A local union and a group of angry parents at MS 80 are calling for the removal of the school’s controversial new principal and say they will hold rallies in front of the school every week until it happens.

This afternoon, about a dozen or so people rallied near the entrance to MS 80, the Mosholu Parkway School, holding union flags and signs. One of the participants, 11th District  City Council candidate Cliff Stanton, held a sign that read “Respect MS 80 students.” Organizers said they plan to continue rallying there every Thursday at the same time until Principal Emmanuel Polanco is removed from his position.

Earlier this school year, it was discovered that Polanco is also a reggaeton musician known as “El Siki” who had created a handful of sexually-explicit music videos and posted them on YouTube. Though the videos have been removed, parents say students can be heard rapping the lyrics of the songs in the hallways. Some said the language and images are not appropriate for middle school students, especially coming from a person in Polanco’s leadership position. (Click here for more background on this story.)

But  that’s only part of the problem for Polanco who, parents say, is ignoring their concerns and not doing a very good job at keeping students on task or even in the building.

After previous principal Lovey Rivera was removed last spring — as part of the failed “turnaround” program, which was halted after a successful lawsuit by the teacher’s union last summer — Polanco, 30, was installed toward the end of the school year.

Local 372 sent out a press release earlier today to announce the rally, saying, “In less than a year at the school Emmanuel Polanco is well on his way to destroying this school our community fought to save. He has lost the respect of many students, parents, school staff and the community after shocking video and photos of his alter ego “El Siki” where found on the internet. The videos/images are sexually explicit and degrading to women to say the least. He has ignored parent leaders and violated the rights of the school staff.”

Polanco and the school have referred all questions to the Department of Education, which hasn’t responded to specific questions, but did say they were looking into parents’ concerns.

“How can our children learn under such a hostile environment, how can the staff function,” said Local 372 President Santos Crespo in a statement. “Principals are supposed to set a positive example to the school population and the community at large.  Our children deserve better.”