FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JULY 15, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
DOE serves Maspeth H.S. principal with disciplinary charges
BY JULIA MORO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e city’s Department of Education
(DOE) removed Maspeth High School’s
principal from his position yesterday aft er
substantiating claims of his involvement
in a grade fraud scandal.
Principal Khurshid Abdul-Mutakabbir
was accused of changing incomplete
grades to passing grades and awarding
undeserved credits to students. According
to a DOE spokesperson, these claims
were substantiated by conducting nearly
100 interviews with students, staff and
parent witnesses.
Th e Offi ce of Special Investigations
(OSI) also looked at documentary
evidence.
“Following DOE’s investigation into
Principal Abdul-Mutakabbir’s unacceptable
Cuomo extends curbside, sidewalk dining for another year
BY KEVIN DUGGAN
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
New York restaurants and bars
can continue to use public street
and sidewalk space for outdoor
dining for at least another year,
thanks to state legislation signed
by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on
Wednesday, July 7.
Th e new law extends COVIDera
emergency regulations which
helped businesses weather the
devastating tolls and stringent
safety guidelines of the pandemic.
“By extending the much-needed
lifeline that allowed restaurants
to use outdoor public spaces
for seating during the pandemic,
New York is ensuring
that these small businesses will
be able to continue to use these
spaces as they work to rebuild
and support the revitalization of
the Empire State,” Cuomo said in
a statement.
Th e bill, introduced by State
Sen. Roxanne Persaud (D–
Brooklyn) and Assembly
Member Pat Fahy (D–Albany),
allows for businesses licensed by
the city to use municipal space,
such as sidewalks or closed
streets.
In June 2020, an executive
order by Cuomo allowed businesses
to set up alfresco dining
while indoor capacity was still
limited as part of Phase Two of
the state’s reopening.
Th ose regulations had to be
codifi ed into law aft er Cuomo’s
declared Disaster Emergency
expired on June 24.
In New York City the
Department of Transportation
managed the scheme, converting
8,550 parking spaces into street
seating, and Mayor Bill de Blasio
claimed the eff ort saved some
100,000 jobs.
DOT is currently working on
a permanent version of its Open
Restaurants program and plans
to start taking long-term applications
in winter 2022.
Th e executive director of
the NYC Hospitality Alliance,
Andrew Rigie, lauded the
governor’s move.
“New York City’s restaurant
industry was absolutely devastated
by the COVID-19 pandemic
and thousands of struggling
businesses relied on outdoor
dining to remain safe while generating
critical revenue streams
to stay open and support their
workers,” Rigie said in a statement.
“We applaud the governor
for signing this widely supported
and common-sense legislation
into law that will ensure customers
can continue to enjoy a glass
of wine while dining alfresco.”
behavior, DOE served him with disciplinary
charges and removed him from
payroll while we seek to terminate his
employment pursuant to state law,” DOE
Spokesperson Katie O’Hanlon said. “Our
schools must have the highest standards
of academic integrity, and we are working
quickly to bring in new, qualifi ed leadership
to Maspeth High School.”
Per State Education Law, following
Abdul-Mutakabbir’s disciplinary charges,
the DOE is pursuing his termination.
A hearing will take place, and if he
is found to be guilty of any charges, he
will face discipline as determined by the
hearing offi cer.
Before the investigations were completed,
the DOE made sure to monitor
the administration of the Regents exams.
Maspeth High School was not made aware
in advance of the DOE’s oversight during
that time. Superintendent
Frederick Walsh also monitored
the Regents and saw no
improper testing protocols.
Councilman Robert
Holden started to bring
this scandal to light
two years ago and
criticized the DOE for moving slowly on
investigations.
“It’s good to fi nally see the principal
removed two years aft er I helped the
Maspeth High School whistleblowers
stand up to
the corruption and
intimidation and
break the story,”
Holden said. “It
has taken far
too long,
because
neither
t h e
administration nor the DOE was in any
hurry to investigate. I brought this disgrace
to the attention of the chancellor
and mayor directly and there was no
action taken.”
A phone call to Maspeth High School
requesting comment on the matter
was not returned as of press
time.
Screenshot
via Google Maps
Maspeth High
School is located
at 54-40 74th
St.
Photo by Dean Moses
Outdoor dining on Bell Boulevard and throughout the city has been extended for another year.
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