The Montgomery County Board of Education Monday appointed the former principal of Washington, D.C.’s Woodrow Wilson High School as principal of Silver Spring’s Thomas Edison High School of Technology.
Peter Cahall’s contract was not renewed by D.C. Public Schools in December and he resigned that month. DCPS officials have been quiet about why they decided not to renew Cahall’s contract. However after being let go, Cahall wrote in a letter to the D.C. Council that he was told he was not “renewed as the principal of Wilson for the 2015-2016 school year because I have not moved the school forward academically based on [test] scores.”
Cahall wrote that the decision to remove him from his position was “purely capricious and arbitrary.” He wrote that originally he intended to lobby the council to place him back in his position, but instead decided to “leave quietly…and pursue other opportunities to serve in a system where I am supported and appreciated.”
Cahall generated national attention when he came out as gay during a Pride Day event in June at the Northwest D.C. school. At the time, he said he was inspired by students to reveal his sexual orientation after keeping it a secret for more than 50 years.
The Washington Post first reported Tuesday that Cahall would be joining Montgomery County Public Schools. Cahall previously worked for MCPS as the principal of Rocky Hill Middle School and Watkins Mill High School before leaving and working in Prince George’s County public schools and D.C. Public Schools for seven years.
Cahall told the Post that the county “welcomed me with open arms.” He’ll officially start July 1.
Thomas Edison is at 12501 Dalewood Drive and offers career readiness programs in fields like automotive repair, computer technology, construction, hospitality and restaurant management.
Cahall will replace Ursula Hermann, who is the interim principal at Thomas Edison. Hermann came out of retirement to serve in an interim position after the longtime principal, Carlos Hamlin, retired in December, according to MCPS spokesman Dana Tofig.
Thomas Edison, which is located in a building attached to Wheaton High School, is currently in the midst of a revitalization project that’s scheduled to be completed in 2017.
