April 21--An outspoken Chicago Public Schools principal was ousted from his Lakeview school on Wednesday because of what district officials called "alleged acts of misconduct."
Blaine Elementary Principal Troy LaRaviere is a frequent critic of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the school district. He also has been an outspoken opponent of the controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam, known as PARCC.
"CPS has removed Troy LaRaviere because of alleged acts of misconduct, including violations of a previous Warning Resolution passed by the Board of Education," district spokeswoman Emily Bittner said in a statement. "A hearing will be held to determine his employment status."
Last summer, the Board of Education approved a "warning resolution" that censured LaRaviere and laid ground for his dismissal if he didn't change his conduct.
The school board's action was partly linked to LaRaviere's opposition to the standardized test, and a confrontation the principal had with former interim CPS CEO and school board Vice President Jesse Ruiz. It also came months after LaRaviere served as an education adviser and supporter of Cook County Commissioner Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who launched an unsuccessful bid to unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
More recently, LaRaviere excoriated Emanuel in a campaign commercial for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. The Vermont senator on Thursday issued a statement alleging LaRaviere's dismissal was "politically motivated retaliation because he dared to stand up to the mayor of Chicago."
"The only explanation for his removal appears to be Mayor Emanuel's unhealthy obsession with taking revenge," Sanders said. "I condemn Principal LaRaviere's reassignment and call on Democrats around the country to stand up against Mayor Emanuel's pettiness."
The district said LaRaviere has been removed from his post at Blaine and that he will receive a "pre-suspension hearing" to determine if there is basis to suspend him without pay pending a hearing with the Illinois State Board of Education.
In messages to the Tribune, LaRaviere said that CPS notified him of his job status in a letter Wednesday but that "no reason was provided" for his removal.
"I got the letter right after they attempted to shut down a meeting I was scheduled to have with principals at a (South Side) elementary school," LaRaviere told the Tribune. "They said it was 'an illegal meeting' because they thought it was regarding the privatization of engineers through an Emanuel campaign contributor."
