Dr. Paula Starnes: Whistleblower, Educator, and Crusader for Equity in Springfield Schools 

Springfield, MA – A firestorm erupted in Springfield Public Schools when Dr. Paula Starnes, a Putnam Vocational Technical Academy (Putnam) special education teacher, dared to challenge the status quo. Facing stonewalling from Springfield’s superintendent and mayor, Starnes emerged as a whistleblower and champion for inclusivity, sparking an investigation that ultimately resulted in a guilty finding against Springfield Public Schools.    

Dr. Starnes’ journey began with a simple request: stop teachers from misusing the N-word in classrooms. Recognizing its harmful impact, she reported the matter to Putnam administrator George Johnson and Superintendent Daniel Warwick and urged them to shield students from such toxic language.

This bold move exposed a deep-seated issue: the discriminatory practices that operated in the Springfield Public Schools. This article highlights a teacher who faced jail time when trying to bring about meaningful change to discriminatory practices against children in the school system.   

But Dr. Starnes didn’t stop there. She got the community involved and they went to the School Committee Chair, Mayor Domenic Sarno, but he seemingly did nothing. After several months of waiting, Dr. Starnes built the courage to report the Springfield Public School District to state officials at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  

Dr. Paula Starnes faced significant challenges after she reported her bosses to state officials. For example, a Putnam administrator said that “Ms. Starnes” was staring threateningly. The administrator explained to the Putnam Springfield Police Officer Gonzalez that “Ms. Starnes” assaulted her with her eyes. Behind Dr. Starnes’ back, a criminal charge of assault was filed. Unbeknownst to Dr. Starnes, she continued to come to work with the administrator but had no idea criminal charges had been filed. The complaint was ultimately dismissed but it does not negate the seriousness of what the administrator/ boss attempted to do to Dr. Starnes. {Assault convictions can result in a year in jail.}  

Please note: School-assigned police officers in Springfield Public Schools are a serious concern. The Putnam administrator reported the “stare” or eyeball assault to Putnam Springfield Police Officer Gonzalez and used this officer against Dr. Starnes with no interview or interrogation and without Dr. Starnes’ knowledge, a complaint was filed. How could such a report be kept a secret?  {An assault conviction could result in a year in jail.} Imagine what the school police officers can do to students. In a recent report investigated by the Citizens for Juvenile Justice out of Boston, similar concerns regarding Springfield Police were made paramount. See report: https://www.wwlp.com/news/i-team/report-mass-seeing-increase-in-juvenile-arrests/  

Moreover, the mistreatment against Dr. Starnes continued to worsen and impact her Putnam students so she pleaded to the Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick, and Chairman of the School Committee, Mayor Domenic Sarno but to no avail.

Then, in addition, Superintendent Daniel Warwick (allegedly) wielded his power and influence to demand that his daughter be removed from Dr. Starnes’ roster of students, ultimately compromising Dr. Starnes’ supervisory position at American International College (AIC).  

Dr. Starnes served as the Senior Instructor Program Supervisor at American International College (AIC) for years. In her part-time supervisory role, Starnes worked to prepare college students to achieve a career in education and become effective teachers. Starnes worked to ensure that the face of education would change to a more inclusive model of future educators by equipping them with the knowledge and skills to cultivate a culturally competent curriculum that celebrated the rich tapestry of student backgrounds. While at AIC, Starnes aimed to encourage educators to create a rigorously respectful learning environment that compassionately nurtured elementary, middle, and high school students. 

Dr. Paula Starnes continues her employment with Springfield Public Schools but sadly no longer works for American International College. However, Dr. Starnes collaborated with experts all over Massachusetts to create a state-approved special education elementary school in Springfield known as “Your Educational Success.” (YES)  www.youreducationalsuccess.com. 

YES Academy triumphantly focuses on respecting students ‘unique’ academic interests, addressing social and emotional challenges, accommodating various learning styles, and embracing cultural differences among individual students.

To establish the school, Dr. Starnes worked on curriculum development initiatives that focused on promoting an educational environment that reflects and respects the diverse backgrounds of students. For example, she encouraged collaborative efforts for curriculum development to integrate literature, history, and social studies materials that represent a broad spectrum of voices and experiences. By doing so, Dr. Starnes aimed to create a sense of belonging and understanding among students from various cultural and racial backgrounds, fostering an environment where all students feel valued and respected. This new school quells racial insensitivity and promotes inclusivity, creating an environment that is conducive to the academic and emotional growth of all students and educators.   

Dr. Paula Starnes’ story is not just about one educator; it’s about the ongoing fight for racial justice in education. Her courage and tenacity serve as a beacon of hope, inspiring continued efforts toward a more inclusive and equitable future for all students.   

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

• What specific actions did Dr. Paula Starnes take to address teachers’ use of racial slurs and discriminatory practices in Springfield Public Schools? Dr. Starnes reported teachers who used racial slurs and discriminatory practices to administrators in Springfield Public Schools. Then after waiting several months for meaningful change to occur, Dr. Starnes reported the violation and student mistreatment to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Springfield Education Association. An investigation was launched, and the state found Springfield Public Schools guilty of violating 603 CMR 26.05.
• What were Dr. Starnes’ goals in reporting the School District’s discriminatory practices? To work with the district to stop the discriminatory acts from happening to students.  However, Dr. Starnes was unable to help the school district shield students from psychological harm because she was retaliated against by her bosses/ administration.  
• What were the key challenges Dr. Starnes faced in her advocacy for racial harmony and a respectful curriculum devoid of racial slurs? Dr. Starnes faced challenges such as administrative backlash, resistance to change, a frivolous accusation, and alleged actions by the superintendent that compromised her employment position at American International College.  
• What was the outcome of Dr. Starnes’ complaint to the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education? Springfield Public Schools was found guilty of violating students’ rights.   
• How did Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick and Mayor Domenic Sarno respond to teachers’ use of racial slurs and discriminatory practices in the classroom? There was a lack of response from Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick and Mayor Domenic Sarno.  
• What did Dr. Starnes do to impact change? For more than a decade, Dr. Starnes quietly tried to address the racial disparities in the curriculum and the school. But after years of trying, Dr. Starnes worked with experts throughout the state of Massachusetts in April 2023 to create a new special school in Springfield known as YES Academy www.youreducationalsuccess.com  
• What are the implications of Dr. Starnes’ efforts for the future of the 26,000 students who attend Springfield Public Schools? Dr. Starnes believes that it will take a concerted effort to change the archaic practices that continue to surface in Springfield Public Schools.  
• How does Dr. Starnes’ story shed light on the broader challenges of addressing discrimination in educational institutions? Dr. Starnes’ story sheds light on so many facets of discrimination. In our not-so-distant history, to keep Black people in obedient positions of servitude, the upper echelon used the law. For example, if a Black man looked or stared at a White woman, he could get lynched or serve jail time. In this case, Dr. Starnes was subsequently accused of staring at an administrator. Dr. Starnes endured a proverbial lynching by school administrators as she faced this frivolous complaint and a barrage of mistreatment. This begs the question, are you safe to blow the whistle at your place of employment?