Alleged Bully Teacher Removed at East, Parents Say More to be Done

A teacher at Cherry Hill East who allegedly bullied her freshman English students is out of the classroom, replaced by a long-term sub, but parents who first brought the concerns to school administrators say the situation still isn’t completely resolved.

Kimberly Real, who parents say insulted her freshman students and used discriminatory and insensitive language in the classroom, was yanked about three weeks ago, more than a month after a group of parents brought their concerns before the school board.

Though it’s a step in the right direction, more remains before they consider the situation closed, they said.

“I think it's a win, absolutely,” Susan Levy Warner said. “Our children are not being subjected to the harassment and bullying any longer…but it's not over—it's not been completely resolved.”

Removing Real was one of several requests from the parents, who filed a harassment, intimidation and bullying complaint against Real in mid-March.

Though administrators, including Superintendent Maureen Reusche, have been helpful during the process, Warner said, parents weren’t ever notified Real had been moved out of the classroom—they only found out when students walked in to find the substitute.

“I understand they can't tell us the specific action that's been taken, but they can tell us action has been taken,” Warner said. “There are opportunities for improvement in communication.”

There are also other pieces still missing in terms of what parents requested, including some requested paperwork and a review of students’ work, and the original group of nine parents have retained an attorney if they have to press for extra legal action, Warner said.

Apart from confirming a long-term substitute has been placed in the classroom, school officials have remained silent on the situation, citing the fact that it’s a personnel issue.

“We can only speculate,” Warner said. “I'm assuming she's been put on paid leave.”

The classroom had turned hostile as the year went on, according to the original complaint filed by Warner and the parents of eight other students—representing the vast majority of the 11 students who had hung in while about 14 others dropped the class during the year—and things had turned especially ugly this winter.

That’s when the freshman English teacher crossed the line during a vocabulary discussion in class, referencing the word, “bizarre,” the parents said.

“The statement she made utilizing this particular vocabulary word was, ‘There’s nothing bizarre about black men being criminals and going to jail’,” said Warner at the school board meeting where parents brought their concerns forward.

The situation has parallels to what happened with Akian Chaifetz, who was allegedly bullied by his special education teachers last year, the parents said.

“This is a pattern of behavior,” Warner said.

It may be a pattern over years; anonymous websites like ratemyteachers.com flag Real—both as Kimberly Real and Kimberly Eller—as one of the lower-rated teachers at East. Comments like “absolutely merciless” and “crude and unhelpful” crop up in ratings dating back to 2006, though a handful praise her style and toughness, calling her one of the best English teachers at the school.