Parents, students urge New Haven Unified board to keep Eastston principal and VP, demand transparency

Dozens of parents, students and teachers packed the New Haven Unified School District meeting room and the virtual queue Wednesday to urge trustees to reconsider a superintendent recommendation to remove Principal Harris and Vice Principal Visha King from Delane Eastston Elementary.

The comments—delivered during the public-comment period—centered on two themes: the administrators’ relational leadership and a demand for transparency about the grounds for their removal. "We have seen the relationships they've built with students," a parent who identified herself as Pri Cower told the board, asking trustees to "review the facts carefully" and ground any vote in evidence rather than politics.

Parents and students provided concrete examples of the administrators' day-to-day work. "He knows everybody's name," student Myra said, explaining why she felt safe and included. Parent Celisa Wong described the principal’s attendance at recess and assemblies and said, "When children love their principal, that is not accidental." Several parents recounted weekly communication from the school, extracurricular programs such as math Olympiad and family events that they said aligned with district strategic goals.

Teachers and school leaders also spoke. Jennifer Faria, a first-grade teacher at Eastston, criticized district staffing practices that have produced large elementary classroom sizes—"grades first through third have climbed to 29 students per classroom"—and argued leadership stability is crucial to address instructional challenges.

Speakers repeatedly asked the board to disclose the performance standards, key performance indicators (KPIs) or documented feedback that led to the superintendent’s recommendation. "What performance standards were used? What measurable criteria were not met?" a parent asked during remote public comment.

Trustees acknowledged receiving the concerns. Several board members thanked speakers for attending and said they would consider the requests for further documentation; one trustee said it was her "sincere hope that we can move past managed narratives and return to a place of transparency." Superintendent John Thompson said he would attend a parent meeting the next night at Eastston and answer questions he could "legally answer." No formal action on personnel was taken during the meeting; the board reconvened to closed session after public business.

Why it matters: Community advocates said Eastston has experienced frequent principal turnover and that removing the current administration—after seven months—could risk enrollment, staff morale and continuity for young students. Several speakers tied their concerns to district strategic-plan goals such as "prepared and empowered students" and "school, family and community connections."

What speakers asked for next: Parents and community leaders requested that trustees demand documented performance evaluations or KPIs from the superintendent, and for the board to hold additional public or recorded sessions explaining the decision-making process. Trustee remarks indicated some trustees planned to meet with school leaders and parents to supply further information.

The board did not vote on personnel at the public meeting. The superintendent and trustees signaled they would continue discussions in closed session and at follow-up meetings.

Sources and attribution: Quotes and paraphrases above are drawn from public comments by parents, students and teachers recorded at the Feb. 17, 2026 New Haven Unified board meeting (public-comment segment).