Phila. principal defended; cartoon denounced
In strong terms, a broad coalition of supporters publicly championed controversial South Philadelphia High School principal LaGreta Brown yesterday. Brown also spoke out for the first time, defending her leadership.
Many of the 10 who spoke before the School Reform Commission also denounced an Inquirer editorial cartoon that portrayed Brown as asleep behind her desk while the school was in turmoil.
The work by Inquirer editorial cartoonist Tony Auth appeared Tuesday. The cartoon commented on a story Sunday that described the school's leadership as having been in disarray on Dec. 3, when Asian students were beaten in a series of racially motivated attacks.
The attacks drew attention from the city and state human relations commissions, and spurred a federal civil rights complaint.
J. Whyatt Mondesire, head of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, called the cartoon "disgusting. It is a lie. It is offensive. The Inquirer should be ashamed of what it did to Mrs. Brown."
Michael Lerner, the head of the city's principals union, said the cartoon was "a cheap shot" at a "dedicated educator."
"In his drawing, the cartoonist, Tony Auth, has suggested the most simplistic explanation of an unbelievably complex situation, a problem that has existed at South Philadelphia High School for years," said Lerner, leader of the local chapter of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators.
Auth said his cartoon responded to news coverage portraying "confusion and strained communications and inept behaviors that were going on that day on the part of school administrators."
Harold Jackson, editor of the editorial page, said "the cartoons are Tony's point of view - they don't necessarily represent the views of the Editorial Board." Auth is a member of the board.
Brian P. Tierney, publisher of The Inquirer, said Auth was doing his job in commenting on the day's events and drawing strong reactions, positive and negative.
Sometimes he has agreed with Auth's cartoons and sometimes he hasn't, Tierney said, "but I've always respected where Tony's coming from. He is one of the greatest cartoonists in America."
Tierney went on to say of the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, "In a battle of credibility between Jerry Mondesire and Tony Auth, I'm going to go with Tony Auth all the time."
Mondesire - who also publishes a weekly newspaper, the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, and is a former
The work by Inquirer editorial cartoonist Tony Auth appeared Tuesday. The cartoon commented on a story Sunday that described the school's leadership as having been in disarray on Dec. 3, when Asian students were beaten in a series of racially motivated attacks.
The attacks drew attention from the city and state human relations commissions, and spurred a federal civil rights complaint.
J. Whyatt Mondesire, head of the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP, called the cartoon "disgusting. It is a lie. It is offensive. The Inquirer should be ashamed of what it did to Mrs. Brown."
Michael Lerner, the head of the city's principals union, said the cartoon was "a cheap shot" at a "dedicated educator."
"In his drawing, the cartoonist, Tony Auth, has suggested the most simplistic explanation of an unbelievably complex situation, a problem that has existed at South Philadelphia High School for years," said Lerner, leader of the local chapter of the Commonwealth Association of School Administrators.
Auth said his cartoon responded to news coverage portraying "confusion and strained communications and inept behaviors that were going on that day on the part of school administrators."
Harold Jackson, editor of the editorial page, said "the cartoons are Tony's point of view - they don't necessarily represent the views of the Editorial Board." Auth is a member of the board.
Brian P. Tierney, publisher of The Inquirer, said Auth was doing his job in commenting on the day's events and drawing strong reactions, positive and negative.
Sometimes he has agreed with Auth's cartoons and sometimes he hasn't, Tierney said, "but I've always respected where Tony's coming from. He is one of the greatest cartoonists in America."
Tierney went on to say of the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, "In a battle of credibility between Jerry Mondesire and Tony Auth, I'm going to go with Tony Auth all the time."
Mondesire - who also publishes a weekly newspaper, the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, and is a former
