Our Lady of the Westside School Fired

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Barbara Westrick, the principal for the last four years of Our Lady of the Westside school has lost her job, she wasn't surprised. Westrick says that it is the Archdiocesan policy to renew the principals' contracts by March first, but this year she was told by Rev. Larry Dowling ( Father McCormack's successor) that he would wait until after the school year ended to make his decision. Westrick wrote a note to the parents on May 29. 2007 explaining that she didn't think she would be returning next year.

This all comes about after a woman told her in Sept 2005, that Father Daniel McCormack, who had been teaching algebra and coached basketball at Our Lady of the Westside school, had molested her son several years prior and that she had reported the incident to the archdiocese and police officials, at which time they arrested him, but released him shortly afterwards saying that there was not enough evidence to charge him.

According to the Chicago Tribune, allegations of abuse at the hands of Father McCormack is nothing new, in fact it dates back to 2001, but he was never charged or removed as pastor until January 2006, when Westrick contacted police, the archdiocesan and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services with more allegations. Father McCormack was arrested shortly afterwards, but has pled not guilty to all charges. .

Westrick says she should not bear the blame of the mishandling of Father McCormack's case and openly criticized Cardinal Francis George and the archdiocese for allowing Father McCormick to continue to teach at the school after previous allegations. She never was told by the archdiocese about the previous allegations and that Father McCormack was told not to teach or coach. When she found out about the prior allegations she confronted Father McCormack who suggested having a parent sit in on his classes.

Colleen Dolan the communications director for the archdiocese responded by stating,

"This is an independent situation," "It has nothing to do with past history.", and the decision to let Westrick go was based on the evaluation of the principals performance.

Westrick has worked for the Catholic schools for 39 years, she says that she will never work for them again.

Charged pastor's principal fired
Church says it's not linked to abuse case
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-principaljun08,1,1312338.story?coll=chi-religion-topheadlines

By Manya A. Brachear
Tribune religion reporter