the children and place the school’s accreditation in jeop- ardy.”
Sister Babatunde said she was told that her contract was not
being renewed because the school was on probation for the second time. “Which is not true. We were given accrediation with conditions that we must meet by September,” she said.
Knowing that there was no assigned pastor for the parish, she said the Diocese took over the administration January 1, 2021, and decided not to renew her contract. “There is no due process for me because there is no pastor,” she said. “It’s not about me, it’s about justice. If it’s something that I have done, I get it. There is no concern for the children.”
In his letter, Supt. Pastura said, “I am thankful for the dedi- cation and care that she has shown to the children and fami- lies throughout the years and wish her the very best in the fu- ture.”
Supt. Pastura told the Sentinel that a search committee will be forming soon to find a re- placement for the principal.
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