Angry Parents Ask About Jailed Principal At Board Meeting

CHICAGO -- The Nippersink school board took about an hour's worth of questioning from angry parents on Wednesday night concerning the arrest of Spring Grove Elementary principal.

The principal was in a Wisconsin jail Tuesday night on charges of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl. Daniel Markofsky, 47, of Richmond, was caught over the weekend in Glendale, Wis., at a Super Motel 8 with two teen sisters, 15 and 16, according to police.Parents wanted to know why Markofsky was allowed around their children. Police alleged Markofsky and the two girls were smoking marijuana, drinking alcohol and watching pornographic material."They need to be drug tested," said Spring Grove parent. "I guarantee this is not the first instance this guy smoked marijuana."

Patty Anderson of Nippersink School Board stressed to parents that Markofsky showed no sign of ill behavior at the time of his hire."I just want to assure everyone that at the time Mr. Markofsky was hired, we never in a million, millon years could have anticipated that this would have happened," said Anderson.Other parents were upset about not being informed until three days after the arrest."It would have been nice to have a phone call;they have an all district phone call," Becky Johnson, a Spring Grove Parent. "But in hindsight, you can't have a plan for everything."The board voted unanimously to suspend Markofsky without pay. They also promised to inform parents immediately if Markofsky posts bond.The sisters were from the Milwaukee area, according to police.The Chicago Tribune reported that on Saturday a Glendale police officer knocked on the door of his room after smelling marijuana, according to the report. The report said Markofsky answered wearing a shirt and boxer shorts.Neighbors near the school in Spring Grove were shocked by the news and feel Markofsky should not remain as the principal."You wonder how long that kind of stuff has been going on with the kids," said Jamie Mason, a neighbor in Spring Grove. "I don't think any man should have the authority to be around kids when he does stuff like that."A meeting was scheduled for next Tuesday to vote on his permanent dismissal.

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