Friday, May 30, 2008

News of the Weird in Greenwich: Principal Suspended Over Minor Cupcake Dispute

Cupcakes are always a hot topic for adults. I, for one, go crazy for cupcakes because I have them so rarely. I can't help but think the parent who set in motion a Greenwich principal's suspension was similarly crazed by the cupcakes that he insisted on delivering directly to his daughter's classroom.

Evidently, school rules say parents should not deliver things directly to a kid's classroom in the middle of the day. The parent leaves the item and the kid comes to pick it up. That's what the principal told the Dad who was bringing the treats for his daughter's 9th birthday.

I really can't tell from the article, but it looks like the problems arose when the dad left the school and then, later in the day, saw a new document on the school website titled "Birthday Celebrations" that was added right after he left the school. I guess the dad feels singled out now, but can I just say...

This is so going to be a case of one person ruining the cupcake fun for everyone!
You know that from now on, birthday goodies will be banned from schools.

OK, but back to the subject of the principal. Why is he being suspended? I have no clue. I just posted under the Advocate's useless comments system: "There MUST be more to the story than adding a cupcake rule to a website... or else why would the principal be suspended?" (It's useless because I can't follow the discussion via comments to my email- I have to go BACK to the webpage. Fine for one article, but what if I'm trying to follow comments on several stories from the week? Do I have to keep the pages open in my browser? Clutter! Advocate, you are making me work too hard, and no real discussions get going on your site.)

There must be some gossip here... were heated comments exchanged? To me, this looks like a weaselly way to get rid of a principal, because what district/school suspends a person for something so minor? They must have already had it in for this person, because this situation is ridiculous.

The cupcake drama is so much more interesting than the latest Stamford Public Schools drama, which involves coming up with a brand new redistricting plan. I think there might be some more drama there- the Stamford Times seems to imply that the board basically gave up and handed it over to the superintendent to think of a plan. Whatever. I cannot spend any more brain cells on that topic. Maybe I'll wait until a follow up article comes out and then write about the fact that after almost a year, the Stamford School Board has alienated 1/4 of the district's elementary school parents by threatening to close their kids' schools.

Admit it Stamford... are we a little jealous that the biggest thing Greenwich Schools have to worry about is cupcakes?

Related Advocate Article: "Principal's Suspension Puzzles Parents." This is the initial article about cupcakes in which, oddly, a school official is quoted as saying the principal was suspended because of "serious allegations." Everyone I spoke to about that yesterday assumed it was something horrible like stealing, using the school property for personal purposes, or an affair with a teacher! But no... it was... cupcakes?

9 comments:

patty said...

No! Of course not. Ummm. Wellll.

FINE. I admit it. I *am* jealous! Maybe if I hand deliver cupcakes to the next Board of Education school closure meeting they'll redistrict my family to the Greenwich school system?

On the other hand, Greenwich's Board is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for civil rights violations based on conditions at the town's elementary school with the highest minority population. Maybe for every cupcake daddy with a mighty sense of entitlement, there's another parent with the savvy to pursue real injustice.

Manager Mom said...

When are people gonna learn?

Cupcakes = carnage!

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering if the Board really had it out for the principal OR more likely, the father he refused to let deliver the cupcakes had some real "pull". I think the principal may have just effed with the wrong person. It's all about who you know! Especially in Greenwich.

Nice cupcake photo! MMMMMM.

Anonymous said...

I'm just glad it's not about child porn, molestation or funds embezzlement (although I have to think that even in Greenwich, any "funds" embezzled from an elementary school would be very chump change-y).

Kevin McKeever said...

I think "cupcakes" is a Greenwich code word for "Bolivian cocaine."

Mr. Z said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mr. Z said...

The controversy surrounding plagiarism by a Deputy Superintendent in Ossining during Teacher Appreciation Week is also an interesting read.

Anonymous said...

just blame it on the cupcakes....OMG this is outrageous on so many levels so I'll just leave it at that for now :(

Anonymous said...

The Texas legislature has passed the "Safe Cupcake Amendment" which protects parents rights to bring their children cupcakes in school. Apparently, this is not an isolated incident. This issue is largely about fear and control, not cupcakes.