To the Editor:

I have been very actively involved with the Parent-Teacher Organization group in our public schools for over 15 years and have served as a leader for nearly six years, four at Princeton High School (PHS). My service work to the parents in our schools has brought me to a place of deep care for the parents in our community. My “inside” information is all from listening to parents and others who work directly with our youth — and I believe that “the kids are not well.”

It is for this main reason that I am one of the most vocal parents in objecting to the BOE and Superintendent Dr. Kelley’s decision to oust Principal Frank Chmiel on March 17. That night was the PHS Asian Festival event and Mr. Chmiel was supposed to participate in student-led fan dance. Instead, I stayed home traumatized by the eblast sent out by Dr. Kelley and the BOE, and taking many messages from distressed parents.

When one receives traumatizing news you can go into a shell and isolate, or you can use the surge of emotional energy to create a community. The PHS Parents Discussion Facebook and PrincetonParents4PPS Google Group were both created the next morning. Our groups are both still going and we are now actively working to reinstate Frank Chmiel as the principal of PHS.

I cannot speak for other parent activists, but for me my reason is because “the kids are not well.” I’ve seen Frank Chmiel in action and heard many stories from PHS parents on how he impacted their kids for good in their moments of grief, sadness, anxieties, and low self-esteem. He is an extraordinary and outstanding leader with great empathy, kindness, and approachability. 

Plus Mr. Chmiel has many years of experience with safety and drug issues, having worked as principal and assistant principal at Franklin High School right before he came to PHS. Yes, there are already big issues in our schools because the “kids are not well.” PHS needs an experienced school leader who has real life experiences from the frontlines, not theoretical ones from behind the desk.

The level of bullying that I’ve been hearing about is unprecedented since the kids have emerged from the pandemic isolation. An 11-year-old girl from Mount Holly Middle and a 14-year old girl from Central Regional High made news recently because of their suicides from bullying; but there are so many that don’t make news because the kids self-harm in other destructive ways.

With all the talk by the BOE and Dr. Kelley about the great importance of teen mental health to them, in my opinion they have done the worst job in offering safety and stability to our high school students by taking out their beloved Principal Frank Chmiel in mid-March. I hope that the parents have the community’s support to help us reinstate Frank Chmiel as principal of PHS. The kids need his leadership for their safety, well-being, and morale. Thank you for reading my “mama-bear” appeal.

Sasha Weinstein
Shady Brook Lane