A New York City Department of Education employee is collecting a principal's salary of nearly $200,000 annually for a role at a school that was never established, according to a report by The Post. Caleb Haraguchi-Combs, 33, was appointed project director of the proposed Next Generation Technology High School in January, a position that came with a $50,000 raise, bringing his salary to $192,374.
The proposed school, intended to focus on artificial intelligence and computer technology in Lower Manhattan, was ultimately not approved by Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels in April, following backlash over its merit-based admissions model and concerns about AI in education. Despite the school's cancellation, Haraguchi-Combs has continued to receive the principal-level compensation.
Previously, Haraguchi-Combs served as an assistant principal at Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics in East Harlem, where his annual salary was $141,960. A representative from the Manhattan Center confirmed he is no longer employed there.
When approached by The Post, Haraguchi-Combs declined to comment on his current employment status or location. The Department of Education stated that he is currently "developing new proposals and supporting in-progress proposals," a typical role for project directors of planned schools. However, a DOE source contested this, suggesting that without tenure, a principal would typically be reassigned to an assistant principal role if their school did not open. The source also questioned the decision to name a principal before the school's approval.
Insiders within the DOE expressed frustration over the expenditure of taxpayer money and questioned why Haraguchi-Combs was not reassigned to an existing school with a principal vacancy. The situation came to light as part of a letter sent by anonymous Manhattan high school principals to DOE leadership, detailing concerns about Superintendent Gary Beidleman, including organizational issues, hiring practices, and the handling of Haraguchi-Combs' position.
Haraguchi-Combs also has a career as a rapper under the name Cal Combs, having released two albums. His lyrics have touched on themes of drug deals, gunfire, and substance abuse. Zilvinas Silenas, president of the good government nonprofit The Empire Center for Public Policy, called the salary for an unfulfilled role an insult to taxpayers, stating that earning such an amount for not performing a job is unprecedented.
Haraguchi-Combs began his education career in Tokyo in 2015, according to his LinkedIn profile.