Parents, teachers and students rally for ousted I.S. 109 principal

In a sweltering church packed with a standing-room only crowd, residents came together last week to show their support for recently-removed I.S. 109 principal Shango Blake.
“We are going to fight,” I.S. 109 PTA President Kangela Moore said. “Even if we have to stop school on the first day.”
During the almost-three hour rally a dozen people spoke, prayers were said, and money was collected in an effort to get Blake reinstated to lead the school located on 92nd Avenue. Some threatened to not send their children back to the school until Blake was returned as principal.
By the end of the night a few thousand dollars was collected for Blake’s defense fund.
“The first headline I saw read, ‘Bully principal takes kids’ lunch money,’ ” Blake said. “But, today, I saw kids come up here and give their lunch money.”
Blake was removed as principal at I.S. 109 after an investigation reported he had misappropriated or misused $30,000 in school funds and that he allegedly attacked a student.
Many in attendance questioned the validity of the report.
Some of the speakers said the “misused money” was paid off and even the investigation said the $30,000 was not used for Blake’s personal gain. Blake supporters contend he moved money around so the school could become one of the best.
“They don’t put money in the budget to boost the esteem of the children,” James McIntosh said.
Many also questioned the alleged attacking of a student, pointing out that the boy’s mother did not report the alleged attack.
When asked afterwards to comment on the details of the investigation, Blake declined, saying he couldn’t speak about the case because of the ongoing hearings.
“Every time I.S. 109 made a step forward, their investigators were there to knock it back,” Shango Blake’s father James Blake told the crowd.
However, most of the night focused on the good Shango Blake had done for the school.
“He is the type of person who is loyal who will fight for you,” I.S. 109 dance teacher Kim Carter said.
Carter said Blake never lost his cool and was always willing to help a teacher if it would help the students.
He saw Carter’s — and her students’ — interest in dance and created the dance classes at the school.
During Blake’s tenure at the school he helped raise the students’ reading and math scores. He also created many programs that used themes his students were interested in, such as hip-hop.
“It’s no accident he took the school from the lowest to the highest,” McIntosh said.
Blake closed the meeting saying he was confident he would be back to work in the Queens Village school.
“I look forward to being your principal in September,” Blake said. “I look forward to being the no nonsense principal I’ve always been.”