0 0 0 s ▁controvers ies ▁The ▁school ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁controvers ies ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁several ▁years . ▁When ▁former ▁district ▁super int endent ▁Robert ▁Sig ler ▁was ▁investig ated ▁and ▁conv icted ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁for ▁sex ually ▁ab using ▁a ▁male ▁student , ▁then - pr incipal ▁Bernard ▁C ohen ▁was ▁susp ended ▁by ▁the ▁school ▁board ▁( with ▁pay ) ▁and ▁bar red ▁from ▁school - related ▁events ▁for ▁alleg edly ▁not ▁doing ▁enough ▁to ▁prevent ▁it , ▁and ▁other ▁alleg ations ▁against ▁him . ▁These ▁included ▁under ▁reporting ▁violence ▁and ▁compla ints ▁at ▁the ▁school ▁( in vol ving ▁students , ▁teachers ▁and ▁him ), ▁f als ifying ▁records ▁in ▁a ▁cor rupt ▁manner , ▁putting ▁students ▁who ▁dropped ▁out ▁or ▁got ▁exp elled ▁under ▁the ▁" trans ferred ▁schools " ▁category , ▁and ▁last ▁but ▁not ▁least , ▁un eth ically ▁accepting ▁money ▁and / or ▁other ▁b rib es ▁and ▁fav ors ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁getting ▁students ▁diplom as ▁who ▁didn ' t ▁meet ▁NY ▁state ▁requirements . ▁He ▁claimed ▁it ▁was ▁ret ali ation ▁for ▁his ▁testim ony ▁before ▁the ▁county ▁grand ▁j ury ▁investig ating ▁the ▁ab use ▁and ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁being ▁sc ap ego ated . ▁Stud ents ▁claim ing ▁to ▁be ▁sympath etic ▁to ▁him ▁organized ▁a ▁protest ▁walk out , ▁spoke ▁in ▁his ▁beh alf ▁at ▁board ▁meet ings ▁and ▁then ▁helped ▁campaign ▁during ▁the ▁en su ing ▁elections , ▁in