Principal of Bronx Charter School Is Reassigned After Walkout

The principal of a Bronx charter school has been removed from her instructional duties after students walked out of the school building yesterday to protest the school leadership.

The board of trustees at the International Leadership Academy charter school said it was reassigning the principal, Elaine Ruiz Lopez, to operations and launching an investigation into criticism of the school leadership by parents and teachers.

The walkout came after the New York Post reported Sunday that four teachers at the school — nearly half of its staff — quit en masse to protest the allegedly abusive behavior of Ms. Ruiz Lopez.

In a statement, the school's trustees criticized parents and teachers for seeking to "politicize their own personal grievances." They added they "take very seriously any allegations that the school is not meeting its obligations."

Chancellor Joel Klein said yesterday he and the state education department — who jointly control the fate of the recently opened school — would discuss a "plan of action" to deal with the turmoil at the charter school.

A Department of Education spokeswoman, Melody Meyer, said the department supported the investigation.

"We will decide whether further action is required, including probation or possible revocation of the school's charter," she said.