Please be assured that our request to meet with your Committee does not stem from a desire of revenge or vindication. Sami would not have wanted that, but he would have wanted you to know what his last years at AHS have been, as well as the circumstances that led to his employment contract not being renewed after the 2013/2014 school year.
Parents provide timeline
Sami graduated from AHS High School in 2006 [editor: It was in 2000], and he was hired as a permanent substitute Spanish teacher for the 2006-2007 school year and subsequently, as a Spanish teacher in the Foreign Language Department, starting September 4, 2007.
A review of Sami early professional career at the AHS, will clearly indicate, that the first 4 years of his young career, showed a young teacher totally dedicated to his responsibilities, successful in his professional life, and who, never, never, was the subject of any negative assessment or criticism on the part of any member of the HS Administration in place at the time, regarding his professional conduct and performance. To the contrary, these early years helped him build a solid reputation of a good and successful educator in the Spanish language, always available and ready to help those of his students in need of it. All along, many students and parents have testified to this fact and have expressed in many ways, their sincere gratitude to our son. In addition of being a teacher, Sami was perceived by many of his students as being a true role model and an inspiration for their own future life.
We have in our possession numerous evidence, in the form of messages, letters, etc…received from students as well as parents, attesting to this reality.
The appointment of a new director of world languages in the 2011 – 2012 school year at AHS changed all of that. After a first year of favorable evaluation, it progressively moved into an unexplained and systematic condescension towards him, and finally lead to a constant flow of criticism and disrespect for his performance, as shown in many confusing “evaluation Reports”, seriously affecting his self-esteem and his personal dignity.
Visits called ‘surprise’
Surprise “visits/observations” to his classroom followed scheduled ones, clear intrusions in the middle of Sami practices, interrupting his discourses with his students, addressing them directly, expressing some blatant critical remarks in front of his students etc…etc…all signs of an unethical and unprofessional conduct on the part of a “superior” towards his staff.
This “routine” started as early as November 9, 2011, and Sami became the subject of one observation and evaluation cession after another…December 8, 2011…then March 29, 2012… then May 10, 2012… then September 25, 2012… and finally May 15, 2014… most of these sessions sanctioned by low grading of his performance and repeated “needs improvement” statements, blended with acknowledgement of his “highly fluent native Spanish and his classroom management skills” and “his positive professional response to my suggestions” etc…etc.
Then our question is…why all this long-drawn-out dragging in the mud of a respected member of the AHS community? For what purpose?…demonstrate a selfish hunger for authority above your staff?… inflict unjustified pain and stress related for your own satisfaction ? Or, probably advance your own career by proving how good you are to unearth the “so called” weakness of others?
If there were any cause for “justifiable” concern on the part of a “superior” for the performance of a subordinate, why not choose a professional and fair approach? Why not refer to an existing “system” mandated by the state? Why not coach instead of passing judgment and condemning?
May 2014 letter
Early June 2014, we were extremely concerned about changes in Sami’s normal attitude and spirit with us, his parents…He finally confess to us that he had been officially informed by letter dated May 27, 2014, after months of confusing discussions and deceptive promises, of the decision by the AHS administration, to definitely not renew his employment contract, in plain English, the decision to lay him off, at the end of the 2013/2014 School year.
While this saga unfolded, Sami never ceased during all this time, to be under tremendous stress, which was particularly dangerous and alarming, in the context of the syndrome he was suffering from! Many among his students, colleagues and the school administrators knew of his lifelong struggle with several episodes of physical pain, but what they did not know of Sami was his tenacity and courage to live with unrelenting pain and, simultaneously , to never fail to meet his professional obligations.
Realizing that Sami situation and certainly his health were deteriorating, I decided to alert Mr. Janger in May 2014, of our serious concern. I did write a letter destined to him, which I did not send, at the request of Sami, who was concerned about the retributions it might have created, and his hope, until the last moment, that the AHS would reverse its decision and offered him a position at the school.
As early as 2012, I placed a call to Mrs. Marie Villano, at the time Acting Principal at AHS, to express my great concern for the unjustified amount of stress and harassment Sami was subjected to.
Assurance in 2012
Mrs. Villano reassured me, at the time, that everything was done to resolve this situation, and that, discussions with the AHS Administration would “resolve” the issue! The following two years of Sami life at AHS, proved her to be unfortunately wrong, and this situation turned to end in the most tragic manner.
Yes, Sami did allow his teaching License to expire and failed to renew it in time. Not only was he the one that immediately acknowledged his lapses in memory, but he was also the first one to inform the Principal of the School as well as the HR department, of this situation!
You all are certainly acquainted with the option given to any public school to file for a waiver with the state Department of Education, allowing any concerned teacher who had allowed his preliminary license to expire, to be allowed to carry his teaching practice to the end of the academic school year and, at the same time, enlist in and complete successfully a “Class Measures program”, within an allowable maximum 9 months duration.
This option was confirmed to Sami while, personally, visiting the Mass. Department of Education where he was told that his situation was not uncommon, and all what the AHS would have to do, was to file for a waiver, in accordance with the state regulations.
In fact, no waiver was ever filed by the AHS, for reasons unexplained at this stage, giving to the AHS Administration a resolute free hand for the “disposition” of Sami case.
As a matter of fact, the first decision taken by the AHS Administration was to immediately demoted him to “full-time substitute teacher,” a sanction leading to the critical loss of his tenure, which, you all know the importance of and the meaningful standing. Sanction which translated into fulfilling the same previous responsibilities, but with a cut in his salary!
Then came the gathering of a meeting attended by the AHS superintendent, the Arlington Education Association representative and a “doomed” individual, Sami, totally overwhelmed by the tremendous stress of his situation and incapable of defending himself, and not realizing that “the dices were cast”… Sami had no other choice than accepting to sign the terms of an “agreement”, which had all the features of a “trial” verdict.
Confidential clause
The inclusion of a confidential clause clearly demonstrates the concern of the administration to keep this agreement under wraps and away from public scrutiny.
With his usual attitude and resolution, that have dominated all his life, Sami successfully met this new challenge, and within the only 4 months allowed by the AHS administration (in lieu of 9 months), and a successful “Class Measures Program, he recovered his Mass. Department of Education teaching License, officially renewed on February 11, 2014, and allowing him to requalify as a Spanish teacher in Massachusetts.
As a result of this, Sami was reinstated in his original position as full-time teacher at AHS, but for, solely, the remaining of the on-going school year, 2013/2014.
Sami has left this world and, particularly AHS, with his head high, and the sincere conviction of having accomplished, with great endeavor and success, a difficult and a unique mission.
As his parents, we are both totally convinced that the decision not to renew his employment contract, was totally unjustified, confusing and, sincerely immoral.
This decision will never be dissociated from his demise, and will remain a disgrace in the annals of Arlington High School.
Contrary to what some have conveniently insisted in stating that Sami died “after a brief illness,” I want to repeat that the reality is that Sami died as the result of a syndrome that had tormented him along his short life, precipitated and hastened by the long and sustained stress carelessly applied on him, particularly since and during the last two years of his teaching career at the AHS.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Until the last moments of his presence at the AHS, Sami was subjected, without rhyme or reason, to humiliation and discredit on the part of the AHS Administration:
The 2 following cases in point, among others, will substantiate this statement:
– The decision by his head of department to eliminate Sami from the distribution list of internal communications, while he was still an active member of the AHS teaching staff
– Sami was voted by the students to deliver the 2014 graduation speech, surprisingly reawarded to another teacher by the school superintendent. One can easily imagine how much this insensitive “ruling” meant to him, in terms of disappointment and stress.
He was denied the privilege to end his professional career at AHS, with the mutual relationship he had shared with his students, and the appreciation he received as their educator.
But, bestowing a teacher “on the skids,” with the honor of delivering a graduation speech, was simply inadmissible for the school and it was not going to happen.
This insensitive decision may have been the last nail in his coffin!
Destiny had decided that Sami would depart before the end of the 2013/2014 school year. His unexpected and sudden demise, denied the fully deserved shame and embarrassment for those responsible for his unjustified and undignified lay off, and his untimely departure foiled the menacing clouds of discredit.
Those of you, who were able to attend on June 24, 2014, his memorial service at the Lowe Auditorium of the AHS, to whom Francine and I, want to express our sincere appreciation, were given the opportunity to discover the legacy our Son left behind him. Sami was an asset to the AHS and to the LHS, as well as to both communities.
Rest in peace our beloved son, you have been finally heard!
Thank you all, for your attention and patience.
This statement was published Monday, Sept. 8, 2014.
