Breaking news in the New York Post: reports that the New York City Dept. of Education is about to fire a New York City principal who allegedly forced staff to participate a Santeria ritual cleansing of their school. What actually happened isn't clear--the priest accused of leading the ceremony denies practicing Santeria and the principal denies the whole thing, but the staff members themselves tell a far different story in considerable detail:
A former assistant principal, Melody Crooks-Simpson, said there was a running joke at the school that sage should be used to cleanse the building because many of the students were ill-behaved. But it seems Tamayo took it seriously, Crooks-Simpson told investigators, and had Fonte lead a ceremony at which she sprinkled chicken blood on the building.
Crooks-Simpson told investigators she didn't attend that ceremony but showed up to school a few days later in a white dress to participate in another ceremony because Tamayo said it wouldn't work without her. She said she was charged $900 by Tamayo for the rite.
Another teacher saw Tamayo, Fonte and another woman, wearing white dresses, performing a ritual at the school while Fonte balanced a silver tray with 40 lit candles on her head, said investigators, who were tipped in February by an anonymous caller who accused Tamayo of misconduct.
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