DOE seeks to terminate Maspeth HS principal

The Department of Education (DOE) removed Maspeth High School’s principal from his position after claims of his involvement in a grade-fixing scandal were found to be true.
The New York Post first exposed Maspeth High School principal Khurshid Abdul-Mutakabbir’s involvement in the grade-fixing scandal. Abdul-Mutakabbir was accused of changing incomplete grades to passing grades and awarding undeserved credits to students.
A former administrator at Maspeth High School confirmed the story to our paper. They “never took part in it [grade fixing]” because “chemistry is too hard to fake kids passing the regents,” the source said.
But they confirmed that other administrators – not just Abdul-Mutakabbir – changed grades to keep Maspeth High School’s graduation rate high. The school claimed a graduation rate of 99 percent while the rest of the city averaged 76 percent.
According to a DOE spokesperson, the claims were substantiated through more than 90 interviews with students, staff and parents.
“Following DOE’s investigation into Principal Abdul-Mutakabbir’s unacceptable behavior, DOE served him with disciplinary charges and removed him from payroll while we seek to terminate his employment pursuant to state law,” said DOE spokesperson Katie O’Hanlon. “Our schools must have the highest standards of academic integrity, and we are working quickly to bring in new, qualified leadership to Maspeth High School.”
Following the alleged substantiation of several allegations by the Office of Special Investigations, Abdul-Mutakabbir was served with disciplinary charges. A hearing officer will weigh the DOE’s case, and will determine what discipline is warranted should Abdul-Mutakabbir be found guilty of any of the charges.
The substantiated allegations made by the OSI include that “incomplete” grades were improperly changed to passing grades, students were improperly awarded one English/Language Arts credit and one economics credit for a humanities course that did not meet requirements for the credits.
Other allegations state that students were improperly awarded one credit per semester for a Spanish course that did not exist, students were improperly discharged with advanced Regents Diplomas without earning six Language Other Than English credits, students were awarded credits for writing courses that did not meet requirements, and staff assisted students on Regents exams.