A group of current and former Bronx High School of Science students and faculty are planning to stage a protest tomorrow afternoon, across the street from the prestigious public school, in opposition to administrative policies that they say are harming the school’s reputation and causing a number of well-respected teachers there to resign, or retire prematurely.

Complaints about the school’s administration, and largely its principal, Valerie Reidy, have been simmering for a while now, but organizers say they felt prompted to take action after a New York Times story in September reported an “exodus” of teachers fleeing the elite school because of conflicts with administrative staff.

“Me and other alumni, and also current students, saw wonderful teachers who were very intelligent, very effective, leaving because they’ve had enough of the harmful, hostile working environment,” said Jonathan Aris, a graduate from the class of 2010 who is one of several people organizing tomorrow’s event. The protesters have dubbed themselves “Take Back Bronx Science,” and created a Facebook page of the same name, which  currently has 106 “likes.” Two other Facebook groups, “Occupy Bronx Science,” and “Concerned Alumni of Bronx Science” also have a few hundred members each.

The Times story published this fall reported that eight of the school’s 20 social studies teachers had opted not to return to Bronx Science this year, citing interviews with teachers who reported being publicly berated by administrators, and that principal Reidy was unfairly and overly critical.

“Everyone has a story of, ‘oh, this teacher saved me from failing all these classes,'” Aris said. “Some of these teachers helped us get into college. They wrote us letters of recommendation.”

Reidy, who has been principal at the school for about ten years, told the Times that the faculty departures were not unusual and that turnover was natural at any school. Similar claims of teachers being driven away from the school by Reidy were reported in 2005.

Breaking Bronx will be covering tomorrow’s protest, so check back here for updates.

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