A bitter conflict between a Manhattan principal and her staff has teachers at one of New York City’s top elementary schools headed for the exit and parents worried about what the coming school year will bring.
Just a short walk from the United Nations, P.S. 281 — known as “The River School” for its location in Murray Hill close to the East River — is in many ways a model neighborhood school. Students receive a top-notch education close to home. Parents mingle at the park across the street, and an active PTA hosts monthly bake sales and a talent show.
In 2023, their efforts paid off when the U.S. Education Department named P.S. 281 a National “Blue Ribbon” School, one of a dozen local schools selected that year.
But the honor concealed a deeper problem.
Tensions have been simmering between teachers and their principal, Jessica Orleans, culminating in a no-confidence vote at the end of last school year. And when students return in a couple of weeks, 12 teachers and staff — nearly 28% of unionized employees — and the parent coordinator will no longer be there, according to a tally by the United Federation of Teachers.
In interviews, emails and school documents shared with the Daily News, P.S. 281 teachers, parents and a student said they believe a climate of fear and intimidation is forcing many teachers to transfer schools or leave the profession entirely.
The fraught situation prompted PTA President Rachel Miller to write to the local district superintendent, raising concerns that about 60% of P.S. 281 teachers are in their first couple of years on the job, compared to 20% at nearby schools. Several positions were vacant at the time of her letter, in May.
“I thought everything seemed so great,” Miller said. “That was the sort of beginning that really opened my eyes: The turnover was so egregious.”
The no-confidence vote launched an Education Department investigation over the summer, with District 2 Superintendent Kelly McGuire announcing this month that Orleans would return in the fall. McGuire promised regular visits to the school, while Orleans guaranteed changes — including weekly updates, monthly “listening” sessions, a teacher advisory council, and an anonymous feedback form.
“I heard your concerns about trust, communication, and the need for more shared decision-making,” the principal wrote in an Aug. 14 email, “and I’m committed to making real changes this year.”
But teachers and parents remain skeptical those measures will stop the bleeding.
“There was one point when my poor baby internalized that. He said, ‘Mommy, why don’t my teachers ever come back?” said former P.S. 281 mom Rafaella Smith, whose son graduated in June.
“I couldn’t give him an answer except that adults have to make decisions for themselves, and he can’t take it personally. It has nothing to do with him.”
Growing tensions
The conflict at The River School dates back to before last school year. In spring 2024, only one-third of P.S. 281 teachers described their relationship with Orleans as “grounded in respect” on a citywide school survey — an approval rating that improved to 42% this year, but remains far below the 87% district average.
Often, it was up to Erin Farrell, the former UFT chapter leader and English as a New Language teacher at P.S. 281, to be the intermediary between teachers and their principal. In a complaint filed with the district, Farrell recounted a 2023 heated exchange with Orleans over classroom observations: The principal was bringing a second administrator with her to visits, and teachers felt outnumbered. The chapter leader raised their concerns with her boss.
Within 48 hours, Orleans came to observe Farrell’s class and slashed her rating from “highly effective” to “developing.”
“It just all become too much and wasn’t good for my mental health. So when an opportunity came along, even though I felt horrible leaving mid-year — I loved my students — I couldn’t pass it up, because I just wanted to get out,” said Farrell, who resigned in February after nearly a decade in the classroom.
After Farrell left, the union chapter held a no-confidence vote in early June, where 93% of voters said they had lost faith in the principal’s leadership. (Nine staffers formally abstained or did not vote; only one person voted in support of Orleans.)
Through a letter sent alongside the formal results, teachers alleged Orleans engaged in “retaliation,” “consistent berating and belittling of staff, creating a climate of fear and intimidation,” and “deliberate targeting of students and staff who are part of a legally protected class, such as people of color and persons with disabilities.”
“We somehow came together and said, ‘This is too much,’” said teacher Lauren Askinasi, who took over as chapter leader.
In response to an inquiry from The News, the city’s principals union, the Council of School Supervisors & Administrators, did not address the specific concerns outlined in the no-confidence vote, but defended Orleans as an accomplished school leader with 15 years of experience — and a Blue Ribbon to show for it.
“Principals always stand ready and willing to hear and address concerns, and the city has laid out clear protocols for constituents to voice them,” Henry Rubio, president of the CSA, said in a statement. “Those sensible practices should have been followed for the benefit of the school community, especially the students and their families.”
Chyann Tull, a spokeswoman for the city’s public schools, said the district takes all concerns from schools seriously.
“As we enter the new school year, the district superintendent is working closely with the school to provide continued support, and we are committed to building a positive path forward,” Tull said. “Our goal is to create a more collaborative and inclusive school culture where every member of the community feels valued and supported.”
Can the school rebuild?
As the school year came to a close, the situation was evolving rapidly. Parents became increasingly aware of teachers’ workplace concerns. UFT President Michael Mulgrew visited the school and met with a group, including Orleans, her union representatives, district superintendent, teachers and parents.
“One thing is clear, it should’ve never gotten to this point,” Mulgrew said. “My goal in September is that school has great energy and can move forward way it deserves to.”
Of his members, the union boss added: “[Teachers] want that school to be run fairly and equitably with respect. They’re not asking for a lot. They’re asking for what should be in every school.”
Teachers and parents anxiously waited to see if Orleans would return in the fall. Their answer came on Aug. 4 when McGuire, the District 2 superintendent, sent an email that the principal was working on a plan to strengthen communication and rebuild trust with them.
“The 2024-2025 year ended with members of The River School community reaching out to express concern regarding Principal Orleans’s leadership,” he wrote.
“Please know that Principal Orleans has shared with me that she is committed to growing as a school leader and to creating the kind of community in which all students and adults feel valued.”
To some at The River School, the promise felt hollow. Among them was Mireya, a P.S. 281 parent, who alongside several other families and staff flooded a school board meeting on Aug. 13 to raise their concerns.
Mireya, who spoke on the condition that her last name be withheld, said she tried contacting Orleans to get a paraprofessional for her 4-year-old son. But she said attempts to reach her by phone and in person were unsuccessful for three weeks, and she felt dismayed by the lack of responsiveness.
“Without a transparent plan or change, the message to parents and teachers from the administration is clear: Our voices are not being heard,” Mireya told Community Education Council 2.
“My case, unfortunately, is not unique. I have spoken with other parents of children with disabilities who have also faced delays or even denials of vital services, pushing them out of school.”
Mireya believes a dedicated teacher made the difference and got her son the aide. As staff leave, she told The News she worries P.S. 281 may not be the right school for her son.
“I would love to say he would stay at The River School because we love the community. The parent community is beautiful,” she said. “But I have so many questions, and I cannot allow my kid to experiment with something that I’ve been told by other parents in similar situations is not the correct environment for him.”
