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	Charged Pastor's Principal Fired By Manya A. Brachear Chicago [Tribune Chicago IL] June 8, 2007 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/nearnorthwest/chi-principalj un08,1,2804724.story?coll=chi-newslocalnearnorthwest-hed&ctrack=2&cset=true The principal of the Roman Catholic school where Rev. Daniel McCormack taught algebra and coached basketball before he was charged with sexually abusing five boys lost her job Thursday. Barbara Westrick, principal of Our Lady of the Westside school for the last four years, said she has suspected for several months that the Chicago Archdiocese would terminate her after church officials criticized her actions in the McCormack case at the end of last year. Ever since McCormack was arrested in January 2006, Westrick has insisted she was not to blame for the mishandling of his case and chastised the archdiocese and Cardinal Francis George for allowing him to continue to serve in her school. Colleen Dolan, communications director for the archdiocese, said the decision to terminate Westrick was based on the current pastor's evaluation of the principal's performance. "This is an independent situation," Dolan said. "It has nothing to do with past history." McCormack faces accusations of abuse that date to 2001, but he was not charged or removed as pastor until after Westrick reported more allegations to police, the archdiocese and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services in January 2006. McCormack has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. Westrick said a woman told her in September 2005 that McCormack had sexually abused her son several years earlier. Westrick said the woman told her she had reported the allegation to the archdiocese and police, who took McCormack into custody but released him, citing insufficient evidence. Westrick said she assumed she would hear from the archdiocese or police about McCormack but never did. She said that when she confronted him about the mother's claims, he suggested a parent observe his classes. Westrick said she learned later that the archdiocese had instructed him not to teach or coach, but officials never told her. "I expected them to do the right thing," she said. On May 29, Westrick wrote to parents of the school's 200 pupils to let them know she might not return for the next school year. In her letter, she said archdiocesan policy calls for principals' contracts to be renewed by March 1, but that McCormack's successor, Rev. Larry Dowling, told her he would delay his decision until after students left for summer vacation. "I will never work for another Catholic school again," said Westrick, who's worked for Catholic schools for 39 years. "They have really hurt me." Manya A. Brachear: mbrachear@tribune.com
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