Fidgety

Chaz's School Daze: The DOE Informs Principals How To Use And Abuse The ATRs Based Upon The New ATR Agreement With The Union.

2011-07-28T11:17:00.000-05:00

Although I am on a much needed hiatus, I want to thank Chaz for sharing THIS very informative link for ATRs.. As always, Chaz blogs about issues that are current, relevant and vital to teachers- and gets right to the core of the subject. Thank you Chaz! Here is the link to the blog:

Chaz's School Daze: The DOE Informs Principals How To Use And Abuse The ATRs Based Upon The New ATR Agreement With The Union.

Here is the ATR link

Check out this site...."Teacher Voice"

2010-12-12T16:52:00.003-06:00

TEACHER ABUSE...at its' worst.

2010-12-10T19:47:00.007-06:00

How to Mismanage a School System and Blame it on Others...

And now the comments...

2010-12-10T09:33:00.007-06:00

80.FidgetyTeachNY December 8th, 201012:09pm It never ceases to amaze me how uninformed and naive the public is. They are still buying into the lie that it is the teacher's fault for having to sit and wait at the taxpayer's expense. This is just what the the Dept. of Ed. wants you to believe- when in reality it is the DOE and NYSED who are not paying the arbitrators to submit their findings and final judgements on the 3020a hearings.
It is not the choice of the reassigned teacher to sit and do nothing. It is the DOE's goal to get the teachers so bored and frustrated that they want to give up, admit guilt, settle or resign instead of waiting for a hearing. Those who sit it out and wait for their hearings will be most likely returned to their classrooms and found not guilty.
Recommended by 10 Readers
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INFORMATION SEEKER...(BETTER THAN IGNORANCE!)
8.machvelianNew YorkDecember 8th, 201012:49 amI want the propaganda against teachers to end. What are the statistics of "guilty" verdicts against teachers accused of crimes...NYT had access to this information, yet chose not to publish it? From inside the system, I've been told most are falsely accused, yet this article spends most of the time profiling people in a display of typical lazy journalism (see the past 20 articles about Cathy Black).
Simply, I would like a true profile piece on this arbitration process and the results...enough of the tales told by a select few.
Recommended by 63 Readers

SARCASM...(BETTER THAN ANGER!)12.PeterQueensDecember 8th, 201012:49 amThis is what an underfunded education system looks like - inefficient. The alternative is allowing principals to fire teachers for basically no good reason, something in which I'm sure the incoming chancellor sees no problem.Oh, more cuts coming? Great.
Recommended by 17 Readers
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SOMEONE WHO KNOWS...(COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER MYSELF...)16.HIGHLIGHT (what's this?) middlesex nj New Brunswick, NjDecember 8th, 20107:56 amWhat's nauseating is people assuming that those accused of wrongdoing are guilty before being proven so. It is not the fault of the teachers that the process takes so long. It is not the fault of the teachers that no one can bother to find meaningful tasks for salaried professionals. If the teachers are eventually found guilty of wrong doing, then of course they should be let go. Until that happens, the trash talk is pointless right wing blathering and hatemongering.9(A LITTLE EXTREME...) If the administration still can't find meaningful work, the teachers should be suspended with pay put into escrow until the case is decided. (RIGHT TO THE POINT...)Meanwhile, how about trying to get rid of the incompetent administrators and politicians who can't fix or even put band-aids on a system that his been broken for ages.
Recommend Recommended by 55 Readers
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67.FidgetyTeachNYDecember 8th, 201012:00 pmIn response to Juliet, Comment #17...Juliet states that, "Teachers who were placed in "Rubber Rooms" because of some kind of criminal behavior should not receive one penny from anyone.They abused their position and should be punished.People such as Ms. Combier who defend these criminals should not profit from this situation but should be reprimanded also!"

It is ignorant to assume that all teachers are 'guilty before proven innocent". The last time that I looked around we all lived under the constitution which entitles every US Citizen to a fair and timely trial where they are considered Innocent until Proven Guilty. I truly hope that you are never in a position where you are accused of an alledged crime and found guilty by a jury of peers such as yourself. Many of the teachers have been falsely accused of fabricated crimes and targeted by their principals because of their age, salary step or a simple disagreement with their administration. This is one way in which the newbie principal attempts to replace high paid tenured teachers with new inexperienced teachers that are paid one third of what an experienced teacher earns.(newbie principals following Chancellor's orders) Instead of being angry and ignorant, you might want to try becoming more informed about the process. It is easy to pass judgement with blind eyes. Betsy Combier has spent the last 7 years sitting in on 3020a hearings, visiting the Rubber Rooms and advocating for teachers who have been bullied by the DOE. I would respect your opinion if it were based on fact, however you haven't a clue as to what is really going on.
Recommend Recommended by 7 Readers

Arbitrary & Capricious...

2010-12-09T07:11:00.003-06:00

NYC Public School Parents Alex Coss & Karen Blummer
v. Bloomberg & Steiner
"South Bronx School" has the Petition! CHECK IT OUT

Nothing but the Truth

2010-12-08T08:47:00.008-06:00

Applause to Sharon Otterman of the New York Times for writing a candid and unbiased, description of reality in the illusory World of the DOE and the Reassigned teachers. After the signing of the flimsy Rubber Room agreement between Mike Mulgrew and Mayor Bloomberg, the public has been mislead into believing that the Rubber Rooms have been closed and that all cases are being expedited as briskly as possible. The newspapers have done nothing but scapegoat and blame teachers for the DOE's failures. Ms. Otterman accurately quoted the telephone conversation that I had with her while travelling home from 65 Court Street in Brooklyn. Unlike the reporters that I've spoken to in the past, Ms. Otterman asked questions without trying to paint a negative picture of the Reassigned teachers. For now, Ms. Otterman has restored my faith in the press and receives a rare rubber stamp for reporting the truth. To be continued...

New York Teachers Still in Idle Limbo
By SHARON OTTERMAN
Published: December 7, 2010

For her first assignment of the school year, Verona Gill, a $100,000-a-year special education teacher whom the city is trying to fire, sat around education offices in Lower Manhattan for two weeks, waiting to be told what to do.
For her second assignment, she was sent to a district office in the Bronx and told to hand out language exams to anyone who came to pick them up. Few did.
Now, Ms. Gill reports to a cubicle in Downtown Brooklyn with a broken computer and waits for it to be fixed. Periodically, her supervisor comes by to tell her she is still working on the problem. It has been this way since Oct. 8.
“I have no projects to do, so I sit there until 2:50 p.m. — that’s six hours and 50 minutes,” the official length of the teacher workday, she said. “And then I swipe out.”
When Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg closed the notorious reassignment centers known as rubber rooms this year, he and the city’s teachers’ union announced triumphantly that one of the most obvious sources of waste in the school system — $30 million a year in salaries being paid to educators caught up in the glacial legal process required to fire them — was no more.
No longer would hundreds of teachers accused of wrongdoing or incompetence, like Ms. Gill, clock in and out of trailers or windowless rooms for years, doing nothing more than snoozing or reading newspapers, griping or teaching one another tai chi. Instead, their cases would be sped up, and in the meantime they would be put to work.
While hundreds of teachers have had their cases resolved, for many of those still waiting, the definition of “work” has turned out to be a loose one. Some are now doing basic tasks, like light filing, paper-clipping, tracking down student information on a computer or using 25-foot tape measures to determine the dimensions of entire school buildings. Others sit without work in unadorned cubicles or at out-of-the-way conference tables.
“They told me to sit in a little chair in a corner and never get up and walk around,” said Hal Lanse, a $100,000-a-year teacher from Queens who had been accused of sexual harassment. He was assigned to an administrative office on Fordham Road in the Bronx in September as part of a deal that led the city to drop the charges against him.
One day he plopped down on a couch in the hallway and began reading a novel, he said. Eventually, he dozed off. Then he was asked to “paper-clip some papers” and refused: he was charged with insubordination. He is now collecting his full salary at home in Queens, with plans to retire in January; the city is trying to fire him for insubordination before then, which would reduce his pension.
“There are indeed still rubber rooms,” he said. “They just don’t call them that.”
While the teachers are supposed to be given actual work, the Department of Education still considers them unsuitable for classrooms while their cases are pending. So it has assigned them to various offices, like those overseeing facilities and food, and the external affairs office at Tweed Courthouse, the department’s headquarters.
Barbara Morgan, a schools spokeswoman, said Friday that the teachers were being as productive as possible given the temporary nature of their administrative assignments. She provided a list of tasks that some were performing, which included processing invoices, arranging schedules, answering phones and scanning documents.
Deborah Byron, 45, was one of about 60 teachers told to report to the offices of the School Construction Authority in Long Island City, Queens. On their first day, they were told they would be responsible for “collecting data,” and someone began handing out folders with lists of school names and 25-foot retractable tape measures.
The teachers fanned out to different schools to measure every classroom, auditorium, athletic field and parking lot, for precisely the contractually mandated six hours and 50 minutes each school day. They frequently interrupted classes to do their work. Sometimes custodians said, “Hey, we already have this, let us print it out for you,” and offered blueprints, Ms. Byron said. In those cases, she would do spot checks.
While other reassigned teachers said they felt ostracized and uncomfortable among their peers, hearing whispers about their “rubber room status,” Ms. Byron said she tried to look as official as possible, never revealing that she had been reassigned and was facing suspension for insubordination, she said.
“I had strappy sandals on, and a clipboard and a pen, and an old Board of Education ID,” she said. “Some of the younger teachers were almost envious — they came up and said, how did you get this job? Because they were struggling with 20-something kids and I’m here walking around.”
In October, Ms. Byron was reassigned to a truancy center in a church basement in Far Rockaway, Queens. When the police brought in truants, she looked up their records on her personal laptop and tracked down their parents’ and school phone numbers. Then she tried to counsel the students. “I talk to them and ask them why they didn’t go to school,” she said at the time.
Reassigned teachers work at a dozen truancy offices around the city, but not all of them may be as effective. Ms. Byron said the other teacher she worked with did not bring her own computer and still could not access the system by mid-November. (Ms. Byron was recently sent home, her case concluding with an eight-month unpaid suspension.)
Despite the difficulties of finding the teachers actual work, cases are moving much faster than before the April agreement, when lawyers for both sides, arbitrators and defendants all played a role in dragging them out, sometimes for years. In mid-November, there were 236 teachers and administrators still in reassignment, down from 770 when the deal to close the rubber rooms was signed.
Ms. Morgan, the city spokeswoman, said the city was on track to close all the cases that had existed before April by the end of the year, except for those involving arrests or special investigation. The city did not provide information on how many teachers were fired, suspended or fined, and how many returned to teaching, saying that information would be available in January.
Last month, 16 accused teachers were supposed to return to the classroom when officials missed a new 60-day deadline to file formal charges against them. But some got their charges as soon as the following day, and most still have “rubber room duties” in schools, said Betsy Combier, a former union employee who now counsels reassigned teachers independently.
While several former rubber room teachers said they much preferred their new, comfortable assignments, describing luxuries like office-cleaning services and microwave ovens, others said they missed the camaraderie of the rubber room. All said they would rather be back teaching students.
“The people from my rubber room are all here,” said a preschool teacher who blogs under the pseudonym FidgetyTeach and has been assigned to administrative offices in Downtown Brooklyn, “and we are all very distressed.” She declined to be identified by name because her case was still before an arbitrator.
She was reassigned three years ago after she was accused of leaving a child unattended. She said that while the people in her new office were pleasant enough, she had had nothing to do since the first week.
“Some people are doing filing, but they are not even wanting to do it,” she said of her fellow reassigned teachers. “It’s menial work. Most people are not doing anything; they are just sitting there. This is punishment, whether the city wants to see it that way or not.”
Juliet Linderman contributed reporting.
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NYC Rubber Room Reporter: Emergency Protest at Brooklyn Burough Hall Monday

2010-11-13T03:03:00.000-06:00

NYC Rubber Room Reporter: Emergency Protest at Brooklyn Burough Hall Monday

...If You Knew Betsy...

2010-09-15T22:40:00.017-05:00

They say that there is an exception to every rule- and when it comes to the Useless UFT, that exception comes in the form of a beautiful, green eyed blonde, an unconventional, bright and passionate woman named Betsy Combier.
The first time that I met Ms.Combier was almost three years ago. She walked into our Rubber Room wearing an embroidered suede jacket and up to the knee high heeled boots. Unlike most of the women who work for the UFT, Betsy exuded a refreshing warmth and feminine quality. In a sweet and soft voice, Betsy introduced herself as someone who would be coming once a week to assist reassigned teachers with any problems or questions they may have. She greeted some of the teachers that she already knew and then proceeded to personally introduce herself to each and every new face. As she approached where I was sitting, one of the teachers quickly whispered,"Don't trust her." "Why?", I asked. That teacher put her head down as Ms. Combier greeted me. Although her warmth and openness was indeed refreshing, I cautiously welcomed her into my space. She handed me her card and told me to call her anytime I needed to talk. Soon after meeting her, I learned that Betsy had several blogs and was involved in advocating for the rights of students, parents and teachers. Having been a PTA president and raising four daughters in the Public school system, Betsy knew the system from many angles. She attended PEP meetings where she spoke out for the rights of the RR teachers, questioned the inflated power of the principals, the agenda, our Mayor and the unqualified Chancellor-without-a-contract.
The following week, Ms. Combier entered our RR wearing a flouncy skirt and carrying a fringed handbag. I could hear her in the hallway making small talk with the horrible Mr. Warden before entering the RR as scheduled. Two of the teachers immediately grabbed her ear, taking her to the private "staircase" in the hallway to talk.
Besides providing answers, listening to the teachers and following up on all inquiries, the difference between Betsy Combier and the rest of the UFT Reps was that Betsy came with no agenda. Having been hired only part time by Randi Weingarten to support the reassigned teachers in the RR, Betsy gave her support in the only way that she knew how...FULL time. Here is a woman who does not drive or ride the subway, but somehow managed to spend everyday, yes, EVERYDAY of the week visiting a different RR facility throughout the city or talking with distraught members of the TRCs. On a salary that barely covered her expenses, Ms. Combier never missed an opportunity to talk to, advise, assist and console hundreds of reassigned teachers over a seven year period. Unlike the other unapproachable, angry and aloof Useless UFT Reps (they know who they are) who shamelessly looked at their watches, worried about the running meter, came empty handed and stayed only long enough to say that they 'showed up', Betsy genuinely wanted to be there. Betsy sat amongst the teachers, never looking at the time, never making excuses. If for some unavoidable reason, she'd be late, Betsy would call one of us on our personal cell phones to let us know. If that wasn't enough, Reassigned teachers called Betsy early in the morning and all hours of the night when sleeping seemed like an impossible feat. Betsy knew the teachers. She knew their pain and hurt. She felt their frustration. She guided and empowered them to help themselves. Singlehandedly, Ms. Combier made up for the shortcomings and absence of all of the UFT reps that I have ever met. Those who allowed themselves to know her, loved her and still do. Those who doubted her sincerity were obviously afraid of her unconventional warmth and wisdom; do you blame them after the way they the UFT treats them?? However, those who didn't know her, missed out on her natural gift for being a true PEOPLE advocate and great friend.
One would think that by the way I have described Mrs. Combier, the UFT would recognize and value her for the rare GEM that she is.
Why then is Ms. Combier no longer employed by the UFT? Shockingly, the only thank you that Ms. Combier received for seven years of dedicated service to the UFT was a Pink slip on July 7, 2010. She was told by UFT Co-Staff Director Ellie Engler that the UFT no longer needed her service since the Rubber Rooms were to be closed. Ellie Engler is the very same person who did everything in her power to make Betsy's life at the UFT as difficult and uncomfortable as possible.
In 2009, Ms. Engler told Betsy to pack up her office at 52 Broadway because it was needed by the UFT for someone else. She promised to provide her with boxes and an alternative office location by the next day. At 6PM on the following day, there were still no boxes and nowhere to move them to. She was told to contact David Hickey, but received no response to her messages. After filling up several black trash bags with her papers and files, Betsy removed most of her things with the help of a teacher friend. After several months of working without an office, the Queens TRC liason asked Leroy Barr for an explanation. Several UFT members wanted to meet with Betsy, but without an office, this was impossible. After walking around the 16th floor, Mr. Barr located the telephone that had Betsy's number hooked up to a remote desk somewhere on the other side of the building. This, he told her, would be her new "office". Betsy's only request was that her files from her old office be safely moved to her new location. However, most of the files from her old office were never found.
The harassment continued after the Christmas break when Betsy returned to find that her cubicle had been moved by Ellie Engler and that her computer and telephone had disappeared. After scavenging for her things, Betsy's telephone was eventually found on the 11th floor.
After Betsy made several requests to Ms. Engler for her newly printed UFT business cards, Ms. Engler asked that Betsy take down the posts on her blog, NYC Rubber Room Reporter that contained Theresa Europe's name. (Theresa Europe is in charge of the DOE attorneys in The "Gotcha Squad") Betsy refused Ms. Engler's request and in turn, never received her cards. In addition, Adam Ross, the Attorney for Mike Mulgrew, told Betsy that she is to refrain from filing any FOIL (Freedom of Information requests) of anyone who is employed by the NYCDOE. Because Ms. Combier refused to heed these requests, she was fired. (Yet in her agreement it says she is hired to help any member in the TRC or elsewhere who needs help, and continue to write and advocate for people she assisted before she worked for the UFT) Ms. Combier may have been fired by the UFT, but she has not stopped working on behalf of the UFT's teachers who are still very much in need of her valuable knowledge and assistance.
Now, Betsy is pursuing her advocacy outside of the UFT from her office at home. Her email is betsy.combier@gmail.com. I know she will be there for you, me, and anyone who needs help. Shame on the UFT for firing one of our most dedicated and productive representatives.
Are you reading this, Mr. Mulgrew, Ms. Engler and Mr. Hickey?

September 7, 2010- The Rubber Room Charade Continues...

2010-09-06T21:46:00.018-05:00

It has been 71 days since the NYC Department of Education and the UFT Leader Mike Mulgrew proudly announced their shocking closed door agreement putting an end to the NYC Rubber Rooms. Just a day later, the Rubber Room Movie premiered, exposing the horrific denial of due process that accused teachers must endure when reassigned to the Guantanamo Bay of the DOE.
Having been there myself, I can say from experience that from the time that a teacher is sent to the reassignment center having been accused of some wrongdoing or having been targeted by a jealous or vindictive principal, they are caught in a web of uncertainty, fear and doubt. In many instances, teachers do not even have a clue as to why they were removed from their schools. Throughout the lengthy dehumanization process of spending time in the Rubber Room, they are further humiliated and abandoned by the very same Union that collects their dues and is supposed to protect them. As a result, the reassigned teacher slowly spirals downward into a whirlwind of answered questions, confusion, grief, depression, denial, shame, anger and doubt. Many retreat, repress or totally withdraw. Others attempt to take positive action or act out in a myriad of unhealthy ways. Overall the reassigned teacher quickly learns that the saying, "God helps those who help themselves", does not apply to the Rubber Rooms. Letters to the DOE go unanswered, complaints to the UFT fall on deaf ears, stress is high, teachers get sick, depressed and even suicidal. The only support or comfort that a reassigned teacher may receive might come from another 'reassignee' who knows very well what the teacher is experiencing.
As anyone who works for the DOE knows very well, their so called 'reorganizations' always leads to more disorganization.
So...Here it is, the night before the first day of the 2010 school year and I still haven't received any word as to where I am supposed to report tomorrow. Having spent two whole years in the Rubber Room and seventy days on summer vacation, the DOE still can't get their act together.

Newsweek Gets It Right- In Defense of Public School Teachers

2010-06-06T20:52:00.003-05:00

In Defense of Teachers
What charter schools really tell us about education reform
Sean Gallup / Getty Images

Are teachers really different in charter schools?

I think it’s fair to say that most people know we’re in the midst of an educational emergency. Just this week, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told CNN, “There isn’t one urban school district in the country—Chicago, L.A., New York, D.C., Philly, Baltimore—there’s not one urban system yet where the dropout rate is low enough and the graduation rate is high enough.” And for those people who work in the school system, no issue has come to represent the struggle to save public education more than the fight over charter schools. For the sake of clarity, let me just note that a charter school is one which uses public funds to run a school that is managed privately, thus giving them the freedom to experiment as well as hire nonunion teachers. Charters such as the Harlem Children’s Zone HCZ in New York have longer school days (and a longer school year) with kids often required to come in Saturdays to work with tutors. The most successful charter schools (and they are not all the same in either quality or mission) have produced stunning results. At the Harlem Success Academy, 100 percent of third graders passed their state math exam and 95 percent passed the state English exam.

I am thrilled by these test results and I am very glad that the educational needs of poor urban students are finally being addressed in a serious way. But lately I’ve grown increasingly cynical about the assertions of charter-school advocates that the most pressing problem facing our public education system is the plethora of lazy, incompetent teachers who cannot be fired under any circumstances. As Steve Brill wrote for The New York Times Magazine last week: “Indeed, the core of the reformers’ argument, and the essence of the Obama approach to the Race to the Top, is that a slew of research over the last decade has discovered that what makes the most difference is the quality of the teachers and the principals who supervise them.” Maybe it’s because I was a teacher’s pet growing up, or because of my undying love for school supplies, but a lot of this sounds to me more like a full court press to break the admittedly powerful teachers’ unions than simply an effort to improve public schooling.

Full disclosure: my husband is a public-school teacher in a middle school in one of Brooklyn’s toughest neighborhoods. But we try not to discuss education reform for the sake of our marriage. Personally, I’m a little confused about the all-out push for charter schools by billionaires such as Bill Gates and Bruce Kovner. On the one hand, I support charters for their ability to prove there are solutions to some of the huge and seemingly intractable issues facing our country’s education system. I’m very grateful that schools like HCZ have proven that the achievement gap between urban students and their suburban counterparts can be closed. But I do not support using their existence to demonize teachers. For the vast majority of public-school teachers, so much of their job is out of their control that asking them to be held accountable for their students’ performance is tantamount to blaming car salesmen for Toyota’s accelerator problems. Poverty is still a huge barrier to learning, for instance. Just a quick look at some of the other differences between charters and their public-school brethren should be enough to prove that the path to an improved educational system is not all about firing teachers.

1. Charter schools, by their nature, have students whose parents are motivated and involved in their education. On the off chance that charter-school parents are not motivated to help their children succeed, they are often given support and help by the charter school itself. Indeed, New York Magazine revealed that parents of kids at the Harlem Success Academies “must sign the network’s ‘contract,’ a promise to get children to class on time and in blue-and-orange uniform, guarantee homework, and attend all family events.” The same cannot be said of public schools, which are required to take any child who resides in their district and do not have the resources or mandate to teach parents as well. But rather than push to raise the cap on charter schools, why not copy and fund some of their parental-support programs for existing public schools?

2. Charter schools often receive the same amount of public funding per student as public schools, and also benefit from their ability to raise and use charitable donations. Public schools receive their budgets from their local departments of education and have no ability to receive more. In fact, they’re prey to budget and service cuts and layoffs—New York City expects to lay off 4,400 public school teachers this year but no charters will be affected.

3. Charter schools have many more resources than the public schools they’re trying to replace. Surely, classroom teachers would have more opportunity to teach and teach well if they had enough books and study materials for all their kids. Donors Choose, a charitable organization where teachers submit proposals for funding by ordinary folks like you and me, estimates that the average public school teacher spends more than $500 of his or her own money on supplies for their students, or more than $1.3 billion dollars nationally. As Charles Best, founder of Donors Choose and a teaching veteran, told me, “We were all spending our own money on basic stuff—copy paper and pencils. We had a tough time innovating and none of our ideas would go past the planning stage. Now, at any one time, there are 15,000 to 30,000 live classroom requests on our site. This is a testament to the character and spirit of teachers.”

4. Charter schools are not required to accept special-needs children or children with learning disabilities. Diane Ravitch, author of “The Death and Life of the Great American School System,” wrote in The Wall Street Journal that “The students who are hardest to educate are left to regular public schools, which makes comparisons between the two sectors unfair. The higher graduation rate posted by charters often reflects the fact that they are able to “counsel out” the lowest performing students … This is not a model for public education, which must educate all children.”

5. When discussing charter schools, advocates often mention the difficulty in firing public-school teachers. In that same Times Magazine article, Brill notes that “Once they’ve been teaching for three years and judged satisfactory in a process that invariably judges all but a few of them satisfactory, they are ensured lifetime tenure.” But teachers are not judged by themselves, but by their principals and other administrative staff. So isn’t there a way for school systems to strengthen their professional development programs or put forth proposals for more effective teacher observation, mentoring systems or remedial teacher training, if necessary?

It is simply not true that teacher quality is the sole difference between charter schools and public ones. As I’ve written in the past about the Harlem Children’s Zone, but which also applies to many other charter schools, “what the HCZ does is first recognize that the amelioration of poverty does not begin and end with an excellent education, but also requires a full belly, parental education, safety, advocacy, and the expectation that every student will succeed.” So until charter-school advocates can show me how teachers and teachers alone can be held responsible for all the learning that charter schools provide, I just can’t believe that holding only teachers accountable—and not the school systems they work for—is the fair or even the best way to improve public education.

Principal Hanley Needs New Glasses...

2010-06-03T12:45:00.013-05:00

Betsy Combier at NYC Rubber Room Reporter received an anonymous letter addressed to Joel Klein that sheds light on the shortsightedness of this new school 'leader'.
Apparently, Principal Sheila Hanley of the "New Visions" School in Brooklyn (IABS) has "impaired vision".

Goodnight, Chair

2010-05-27T18:58:00.005-05:00

Every morning when Mr. Warden arrives, he goes to his locker and unpacks his 'office'. This is quite hysterical to watch because Mr.Warden really takes this job of his very seriously. First,he drags his desk away from the wall and unfolds his tablecloth which he drapes over the desk.(the one with the loud yellow and orange print) He carefully retrieves several knicknacks/statues from his locker and strategically places them, one by one, in the same position that they were in on the day before. After his pen holder, statues, notebooks and giant wall clock(which should be on the wall) are all placed on his desk, he places a giant wooden statue of a black panther showing its teeth on top of his locker. Intimidation tactic ?? Possibly. On the walls he's got a tacky black velvet painting and a pair of canvases with matching lilies. The final touch is the giant scroll of the 'Serenity Prayer' that he unrolls and hangs over the fire extinguisher. I thought that hanging things over the fire extinguisher is a fire hazard...no? and umm, religion in Public School??...That's two violations in one. Well, I'd overlook the Serenity Prayer if only he lived by it. Mr.Warden steps back to admire his 'handiwork'. How proud Mr. Warden is of his office in the hallway!
Last but not least, are the Office chairs. He keeps one chair on the right for his personal office 'meetings' with the School Custodian and two chairs on the left for ??? (Beats me). I think he uses these chairs to define his invisible office boundaries. No one is allowed to sit on these chairs without Mr. Warden's permission! Do not even try sitting on one to tie your shoe! These chairs have great meaning to Mr. Warden. Such great meaning in fact that when he leaves everyday he turns the chairs around to face the wall to insure that no one will sit on them in his absence. He believes that turning them to the wall will deter the teachers from sitting on them. These chairs are off limits! Mr. Warden does not want anyone sitting on his chairs, especially when he's not around! Don't even think of sitting there. If you dare to move them, Mr. Custodian will report you to the authorities!!

"Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Teachers"

2010-05-18T11:46:00.017-05:00

When I was in Public school, I was crazy about my teachers. Like most little girls, I wanted to be just like them. I wanted to draw like my Art Teacher and tell stories as vividly as Ms. Weisssman...I wanted to play piano like Mr. C and sing like the Assistant Principal. I loved the sustenance of my teachers. I even wondered what Mrs. Rosen did 'all night' in the empty classroom when we went home. As a child, being a teacher meant being the one to stand in front of the classroom, hold the chalk, mark the homework, and give out the gold stars✩. I couldn't wait to get my first blackboard- and when my little brother was no longer a willing student, I lined up my most attentive stuffed audience kept on teaching.
As a third grade student, I remember when my teacher asked us to make ✎signs and stand outside of our school- Something about the city's budget cuts. Through a child's eyes, it seemed to me that someone, somewhere, didn't want to support our schools in the capacity that would sustain them. I recall being told that the person or people responsible for these cuts hadn't even attended the Public School System themselves. I wondered why we were on the verge of losing our wonderful Gym teacher and our Afterschool Program. Sound confusing for a child? As an adult, I am still confused.
As a NYC teacher, I have some questions for the "Kleinberg" team...

When did TEACHERS drop so low on the food chain?

"When did the 'TEACHER' become the the least important component in the business of 'teaching?'

When did TEACHERS become the 'disposable' factor in a system that teaches?

When did TEACHERS become the scapegoats for everything that is wrong with our city's children?

When did terrorizing TEACHERS become an acceptable practice and why have the Kafka-esque Rubber-Rooms been allowed to thrive even ONE more day under the Kleinberg administration?

My mother always said, "Be a teacher. You'll have job security, a paid summer vacation, good health benefits, a pension and..... If you have children of your own, you will be home in time to cook dinner for them." I followed my mother's advice. At the time, it seemed like the perfect job for a woman who wanted to have the best of both worlds. I went to school and got my Bachelors Degree and then my Masters Degree in education. I spent 5 years in night school working toward earning 30 credits above my masters. I never doubted my direction for a minute.
On my first day of teaching, I knew that I had found my calling. I remember thinking, "Wow, we get paid all day to be with children, ignite their minds, enrich their lives, fill them with knowledge and then get to leave at 3:00! I couldn't wait to return the next day. Compared to my last 9:00 to 7:00 job, this was indeed heaven. I was fortunate to work in a wonderful district and have a principal who cared about his teachers. He was a mensch. His support kept me going at times when I felt like giving up. I returned home every night eager to plan and prepare for the next day. I remember the relentless drive that I had to make my students shine.

It is 22 years later and thanks to technology, my students are finding me on Facebook, wanting to reconnect, eager to share their accomplishments. I was recently invited to a Wedding, a Christening and a family gathering by my former students. Who really knows how much influence we've had on a child's life in the one or two years that we get to spend with them? As far as I can see, there is no end. How does one measure the impact of true teacher effectiveness? There is no measure.

I never imagined that I'd live to eat my words. In spite of the horrible, heartless and harassing administrators, the "Billionaire" mentality, ungrateful, indifferent parents, 'kids gone wild' and Charter School politics, I do feel that I have been able to make a difference. I know in my heart that I have touched lives, instilled good values and provided lifelong lessons.

Thanks to our "Education" Mayor, teaching is no longer a labor of love. According to the 'Kleinberg' regime, Teachers are robots, children are widgets and education is a business to be controlled by Hedge Fund Managers looking for a tax break. We are constantly 'cut down', restrained and intimidated by a system with a death wish.

I speak for myself and those among me who have been burned by a system that doesn't see any value in the very essence of education. There is no room for innovation or thinking outside of the box. Schools are being starved and creativity is completely stifled. The idea of job security is dangling by a thread. Benefits and Health Insurance are constantly under attack...TDA's...declining in value. Sabbaticals... unattainable...Tenure...also at risk. Will summers off soon be a thing of the past??

Most of us, having gone through the public school system ourselves, know that our children are being robbed of the education that we were given and that they deserve. The little girl in me cringes when I hear that my niece or my neighbor's daughter wants to go to college for Education. I have to restrain myself from bursting their illusory bubble. I gently suggest, "Why don't you study law, medicine, graphic design or perhaps, rocket science?"(Maybe growing up to be a 'cowboy' wouldn't be such a bad idea after all...)
I will say anything but, "It is not a good time to be a teacher", which truly breaks my heart most of all.

Why I Fired my DOE(oops!) NYSUT Lawyer

2010-05-17T09:26:00.004-05:00

Why I fired my DOE (oops!) NYSUT Lawyer...

At our first meeting, I clearly requested an "Open and Public" hearing so that my lawyer could give notice to the arbitrator and DOE lawyer. I followed up on this request with an email asking for confirmation.
By our fourth meeting, I noted that my lawyer had still not solidified my request with the hearing officer and asked her why.
I said, "I sense that you don't want me to have and open and public hearing." "Well, she said, "You sensed right". She then proceeded to paint an ugly picture of an out of control hearing room filled with unruly reporters and friends of the Principal. "If you have an open hearing, the Principal can bring in anyone he wants to. Anyone. That may not be in your best interest. You never know who he might bring in". And, "Do you really want the press distorting your story the way they have done with other cases?"
Armed with the confidence that somehow, "The truth will set me free", I still insisted on an open and public hearing despite the obvious dismay of my lawyer.

I could only reach my NYSUT lawyer through the NYSUT office, that is... when it was open, which meant that I had to call when the office was open, even just to leave a message. The recording said that if you know the '3 digit code' of the person you are trying to reach, please enter it now. As a client, I asked my lawyer for her 3 digit code. Her response was, "Uh, what do you need it for? Has there been a gap in our communication?" "Yes,as a matter of fact. I called you five days ago and this is the first time you have returned my call." "Well...Is there a problem with that? I am very busy."(doesn't want to be bothered)"Yes, there are times when I would like to be able to leave you a message." Her response was, "I think that we've been emailing just fine, don't you?" "No". (Obviously I wouldn't be asking for your code if I was able to reach you, idiot).

After several months of sending emails with scant response from my lawyer,I was beginning to get nervous. When she called me on a Sunday night at 10pm on the last day of spring break, I asked her again for an alternative number. Again, she refused to give me one. Her excuse was that she'd had trouble in the past with clients(teachers) calling her at all hours of the night and had reservations about ever giving out her cell phone number to a teacher again...(I wondered if that reservation included calling her clients on a Sunday night at 10pm.)
When I asked what concerns she had, she responded that she'd rather not divulge that information, and... "Is this the reason you called me?- to pick a fight?"

My paranoid NYSUT lawyer wouldn't allow anyone to sit in on my meetings with her. I found it unusual that I couldn't be accompanied by someone, anyone of my own choosing. Her reason was that she had not established 'confidentiality' with that person. (They were my support system stupid, not yours.)
Before our third meeting, I asked my lawyer why she wouldn't allow me to bring someone in with me for support. Her response was that she didn't feel 'comfortable'. I said that, "It's not about 'you' feeling comfortable. I am the client. This is my case. I am choosing to bring this person in. I trust this person". As a client, I should be able to bring in anyone that I want. (Shouldn't I?) Her response was, "Well, what do you know about lawyers? How much experience have you had with lawyers anyway?"
Does this sound professional to you?

It started to become very clear to me that my DOE-(oops!)NYSUT lawyer was not working in my best interest when she divulged private information to my Chapter Leader without my permission. It seemed that she- my lawyer, needed assurance that the events I had described to her actually occurred the way that I described them. Who was breaching client-lawyer confidentiality now?

My NYSUT lawyer was completely overwhelmed with too many cases and it was adversely affecting the preparation of my hearing. As the amount of documents that I submitted to her grew, so did her disorganization. Each time that I met with her, it was like starting from square one. As we were going through the documents I had submitted to her at previous meetings, I came across one that didn't seem familiar. As I began to read it aloud, her response was, "Oh that's not yours", grabbing it out of my hand. "I was wondering where that document was! I don't know how that paper got in there". That document, that 'confidential document', was from another teacher's case that she was working on. I began to wonder how many of my documents had been mixed up or 'fallen' somewhere that they shouldn't be... And she was the one concerned about "confidentiality?".

It was obvious that my lawyer had her own set of rules which she felt didn't apply to her. I had no confidence that she was working for me and not the DOE or some other ultimate plan. Three weeks before my hearing, I fired my DOE-oops! 'NYSUT' lawyer and hired a private one. I believe that it was the best decision that I have ever made. There was no doubt that the new lawyer had the experience and knowledge that the NYSUT lawyer was clearly lacking. He was one step ahead of the DOE and UFT's tricks which I believe included assigning me a ridiculous and severely inept NYSUT lawyer.

Teacher Bashing

2010-05-10T11:18:00.009-05:00

There is so much negative banter about teacher performance, teacher evaluation, grading the teachers, good teachers, bad teachers, firing teachers, teachers wasting taxpayers money, teachers in general, blah, blah, blah. Is there anyone who isn't teacher bashing these days? Suddenly, everyone who has an opinion and anyone who has money is an 'education expert'. (Thanks SBST!) Is there anyone in this teacher bashing bunch that has ever taught in a classroom?

Since most senior teachers of the pre'BloomKlein' era earned their education degrees the conventional, time honored way, one can safely believe that their credentials have been met, but is it safe to make the same assumptions of our new, overly empowered Principals?
How many of of our new Principals have earned their counterfeit credentials through the quick and condensed 'Evelyn Wood' Speedy Leadership Academy?' Do you think that they have spent at least 3-5 years in the classroom- excluding their own experience as a student in the NYC DOE? How many have shown an initiative to stand in front of a classroom and model a lesson in the caliber that they expect from their staff? Would it be unreasonable to ask that principals also be held responsible and accountable to the same professional standards as teachers?
("Pissed Off" has the right idea.)How about the teachers observing the Principals and Assistant Principals for a change? Why not rate the Principals on how well they can be in two places at once, juggle lunch duty or how well they can discipline one child while praising another all in one breath? We are not talking about balancing budgets here. We are talking about 8:00-3:00, don't be late, get your hands dirty, hold your bladder, full fledged teaching.

Take a look at the results of the biased 3020a hearings and you will find that in most hearings a Principal is unable to prove the incompetence, neglect or corporal punishment that they have charged a teacher with. The fact that so few teachers are actually fired as a result of the 3020a process is proof that most teachers have been reassigned on dubious or cooked up charges. There is no evidence that the 3020a process is a reliable method of ridding the system of 'bad' teachers. What is does prove however, is that most principals are good liars and poor judges of what a bad teacher looks like.
For every teacher sent to the RR, there is a principal who put them there. Perhaps these ignorant, unethical and self serving administrators should spend more time in the classroom and less time witch hunting. Once the 3020a hearing is complete and an arbitrator rules in the favor of the teacher, shouldn't a mandatory investigation of the Principal follow? How many times it is the Principal's ego, ignorance, lack of communication and paranoia that condemns an innocent teacher? Shouldn't it be the Principal who is held accountable for wasting the tax payer's money?
Instead, NYC DOE principals get a free ride on the tails of Bloom-Klein's "Some are more equal than others policy." 'It's Okay", they say to a principal's disregard for regulations. "It's okay", they say to the harassment of senior teachers. It's okay to rate teachers unfairly, just as long as the principal gets good grades on school surveys from the teachers and parents. "It's okay" to make a mistake, just as long as some unsuspecting senior teacher takes the blame.
Is this teacher abuse "okay" with the UFT? Sure it is. Just as long as the abused are paying their membership dues and remaining passively quiet. As long as the UFT stands idly by and accepts the "It's okay" policy for administrators, the corruption will continue...

Don't Miss David Pakter's Historic Hearing Today...

2010-05-10T07:54:00.005-05:00

Dear Mr. Pakter,
Please know that we are all behind you. Knock em dead. The reassigned teachers here in Brooklyn are all praying for your exoneration based on the truth; the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You deserve it...
Sincerely, Fidgetyteach

I am proud to repost this important event info. from Ed Notes...
On Monday, May 10, at 10 AM --
For the first time in the history of NYC Dept of Education Teacher Trials, a State Hearing Officer has requested and will allow an accused NYC Teacher to play secret tapes in his possession to prove his innocence.

This is a ground breaking event and will prove beyond any doubt that former

'Teacher of the Year', David Pakter, was falsely accused of wrongdoing by the NYC DOE.

No member of the media, Legal community or anyone interested in Justice can afford to miss this unique, first ever milestone in the history of the long struggle by NYC Educators to receive fair treatment and "Due Process" at the hands of the 23 Billion Dollar New York City Dept of Education.

Where: 49 Chambers Street, Manhattan 6th Floor

When: 10 A.M.

Who: Hon. Douglas J. Bantle, Esq. - Presiding

Christopher M. Callagy, Esq. - for the Defense

Philip Oliveri, Esq. - Prosecuting for NYC

Note: New York City teachers have been removed from their classrooms and schools for decades based on the flimsiest hearsay, fabricated allegations and bogus charges. Often the teacher is totally innocent of the accusations but is at the mercy of a system that makes proving one's innocence difficult if not impossible.

The NYC Dept of Education will present Witnesses who despite being under Sworn Oath, will lie with impunity and not hesitate to commit the most outrageous acts of Perjury knowing that there is virtually no price to be paid if caught.

On Monday, May 10, at 10 A.M.
for the first time in history, a courageous and independent Hearing Officer, sitting in Judgement to decide a highly Decorated Educator's fate, will allow David Pakter to have a fair shot at Justice.

The Honorable Douglas J. Bantle, Esq. will permit the accused to let the entire public learn the Truth by playing a tape recording proving "who" said "what" and "where" and "when".

The Hearing Officer and the Attorneys will all hear what those who accused Mr. Pakter said - or did not say- from their own lips.

The great French writer,Victor Hugo, once said:

"There is no force on Earth so powerful as an Idea whose time has come."

That time is 10 A.M. on Monday, May 10

at 49 Chambers Street, 6th Floor, Manhattan.

Be a Witness to History.

_______________________________________

Warning: the 6th Floor Receptionist has been known to falsely inform the Public there is NO Pakter Hearing scheduled.

Do Not Leave. Demand to speak to an Official. mily:Times New Roman;font-size:180%;" >"There is no force on Earth so powerful as an Idea whose time has come."

That time is 10 A.M. on Monday, May 10

at 49 Chambers Street, 6th Floor, Manhattan.

Be a Witness to History.

_______________________________________

Warning: the 6th Floor Receptionist has been known to falsely inform the Public there is NO Pakter Hearing scheduled.

Do Not Leave. Demand to speak to an Official.

*************************************

Shame on the DOE, the UFT and BloomKlein!

2010-05-02T20:18:00.005-05:00

Shame on Mr.Mulgrew and the UFT for not Protecting this teacher...
Thank you Chaz for shedding light on the injustices that NYC teachers must endure under the BLOOMKLEIN administration.

Chaz's School Daze: The Union Did A Good Job Getting Rid Of The "Rubber Rooms"

2010-04-18T20:27:00.000-05:00

There's a great discussion about the Rubber Room Agreement going on at Chaz's School Daze...Chaz's School Daze: The Union Did A Good Job Getting Rid Of The "Rubber Rooms"

Kimani Brown...Don't Hold your Breath on Faster Justice

2010-04-18T08:58:00.008-05:00

and the responses...

Rubber Room Movie Showing

Ednotes

LAW & ORDER episode on the Rubber Rooms

JD2718...

Radio Segment on the "Rubber Room Movie" with producer, Jeremy Garrett.

Facebook Page- Rubber Room Movie

Missed Opportunity? Great Post by ICEUFT

2010-04-16T10:56:00.004-05:00

The New Rubber Room Agreement

2010-04-16T10:12:00.001-05:00

Ironic

2010-04-15T10:30:00.017-05:00

..."It's a Free Ride when you've already paid..."
Just heard the news... and and this song is playing in my head...by Alanis Morisette. Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com/video.

"City to Eliminate Rubber Rooms By Fall"
...Wow, they are going to close the rubber rooms?! The rooms that I have spent the last two years doing nothing in- for doing 'nothing wrong?' Lucky me. I am jumping for joy. NOT. I have paid royally in the Rubber Room for my Principal's error. I can never rewind the clock, never get those two years back, never erase the stigma of having done time in the Rubber Room. I(We) reassigned teachers have been used, disrespected and abused. Pawns between the DOE, the UFT and the war against tenure. All the news can talk about is the money that is being wasted. Lucky us. I will have to think about this and get back to you.
">Ironic
An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out...
Education Notes Online: Watch for the Snarks and Boojums on Rubber Room Agreement">
Check out Ed Notes for more on this...
....To Be Continued Later.

Evil at Work

2010-04-13T07:26:00.002-05:00

Digging for Dirt

2010-04-12T17:26:00.001-05:00

It is amazing the lengths that the DOE will go to terminate a teacher.
"And the Oscar for submitting the most incredibly bogus evidence goes to... "My principal". He gets the award for trying to dig up as much irrelevant information that he can get his dirty hands on...short of calling on my fourth grade teacher(god bless her) and finding out if I was ever in detention. If this isn't a witch hunt, then I don't know what is. As the countdown to my 3020a gets closer, my Principal seems to be desperately digging himself into a hole. Isn't it obvious that the more irrelevant the information he submits, the more heinous he appears? Why, oh why can't he stick to the specifications of my case? Could it be that he doesn't have enough evidence to support his accusations? Hmm. Could it be that he is trying to deflect from the real culprit--himself?? Well, it is obvious to anyone with half a brain that my principal dropped the ball on this one, but as we all know, we are dealing with the DOE here.
God only knows what an arbitrator will accept into evidence. I pray that my arbitrator has enough common sense to recognize that my old dental records and what my first boyfriend thinks of me have nothing to do with my charges. The most recent shenanigan my Principal pulled was trying to submit into evidence a document concerning a three year old incident that occurred on a day that I was clearly absent from work. My name wasn't even on it. This incident wasn't even found in my file, but that of a colleague's. Can I be responsible for everything that is wrong with my school? If the infraction was so terrible, why isn't the other teacher being brought up on charges? I know there is a limit as to how far back a Principal can scope into your past for information, but my Principal doesn't seem to have a clue.
Remember Mr. Principal, "A lie has speed, but truth has endurance". ~Edgar J. Mohn

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Kristine Mustillo Principal PS 97 District 21 Destroys A Career

2010-03-24T11:34:00.000-05:00

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Kristine Mustillo Principal PS 97 District 21 Destroys A Career

Wow. This is definitely worth reading. Thank you "South Bronx School" for sharing it.

Ricochet: Off with their heads! Part Deaux

2010-03-21T08:29:00.000-05:00

Ricochet: Off with their heads! Part Deaux

Pissed Off: Another Example Of Why You Should Vote ICE

2010-03-20T23:31:00.000-05:00

Pissed Off: Another Example Of Why You Should Vote ICE

More Regulations...

2010-03-18T20:10:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Mr. Warden's world where over enforcing his personal peeves and humiliating the RR teachers is what he interprets as part of his moral obligation to the DOE. One of his chief obsessions is with teachers who talk on the phone in the stairwell, (aka the 'phone booth'). Although the phones are used all day amongst the masses, those who desire a shred of seclusion often retreat to the 'phone booth' which is in such a remote location, one would forget that it actually leads upstairs. This barren phone booth (aka stair well) is within 5 foot of Mr. Warden's invisible wall-less office. From the time a teacher enters the "phone booth', he is live prey for Mr. Warden. While you are making that important call to your lawyer, insurance company or bookie, Mr. Warden will be watching. With nothing better to do, Mr. Warden will conspicuously watch your butt. Yes, he will actually make sure that under no circumstances does your butt ever get a chance to rest on the dusty cold stairs. Resting your butt is not an option in Mr. Warden's phone booth. Rest assured that if you get lost in your phone call and forget this rule, Mr. Warden will be there to disrupt your phone call and remind you. Why, because as Mr. Warden explains, "It is a fire hazard and people will not be able to walk by if you are sitting on the steps". The truth is, that staircase is never used by ANYONE except the RR teachers. What Mr.Warden doesn't tell you is that he wants nothing more than to make your phone booth stay as cumbersome as humanly possible.

"The Regulations"

2010-03-13T14:05:00.001-06:00

Mr. Warden, keeper of the reassigned teachers loves enforcing the 'regulations'. The regulations say, "Only one chair per person". Mr. Warden says that if anyone is caught using more than one chair, he will have to tell the custodian to remove the extra chairs from the room. Perhaps you had better do that Mr. Warden...I don't think that I can control myself from using more than one chair- especially since no one else is using them.

Overheard: Truth or Myth?

2010-03-10T14:46:00.000-06:00

Alot of information passes through the RR on a weekly basis. Since the inmates are really kept out of the loop about current issues, much of the hearsay is never confirmed. It is highly likely that when a RR inmate meets with a UFT rep, NYSUT lawyer or OSI officer they will return filled with ideas that often fuel discussions and/or arguments about what is true and what is not. It is also highly likely that if one tries to get the facts from the UFT about OSI or NYSUT or vice versa, one will come up even more empty than before they started. Try asking two UFT reps the same exact question and you will receive two completely conflicting answers. Do they both work for the same organization? Sometimes I wonder. So here I go. I have two Truth/Myth unconfirmed rumors today. You decide.

1. A newly reassigned teacher was told by a UFT lawyer that he does not need to report for an OSI investigation if he is tenured (which he is). It would certainly help a lot of teachers to know whether or not there is any truth to this.

2. During a winter storm or other inclement weather which prevents you from reporting to your assigned school, it is acceptable to report to the nearest DOE school within your travelling range.
A recently retired teacher informed me that this was agreed upon in our contract several years back. As far as she knows, it still remains. Is this the Truth or is it a Myth?

Feel free to comment...

Teachers Speak

2010-03-08T13:06:00.001-06:00

"Now that this group of teachers who are in the excess group have got such negative exposure in the national media (FOX, MSNBC) I am praying that Klein will lift the hiring freeze. i have ill family back in NYC and want to relocate badly. Please give me updates."
July 10, 2009 at 4:23am ·

What a pompous moron. This ignorant comment and others can be found on the Facebook Page, "Teachers Speak" from a licensed teacher who describes himself as, "A quality edicator sees their students as individuals with a history, a culture and takes time to know them. The problem is all the leadership sees is a collective of data and test scores." (I held myself back from correcting his spelling and grammar errors...) His profile also reads,"Edicator examining the problems facing all teachers and students both in and out of the classroom -our nation is in an education emergency with 100,000 teachers out of work (Wall Street Journal Report) and budgets being slashed in every state - it is time for teachers and families to fight the poiticians and bueracrats for a strong system of education for our kids and jobs for quality educators."
Isn't it pathetic that a fellow teacher sees the abuse of other teachers as a great opportunity to secure a job for himself? Sounds a bit barbaric.
Hmmm...Maybe he should go looking for a job elsewhere?

Foodie

2010-03-02T17:48:00.006-06:00

Friday morning...and just about that time when everyone is settled in their seats, Foodie decides that he is hungry. When he gets up from the corner he has barricaded himself in, everyone else must get up too. In order for him to pass, tables and chairs must be moved. Like a dream-scene in a movie, Foodie slowly makes his way to the refrigerator. He shuffles his feet and you can hear the sound of his nylon pants shifting as he walks. It has been suggested that Foodie sit somewhere else. Somewhere less restricting; where he won't disrupt the order of things. It is mentioned that perhaps he should sit right next to the refrigerator. As he heats up his pre-breakfast meal, Foodie looks at no one. He just stares into space. He methodically unwraps the three bags that protect his plastic utensils. There is an eerie blankness about him. While conversations are going on closely around him, he says nothing. He sluggishly makes his way back to his seat and once again, it is musical chairs.
Five minutes later, Foodie is up again to pace the room. Every once in a while he spontaneously jerks his knees forward and waves his arms, startling anyone in close proximity. Recently, he has made eye contact with one of the women and spontaneously lifted his arms, snapped his fingers in the air and proceeded to gyrate his hips in a swiveling motion. 'Exercise', he calls it, but with a heavy lisp which sounds more like, 'ex-ther-thise' I call it just plain, "creepy".
Foodie has been in our reassignment center for only 2 months since he left the one in Staten Island. When teachers transfer over here, there is usually a good reason and most often, it is not of their own choosing. Everyone knows that this isn't the most favorable of Reassignment 'destinations'. I can safely say that this guy didn't have many fans in Staten Island.
Foodie eats his pre- breakfast meal and then leans back to take a nap. Fifteen minutes later, breakfast. Thirty minutes later, brunch. After that, he leaves the room and an hour later he returns with a full bag of groceries, I mean uh.. lunch. Back and forth like an expectant father, Foodie consumes meal after meal... Foodie leaves the room and roams the first floor of the building. He is told by the warden that he cannot 'roam the hallways'. Foodie retreats into the men's room for a good half an hour. It is reported that he just stands in there,(just staring and standing!)- creeping everyone out while they do their business and leave.

The Untold Story...

2010-02-28T18:48:00.000-06:00

There is no agony like bearing an untold story inside of you.
~ Maya Angelou ~

After a 5 month retreat, I am back and bursting with mental overload. The brutal honesty coming from the many blogs that I follow has incited me to pick up where I left off...wherever that was...
I am not about to divulge the details of my personal 'untold story', but to tell of the pain I've endured in having to remain silent for so long. I am referring to the untold story, the events that resulted in my reassignment. The story that still eludes me and haunts me in my sleep. The same story that I have relived each and everyday for the past two years. It is like waiting in a doctor's office for an appointment and they never call your name...

It is a story about teaching in a school whose veteran principal is suddenly replaced with an inexperienced amateur- fresh from the "Leadership Academy". Sound familiar?? A rookie principal so "unacquainted" with the chancellor's rules, regulations and articles of the teacher's contract that he couldn't recognize them even when they coincided with simple common sense. A principal who believes that the rules only apply to his staff and not to himself; That 'ignorance' is an acceptable excuse for his own negligence. A principal whose extreme passivity risked the well being and safety of an entire class. A story that has estranged me from my colleagues who live in fear that the principal will retaliate against them. As the CEO of the school, Mr. Principal can do whatever he wants. In an attempt to cover the mistakes of his barely ripe, untenured Academy graduate ass, I was instantly made to 'disappear'.
This is the untold story that the "useless" UFT still has no regard for. The story that the Office of Special Investigations twisted and mangled so badly that it is unrecognizable. The one that the UFT chap still can't recall..."What happened again?"... each and every time he reluctantly drops in to the reassignment center. The story that my principal denies any responsibility for. Not being able to tell my story is like holding my breath under water...

While the media criminalizes and exploits the "Rubber Room Teachers" every chance they get, the UFT exploits them with silence. On a personal level, the UFT reps that I have dealt with are unresponsive and lack any form of empathy for the trauma endured by the reassigned teacher. They are even more insensitive when it comes to acknowledging the conditions in the rubber room. It is obvious that the reassigned teachers are pretty low on the totem pole of importance in the eyes of the UFT.
Yes I know, everyone in the Rubber Room has a story and mine is not unique. It is a story of truth that if ever told would result in most of America homeschooling their own children.

Did you hear about the teacher who saw what no one was supposed to see & heard what no one was supposed to hear? You probably haven't. He is in the rubber room. And, somewhere in the school where that teacher worked is an administrator who is resting easy because that teacher and what that teacher knows is no longer a threat to him.
Have you heard about the social worker who called a parent whose child was failing math and in turn was accused of threatening the parent's life? She is here in the rubber room too.
Or... the school aide who brought in a cake and lit a birthday candle for a homeless child who would otherwise have nothing to celebrate? The odds are high that you probably haven't heard because she has 'disappeared' to the rubber room for almost three years, along with her untold story. Not being able to tell my story feels like being trapped on a subway car to nowhere...

When one is 'disappeared' to the rubber room, their voice is disappeared too. Instead of advocating for the reassigned teacher, the UFT intimidates the teacher into silence by advising them not to trust or share their story with anyone, including the people whom they meet in the RR. This silence adds to the oppression and pain of the already traumatized teacher who has been banished from their school. Not being able to tell my story is like being permanently stuck in an elevator...

There is a room full of untold stories from seasoned teachers who actually worked with children and liked their jobs. A room full of talented, dedicated people who somehow believed that their administration shared their vision of what it meant to educate. People who, in spite of working in schools with moldy ceilings, asbestos, broken windows, no air conditioning and faulty loudspeakers came in to work everyday to be there for the kids. They spent their own paychecks to buy the basic essentials for their classrooms while the administration hoarded the chalk and copy paper under lock and key.

In the rubber room, the teachers and their 'inconvenient' truths have been temporarily silenced and buried. There is nowhere for them to turn, no support for the truth. It is no accident that they are kept to wait so long. Meanwhile, the UFT continues to patronize the Mayor for the sake of 'contract' negotiations. Regardless, Chancellor Klein and Mayor Bloombucks aren't playing as nice. They still blame the Union for everything that is wrong with public education. They are free to generate more lies about how tenure is the main problem, how bad the teachers are and how well the public school system is doing under their reign of terror.

They Come and Go...

2009-09-24T21:38:00.000-05:00

He was here in June with his head buried in a pile of lawyer's papers, pausing only for food and water. Ahmad mostly kept to himself, alternating activity between sleep and prayer, trying to ease his constant stress and preoccupation with the outcome of his long drawn out hearing. Now they are both gone. Returned to the unknown 'Abyss' of the Bloom-Klein public school system. Several fellow occupants disappeared over the summer, whereabouts unknown. Word has it that Rem settled his case and has to pay a hefty fine over the next two years. No one really knows for sure. In an atmosphere encompassed by fear, no one really knows the truth about anything and everyone knows not to ask. Unless information is offered, you really cannot know the teacher, (the person) who has been sitting next to you for the past two years. It is the way that they, (the DOE) want it. The way it was designed. The Rubber room atmosphere takes it toll on the best and the brightest.
I have watched so many reassigned teachers come and go as I sit and wait for my hearing date to come up. Most of the time, those who were here first, leave first...but not always. Overall, it is an endless and indefinite wait with no explanation. No one knows what they're really waiting for. Wait and sit. Sit and wait. It's a good day when no one bothers you. It's an even better day when the person next to you is out and you gain another chair to put your feet up on.
Most teachers who pass through these doors are oblivious as to why they are here. Arriving in shock and denial, teary eyed or angry, it is only a matter of time before they are trudging in here daily, resigned to the fact that they are powerless. The Rubber room has become the only place where we sit amongst those who also know what it's like to be "railroaded".
The passage of time has a way of removing the layers of armor, the layers of anger and the will to 'fight the good fight'. Anxiously making phone calls, writing letters and shuffling papers separates the newcomer from one who has done some time in Teacher Jail. The pain and suffering of this treacherous waiting period is further magnified by the fact that the UFT doesn't come to your rescue the way you expect or are told that they will. The reality that they will not save you or even try is a tough pill to swallow. They are not even that 'upset' to learn of your demise. They will inevitably be the first to remind you (for the billionth time) that you should be happy that you are, "still getting paid"- when they aren't dodging your phone calls.
Unfortunately, the door is still swinging open and more teachers are daily being sent here. Sustained by the silence of its' victims, the Union that has turned its' back on them and those who think that it could never happen to them, the DOE's best kept secret is alive and kicking.

All I Ever Needed to Know ... I Learned in the Rubber Room.

2009-09-01T14:29:00.000-05:00

All That I Ever Needed To Know...I Learned in the Rubber Room (Mental Preparation)

1. Most people don't like air conditioning.
2. The world will never stop for you. Husbands get sick, children graduate, parents die, the mortgage must be paid, birthdays are celebrated, people get divorced and Jury Duty notices still arrive in the mail-(hopefully)...all while in the rubber room.
3. Good people won't steal your stuff. Find one decent person whom you can trust to watch over your stuff while you're in the bathroom.
3. If you don't want anyone to know your business, don't be the FIRST to share it!
4. Racism and prejudice are alive and well in the Rubber Room. Respect and tolerance isn't.
5. There is another rubber room. It's called the "Teacher's lounge".
6. No one ever gossips about other people's 'virtues'.
7. There are some things that aren't even worth explaining to your BFF. (Reassignment is one of them.)
8. The UFT is NOT your friend. (If you're disappointed with their inaction, it's your fault for having expectations.)
9. A friend is someone who doesn't want to see you fall flat on your face. Deal with a major life crisis and then take a good look around. Real friends don't get spooked.
10. Your principal doesn't really like you. You're just young and underpaid.
11. If you think it can't happen to you, it probably will.
12. Being in the rubber room is a punishment designed to get you so frustrated that one day you will just get up and quit. Being guilty or innocent is not a factor here.
13. If you still "don't get it", you are correct.
14. There is no logical answer to, "Why?" when dealing with the DOE.
15. My own chapter leader thinks that the UFT is "useless" and she couldn't be more right.

Way to Go

2009-08-30T22:08:00.001-05:00

I received a call today from a fellow teacher who was being harassed by our new principal(the Monster) every day of the entire 2008 school year. With 24 years of satisfactory ratings under her belt, having survived 3 principals, 4 APs and 4 involuntary grade changes in her career, this lovely teacher finally gave up and quit just a few years short of her retirement date. Her retirement gift? In addition to having to be subjected to Peer Tutoring by a teacher in her 3rd year, she received her first U rating in 24 years along with 14 letters in her file. Her crime? Having put her heart and soul into a career she loved... 24 years of obvious dedication, acquiring the extra credits and education she needed to achieve top salary, mentoring new teachers and volunteering her time after school for tutoring.
"It's as if the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders", is how she described the feeling of not having to return to the DOE after more than two decades. While her envious colleagues bitch and moan about the demanding calls they received from the principal over the summer suggesting(demanding) that they attend summer workshops, she sighs loudly with relief, "Thank god it's finally over."

Back to Purgatory

2009-08-27T18:14:00.001-05:00

School begins September 8 and as many of you will agree, it is not a day most teachers in the "BloomKlein Era" are looking forward to with anticipation. As a reassigned teacher, beginning the school year in the rubber room for the second time following a stress-free summer is like having to return to death row. The same appending "3020" hangs over my head, just as though I never left.
As I have stated before, there is no purpose or gain achieved in this senseless practice that the DOE continues to support. Having to sit in a bare room day after day with no assignment or duties is a shameful waste of talent and education. There is none of the usual shopping for supplies, 'setting up' of the classroom, hanging borders, arranging seats, writing schedules or lesson plans. Teachers assigned to the rubber room simply just need to report there. Clearly there is no positive opportunity for growth, remediation, development or educational gain for ANYONE. There is nothing to look foward to; and no reason for to believe that anything will be any different if you are returned to your school. Void of sense or logic, the rubber room just "is".
Where is the sanity in sending teachers to a room for an indefinite amount of time while paying them their full salary and benefits just to sit and stare at the wall? However serious or trivial the accusation against a teacher is, how is it beneficial to toy with teacher's lives, careers and mental health? The endless waiting game is an inhumane method of discipling teachers accused of 'alledged' wrongdoing. The rubber room is a lose-lose situation for the tax payers, the teachers and the students.
Stay tuned for more of my ranting and raving...

Teachers reduced to "Trailer Trash"

2009-08-25T17:35:00.000-05:00

The credit for this goes to my fellow blogger at 'South Bronx School' who continues to shed light on the latest underhanded tactics of the DOE on reassigned teachers. How much lower can Klein go than this?

Bloomberg Ads on Facebook

2009-07-23T19:41:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed the the volume of offensive, repetitive and severely misleading ads for Bloomberg on Facebook? They are pasted all over the game and group applications. Bloomberg's PR team has got pretty much every corner covered.

The presentation of his ads cleverly give the impression that independent groups are advocating for him. He's got, "African Americans for Bloomberg, Jews for Bloomberg, Women for Bloomberg, Asians for Bloomberg....etc. etc.

Where are the 'Barf' bags for Bloomberg?

Join NYC Teachers Here:

2009-07-06T08:57:00.000-05:00

NYC TEACHERS

Miracles can happen...

2009-07-01T06:47:00.000-05:00

If only for a moment, I can breathe. Anyone who knows me can only imagine how I am feeling at the prospect of spoiled 'Richie Rich' Bloomberg losing control over the school system. What would this mean for me and the other Reassigned teachers? God only knows... Perhaps a real chance to tell our stories and allow the truth to be known. Perhaps a return to a child oriented school system like the one that I was raised in. If only for a moment, I can dream.

Melancholy Disgust

2009-06-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

Blame it on disgust, loss of hope, depleted energy and denial of my constitutional rights...I haven't been able to post as of lately. The summer has begun and I plan to enjoy it. I'm trying to ignore the black cloud of returning to the Rubber Room in September as it follows me wherever I go. Having to lie about my status to family and friends has robbed me of a great amount of my spirit. I am hoping to regain some sanity over this long awaited summer sabbatical.

Emergency Protest in Harlem Against Bloomberg

2009-06-04T09:02:00.000-05:00

Emergency Protest in Harlem Against Bloomberg

Thursday, June 4, 2009 - Starting at 5:30 PM
Bethel AME Church
60 West 132nd Street
(Between Lenox & 5th Avenue)
I'm passing this information on for anyone who thinks New York is going in the wrong direction under this mayor. The campaign's website is: http://www.dumpbloombergnow.org/ and the organizers are sending this description around:

Dr. Lenora Fulani, founder of the youth charity “All Stars Project” that has received millions in funding from billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has set out to once again bamboozle African Americans. Fulani is holding a support Bloomberg Rally in Harlem on June 4th. There are indications the mayor might attend. Incredibly, Fulani claims under Bloomberg, “on the whole, social, economic and cultural life has improved” and that Bloomberg is, “the most powerful choice for the Black community.”

The quality of life for African Americans, Latinos, Asians, immigrants communities, middle income whites and the working class in general have not improved under Bloomberg, it’s just the opposite: Police suppression and murder of Blacks, an increase in the homeless shelter population that tops 36,000 on any given night, mayoral control of public schools that pushes “charter schools”, cuts in educations, transportation fare hikes but reduction in services, cuts in higher education, zoning schemes destroying working class neighborhoods and local businesses, and the demand of the mayor that working families in the shelter system have to pay rent are just a few of the horrors we endure every day under Bloomberg, the richest person in New York City and the 17th richest person in the WORLD.

Join us on June 4th. Bring banners, noise makers and friends. This is a citywide Dump Bloomberg protest. We are all in the same sinking boat under Bloomberg and we cannot afford another four years of this billionaire mayor.
Join the Dump Bloomberg Campaign. Email: dumpbloomberg2009@gmail.com.
For people at my school, I have about 10 buttons ($1 each) which say), but I'm sure there will be more available at the rally.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECONDLY:

I just received an email about the NYCLU's being "interested in helping teachers with labor/civil rights issues. They are especially interest in the rubber room.
Point person — Angela Jones, 212 607-3388. ajones@nyclu.org

But, they also have taken a position on Bloomberg:

The NYCLU put out a report on May 14th called "Civil Rights, Transparency, Accountability Suffer Under Current Mayoral Control Scheme." Here's what Exec. Director Donna Lieberman said in a recent email to NYCLU members:

"The current regime of absolute, unfettered mayoral control is incompatible with a safe, effective educational environment. For our schools and our children to be as successful as they can be, parents must be a part of the educational process and the core democratic principles of transparency, accountability and public participation in government must be respected. The Legislature must close the loopholes that have given Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Education unfettered discretion over education policy."

The report documents the NYCLU's "tremendous difficulty in obtaining basic data and records on these issues from the DOE and NYPD through the Freedom of Information Law. The NYCLU’s experiences are not unique. The DOE routinely withholds from parents, the media and elected officials raw data on student performance, student safety and the education budget. . . .
"Under the current mayoral control system, Mayor Bloomberg and the DOE flout state and local statutes intended to assure public oversight of agencies with rulemaking power. For example, new Chancellor’s Regulations – rules that affect the lives and education of New York City’s children – are never subject to the 30-day public notice and comment period required by the City Administrative Procedures Act."

Among the eight changes the NYCLU is calling for are these:

(a) delineate the position of the DOE within the existing structure of city government,
(b) increase public oversight,
(c) strengthen the parental voice in policymaking,
(d) allow for public engagement in the decision-making process,
(e) mandate data transparency, and
(f) create an Inspector General to protect integrity, conduct independent audits and investigations, etc.

These are for starters, to restore the public trust.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LASTLY:
There's another protest tomorrow, but they made it when no one who's teaching or running schools can go. Here's the details.

EMERGENCY
Rally to Protect
Our Schools!

*** Thursday, June 4, 2009 ***

NOON

City Hall Steps

Mayor Bloomberg’s budget would slash $400 million from education, resulting in increased class sizes, elimination of academic programs, and scarcer books, equipment, and other basic learning necessities.

Join parents, students, educators, and advocates on Thursday in sending a message to Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council:
· Oppose cuts to classroom!
· Raise revenue for education and other essential services!

Crucial budget negotiations are happening this week -- and may be concluded this weekend -- so NOW is the time to speak out in support of our children.

For more information, contact Shana Marks-Odinga
at the Alliance for Quality Education:
smarksodinga@aqeny.org; 718-222-1089, ext. 237

Please say it isn't so.

2009-06-02T18:45:00.000-05:00

There are no words for this type of betrayal.

Principal Sean Keaton Sited...

2009-06-01T10:50:00.000-05:00

Wearing sunglasses, a suit,tie and looking rather frail, Principal Sean Keaton was sighted today pacing the perimeter of the District 13 office building at 355 Park Place. His markedly thin and lanky appearance resembled that of a young high school boy, however his demeanor was aloof and disassociated with the goings on around him. It is safe to say that he wanted to remain anonymous, but with front page coverage, that was not happening. The District 13 office building is also the home for one the Department of Education's famous teacher reassignment centers. The big question is, will he be given the "principal red carpet treatment" or will he be joining the DOE's reassigned employees in the rubber room for his assault on chapter leader, Robert Segarra?

Posted by ForeverBrooklyn on May 22, 2009 11:20 AM in response to the Daily News Article published on May 21, 2009:
My daughter is a current student of Mr.Segarra...We love him. He is one of the best things to ever happen to that school. Principle Keaton is one of the most unapproachable, self centered people I have ever met. Although I understand his concern in getting the school grades up..I appreciate that..He has no regard for the parents or teachers..I wasn't too surprised to see that Keaton used street tactics to resolve this issue..I get that from him. He is more concerned about scores(Which I understand BUT), than the kids throwing food at each other in the mornings, the boys beating up on the girls, the kids who curse, scream and tell the few parents that make themselves present "your not my mother, you can't tell me what to do". Safety and discipline is truly lacking..The chaos in the mornings before the kids get to class makes you want to home school your child..The students don't reflect the community..Most of the "new" parents are moving to areas get their kids into PS 11 or Park Slope.
Posted by ForeverBrooklyn on May 22, 2009 11:20 AM in response to the Daily News Article published on May 21, 2009.

P.S. We reserve a special place for Principals in the Rubber Room...
School Principal Busted for Beating Teacher at Corporal Punishment Hearing

What Do Teachers Make?

2009-05-31T17:36:00.000-05:00

An oldie but goody. It's worth repeating.

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One

man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued,

"What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in

life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what

they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.

"To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher,

Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?

"Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You

want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make

a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through

40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5

without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental. You want to know what I

make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the

table.). "I make kids wonder. I make them question. . I make them

apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility

for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write.

Keyboarding isn't everything. I make them read, read, read. I make

them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not

the man-made calculator. I make my students from other countries learn

everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique

cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students

feel safe. I make my students stand, placing their hand over their

heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God,

because we live in the United States of America. Finally, I make them

understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and

follow their hearts, they can succeed in life." (Bonnie paused one last

time and then continued.) "Then, when people try to judge me by what I

make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high

and pay no attention because they are ignorant... You want to know what

I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr... CEO? His jaw dropped, he went silent.

If not through the door, then through the window! --- Russian proverb

2009-05-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

I found this written on a facebook group page. It just goes to show you that sooner or later, the truth with be revealed...one way or another.
"Mayor Bloomberg and his incompetent chancellor Joel Klein have destroyed education in New York City. With no-bid contracts, they have implemented flawed curriculums, such as Teachers College, and the woeful Everyday Math, which has been rejected by school systems nationwide. (Everyday Math was selected by former deputy chancellor Diana Lam for personal financial gain.)

Bloomberg and Klein have wasted millions on the aforementioned no-bid contracts, a legal squad to circumvent tenure laws, AUSSIE consultants, dummy organizations that praise Bloomberg and Klein and take out full-page ads in the Bloomberg-controlled media, , a "truth squad" to surf the internet and counter postings (like this) negative to Bloomberg and Klein, the ARIS computer program, the Teaching Fellows program and the Leadership Academy, which trains non-educators to be principals.

Veteran teachers are being brought up on trumped-up charges in order to drive them out, to be replaced by New Teacher Project "teachers" who have their masters degrees heavily subsidized with taxpayer dollars.

Test scores are rigged. The publishers making the programs that Klein has chosen also make the tests! The big lie is how schools are improving. National tests, such as the SAT's and NAEP show no gains whatsoever!

It's time to end mayoral control of our schools, as well as Bloomberg's tenure".-`anonymous

Tony Avella For Mayor

There is a God

2009-05-28T11:10:00.001-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/nyregion/28corporal.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y

There is a god and he is watching over Glenn Storman who fought Against Corporal Punishment Charges and a U Rating. Congratulations to Mr. Storman for proving that the charges against him were false and excessive.

Principal From Hell: This is not the first time we are hearing about P.S. 212's Josephine Marsella. She will stop at nothing to hurt her hard working staff. It is not enough that a staff member receives a Letter In their File... Josephine Marsella is out for blood.

Read one parent's review of the school..." I had 2 of my kids go to this school. Now I only have 1. I wish none of my kids go to this school. This school has a lot of problems with teachers and the principal as well. Their safety issues are very questionable. My daughter stills get bullied at this school and I have tried everything to keep her safe. This is sad that the school will not protect our kids from being bullied."

Your UFT Dues Hard at Work

2009-05-24T18:09:00.000-05:00

The Rubber Room. No one prepares you for this. Most chapter leaders don't know a thing about it. Why should they? The less they know the better. The UFT's ignorance and inaction helps the DOE keep it going. Walking into the rubber room is like nothing you've ever imagined. All I can say is, you're going to need to tap into all of your survival skills. The experience is so surreal that you'll feel like you've entered another dimension.

Since Randy's made your chances of being sent to the rubber room a whole lot likelier in our last contract, the least she could do is to provide some reading material to entertain you during your stay. After all, you will still be paying membership dues. Forget trashy romance novels, the Manual for Reassigned Teachers is where it's at when it comes to garbage. The manual is so vague and inaccurate in comparison to what actually takes place. Instead of negotiating to lessen the odds of being sent, she's created the proverbial bandaid.

After reading the manual, there are several things that the reassignees commented on...
Not one of us received our written charges within the designated six month period.
The DOE does not make good on their handshake agreements or letters concerning the TRCs.
The DOE does not follow time restraints.
Many of the reassignees are NOT placed in a reassignment center in the borough that they teach in.
Not all TRCs are created equal. The rules are different at each TRC. The rules at some TRCs are strictly enforced. Some rules are not enforced at all.
There is no emergency plan or evacuation procedure that we are aware of at our site.
There is no access to a phone or payphone at our site.
We have no access to a copy or fax machine.
Read on below...

Blogger Chaz said...

Do you really believe the union is out to help the reassigned teacher?

Can anybody tell me when the union actually stopped a Principal from filing charges against a teacher they are targeting? Moreover, when was the last time (if ever) that the DOE dropped 3020-a charges against a teacher?The truth is that the union hacks really believe that the reassigned teachers are guilty and will never pressure the DOE to do the right thing.

May 24, 2009 6:32 PM

Dear Chaz, Absolutely not. The Union is there to make sure that the Reassigned teacher stays quiet. Instills a little fear in them so they won't go to the papers...You can't make this sh-- up! Sincerely, Fidgety

Temporary Reassignment Center Manual

2009-05-24T08:31:00.000-05:00

The Threat of the Rubber Room...

2009-05-21T17:54:00.000-05:00

It's real for Chapter Leaders too.
Chapter Leaders and Rubber Rooms

We reserve a special place for Principals in the Rubber Room...
School Principal Busted for Beating Teacher at Corporal Punishment Hearing

It's Really Happening...

2009-05-18T17:18:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I never got to the part where I describe what's actually 'happening' to the prevailing reassigned teachers in the Rubber Room. Since I've got the insider's view, it is always a challenge not to say anything that may incriminate myself or others and in cases like this- being so careful, totally missing the point altogether.

Today was not much different than any other day. Teachers arrive sporadically in the morning, many arriving much earlier than they would for their regularly appointed/former classroom assignments. No, their eagerness to be here is not what gets them to arrive earlier, but they subscribe to the theory that, "The early birds gets to go home early". The concept is definitely becoming popular. Since this is not an instructional sight and there are no children here, there is no concern about covering classes and keeping anyone waiting. No one is ever looking or waiting for us, except if you include the Site Supervisor who tries to micro manage and control our every move. Aside from 1:00 lunch, and the requirement of fulfilling an 8 hour workday, there are no other time restrictions except to get out of the building by 4 pm. Getting in early to leave early is all the motivation most of us need!

The latest character to be reassigned to our room has got all of us seeing red, even the Site Supervisor. "Raven" (her name definitely fits her personality) is one nasty, vicious, spiteful and paranoid woman. It's only been two weeks and she's just about lashed out at everyone around her. This woman not only has a big mouth, but she is big all around and requires a lot of space. She has already managed to clear her table to the point where she's got the corner three seats all to herself. Her former table mates are all now squeezing in at other tables just to stay out of her firing line. This is insane when we are dealing with an already tight space. The resentment towards this woman is growing by the minute. The latest stunt she has pulled is snapping pictures of other reassigned teachers with her cell phone in which she vehemently denies. When she is not taking pictures, she is pounding away at her laptop, blasting music through her inoperable earphones, unconsciously humming nervously and stomping back and forth intimidating anyone who crosses her path. Thank goodness this woman has never had any children.

Mr. Supervisor has been making many trips up to the main floor to visit our time cards. What he does is compare his illegally kept documentation with the times we have punched in and out for the work day. Some of the drivers find it so hard to get parking that they must run into the building, punch their cards in and then drive around searching for a space to leave their car. Not having a car himself, Mr. Supervisor is not very apathetic to this task. Mr. Supervisor still believes that he will manage to catch someone stealing 'Dept. of Ed. Time' and be responsible for having their pay docked. He swears that the reassignees have been punching in and out for each other but has no actual evidence of his claims. His new harassment technique is clocking out anyone who has been standing outside of the building for longer that five minutes. He has recruited his one and only willing friend,the custodian(aka Self Appointed Executor) to keep a watch on us and report back to him our every move.
There is a never ending battle between our 'evil' Site Supervisor and the Building Security Guard(s). The conflict is that Evil Supervisor is always trying to tell Security Guard how to do his job. Site Supervisor doesn't feel that Security is being evil enough to us and the two of them are constantly writing each other up!!! The sad part again is, nobody cares! Not the head of Security nor the Rubber Room head. The other sad part is, it's only Monday.

It's Happening...

2009-05-12T21:25:00.000-05:00

While the DOE publicly abuses its' classroom teachers with disrespect, blame, oppressive working conditions, overcrowded classrooms, unnecessary paperwork, constant threats of 'Letter in File', U Ratings, random observations and zero support, it is nothing compared to the secret insanity of what goes on in the Rubber Room.

Twenty five of the approximately 1,100 Department of Education's reassigned teachers report daily to a tiny basement in an obscure location as punishment for alleged and unproven reports of wrongdoing. There was a time when teachers were removed from their school only if they seemed to pose a threat to the well being of their students. One might have heard of a burnt out teacher or of one whom after years of excellence overstepped his bounds. There was maybe one teacher every two years in my district who's time had come to retire and they just needed a nudge out the door. The teacher would spend the next few weeks or months reporting to the district office where they'd help out until the superintendent could figure out what to do with them. By the next school year, these teachers would retire, take a long sabbatical, transfer schools or return to their classrooms.

It is understandable that the DOE would choose to remove a teacher who has been accused of some form of corporal punishment until a competent investigation can be done, but to remove every teacher every time a claim is made is simply ludicrous. Have you noticed that suddenly everyone knows someone who's been sent to the Rubber Room?

If the 'room's' purpose were just to contain teachers who are waiting to work out their cases, then the RR would not be filled with mostly tenured forty somethings and it would not resemble the characteristics of it's nickname, 'Rubber Room'. The location, size and conditions of the room speak for themselves. The RR and its' dreadful conditions are no oversight. It is used to intimidate teachers into silence, detain and isolate tenured teachers/UFT members from their schools, colleagues and possible contact with witnesses. This isolation disables the accused teacher from seeking support from their colleagues, contacting witnesses and building a strong defense.

After months. which turn into years, the cramped basement with tiny unreachable windows and cement bare walls slowly seduces its' daily occupants into a sluggish, dull, state of dementia. The unproductive monotony of staring, sleeping, eating and breathing can sadly reduce one's mental state to mush. While some teachers can find temporary solace in listening to music, reading, watching DVDs, playing cards, surfing the Internet, knitting, drawing and sewing, others are sucked into the porous cinder block walls of nothingness.

Teachers are never the same as they go through a myriad of emotions while navigating through the DOE's maze of injustice. It is a never ending, drawn out process where rules do not apply. While the DOE is a stickler in upholding deadlines and time lines for teacher certification, form submittal and testing, they have no problem ignoring the chancellor's rules and regulations to accommodate their plan to ruin a teacher's career. 'Waiting Lists' are rampant in the world of the DOE as they conveniently create 'Waiting Lists' for every deadline that is not met. There are waiting lists for OSI, grievances, expedited arbitration, pre hearings and hearings, etc. While the DOE creates 'Waiting Lists', teachers are kept from receiving their due process. I have seen firsthand how the DOE continues to ignore timelines and deadlines in the reassignment process, further adding to the reign of abuse in the RR's.

Read my lips:"No New Teachers"

2009-05-10T19:23:00.000-05:00

There you go again Chancellor K, talking trash as usual...

Are we supposed to jump for joy that you are saving the city money with your sudden curve ball idea of a "New teacher hiring freeze' until all ATRs are placed in positions?
Should we award you the blue ribbon for finally tapping into the valuable 1,400 highly qualified resources you have kept out of positions to serve your selfish political scheme?
Should we praise you for coming to the city's rescue as you suddenly require the inexperienced principal monsrosities that you've created to fill their school's teaching vacancies with the teachers who entered the system long before these principals could walk and talk?

You are just about as believable as George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign promises. "No new taxes", remember? "No new taxes" if he were elected. It was only 2 years later when taxes were raised to meet the national budget deficit. One thing you can count on Chancellor is that your conscious and selective ignorance is not going to be forgotten anytime soon.

Check out ICE UFT's article on the hiring freeze, click here.

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: It's Over

2009-05-06T08:16:00.000-05:00

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: It's Over

Mayor Bloomberg and Joel Klein told to relax on mayor control of schools

Troubled Teachers Spending Longer Time in The Rubber Room Despite...

Blogger summer said...

Interesting article from LA Times, with almost 1,000 comments:

FAILURE GETS A PASS L.A. Unified pays teachers not to teach

May 6, 2009 2:06 PM

The Rubber Room is Harmful to Teachers and Other Living Things.

2009-05-05T09:36:00.001-05:00

I am sorry for the lack of posts. It is hard to write about something that it is way too painful to even think about. I started this blog as an outlet for my idle frustration and sometimes the frustration comes from the subject itself.

The thought of the Rubber Room makes me sick. I am unable to sleep on Sunday nights. The situation here is truly abominable. The reassignment process is acutely paralyzing to one's career and thought process. Everyday as I sit in my chair, I watch some defenseless, overly educated soul as they open up their their packet of charges sent from their Bully of a principal. More often than not, the charges usually arrive just days after the six month deadline, just around the time when the teacher thinks that there may be some hope that they are of the dark.(Just another abuse of power that the principals use.) It is possible for a principal to have a change of heart and eventually drop the allegations. Somewhere between the date of the actual reassignment to the time they receive formal charges, most teachers have lost all of their drive to fight. Once the charges arrive, their 'umph' is pretty much gone.

The newly reassigned teacher can often be identified by their level of 'spunk'. Some spend their time writing. Writing to the Mayor, the Chancellor, Randi Weingarten and anyone else whom they think will listen. The newly reassigned teacher is sure that he will be able to 'shake things up'. Lawyers are called and thoughts of suing the DOE, the UFT and the principal are entertained. WAKING UP the sleeping public actually seems do-able at this point. There seems to be no retreat in sight for this newly reassigned teacher. He is on a mission. Weeks pass in the Rubber Room and responses are few and far between. He refuses to accept that the public is asleep. Months pass and still... the public is snoring. Lacking acknowledgment, the newly reassigned teacher comes to realize the disturbing imminent truth.

NOBODY CARES. NOT THE MAYOR, NOT THE UFT, NOT THE PUBLIC. NOBODY.
.

Blogger Chaz said...

Fidgity:

You must fight on! This is what Tweed wants for you to give up. Yes, they think of us as bugs. I think of myself as a wasp who will sting anybody who goes after me. Once stung, twice shy about squishing me.

We can only win by staying together and continue to expose the abuse that the dOE does to us.

May 5, 2009 12:59 PM

Blogger Mamacita (Mamacita) said...

It's awful, isn't it. But, you know, people who have been there care. There's nothing we can do, but we can care.

Caring is something, I guess.

It's something we refuse to think about because it could never happen to us, and then it does, and we're in a state of disbelieving shock. Finding out that nobody except those who KNOW, really care, is part of the shock.

Just to let you know: I care.

May 5, 2009 1:21 PM

Blogger Fidgety said...

No guys, I have not given up and as of now I don't plan to. It is just disheartening to watch the spirit of a person die while sitting and waiting to be further condemned.
I and all of the others appreciate your encouraging words.
Yes, caring is something. Thank you.

May 5, 2009 2:11 PM

Blogger A Teacher In The Bronx said...

Don't give up. The squeaky wheel gets oiled every single time. Get on a mountain top and don't stop until you get what you want!!

Email me please.

May 5, 2009 8:03 PM

Live from New York, "Oh...Nevermind"...

2009-04-06T14:44:00.000-05:00

Are you a high school teacher recently arrested in a sweep with a dime bag of marijuana in your pocket while hanging out in front of your assigned school with your students? The DOE says, "That's okay". In just two weeks, you can return to working with your students as if it never even happened. Your record will be spotless just as long as you stay out of trouble for the next 6-8 months.
Or maybe you're an elementary school teacher who got arrested in a domestic dispute with your husband? Let's just say, (for fun, of course) that your husband is a high school principal and that you have two small children who were home at the time of the incident. Perhaps you spent two whole nights in jail after your husband called the police. "That's okay", says the DOE. You too can return to your school in only two short weeks.

What do thes cases have in common? Well for one, they are both "outside' cases, having occurred outside of the school buildiing. The first however, took place on school grounds. "Oh, nevermind", says the DOE. Both cases were primarily handled by the police, not school principals. In both cases arrests were made. Both teachers were required to sit in the rubber room until their cases were heard in the NYC court system. Both were settled so quickly that one would find it impossible to identify the fracture in their absence from their schools. Regardless of their serious nature and where these incidents took place, both teachers were returned to their school and happily resumed their positions (Not ATR Positions) after spending 2 weeks in the rubber room.

Chaz said...

I brought this up in my May 20, 2008 article on DOE's "drugs not hugs" article.
April 13, 2009 7:40 AM

summer said...

I have been reading your blog and I just want to say to you and the other teachers who are "reassigned" and blog: thank you.

You and others are doing a great service by teaching the general public about these rooms and what is going on there.

So, first of all, know this: you are being heard.

And, as a teacher myself, I am sympathetic.

What I have learned in the twelve years since I first became a certified teacher in Florida is that most other teachers will say and do nothing to help you.

They don't because they think they can't. They are too afraid.

And, IMO, it is this fear that is really adversely impacting public education. Because when teachers are afraid, others can and do seize power -- and then engage in wrongful acts to keep power.

But, what you and the other teachers who blog are doing that is right and just and powerful is blogging. People know more because of you and others. Thank you again.

In a way I hate to say this, but try to remember others who have been held captive and written, and remember them.

Remember them because: They inspired. You inspire. Think Anne Frank.

I noticed that one teacher who was blogging was told to take down his blog if he wanted to return to the classroom (actually I think he was an assistant principal). He did, but he kept posted some of his archived material.

I would suggest the same. Do not ever take down all of your blog, even if they demand it. Your blog is helping you. It is helping you teach, even now. It is a record of their wrongful abuse of power.

It is important that you blog.

Thank you again. You are doing a great job of teaching, right now. Remember that. :)
May 1, 2009 8:12 PM

Blogger Floraine Kay said...

Yeah, I remember knowing a few people, one caught with drugs while driving, who got sent back, "No problem".

The system is insane. Like any insane system it stays inconsistent in order to build fear.

You will get out. It will get better. Don't try to make sense of it and never try to make sense of anything DOE again. Trying to stay alive is hard enough.

May 3, 2009 10:05 PM

Blogger A Teacher In The Bronx said...

Don't give up. The squeaky wheel gets oiled every single time. Get on a mountain top and don't stop until you get what you want!!

Email me please.

May 5, 2009 8:03 PM

Memorandum: March 16, 2009

2009-03-29T17:23:00.000-05:00

MEMORANDUM
To: All Staff
From: Mr. Martin, APA/Supervisor
Re: The ISC-355 Park Place-Staff Reassignment Room Protocol

Please be advised that the staff assigned to the ISC Reassignment Room(B-1)are not permitted for any reason to visit offices within the building as well as having non UFT representatives visit the reassignment room.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me at the above DOE- email address or ext. 288.

Cc: Mr. Bernard Palmer
Sgt. Meredith
Custodian

Apparently, one of the reassigned teachers was caught conversing with a District 13 employee upstairs from the reassignment center. Obviously when people see each other daily, they will naturally become familiar with each other and often become friends. This makes Mr. Martin very mad. You see, Mr. Martin has only one friend in the building and that is the custodian who sits with Mr. Martin all day rather than do his job. Mr. Martin does not want the reassigned teachers making any contact with the other employees in the building. Mr. Martin's memo has apparently ticked off many of the District 13 employees who would rather converse with the wall than have any contact with him. Note the Cc: at the bottom of the Memo. He's even got the custodian in on his control game.

Blogger Chaz said...

A real sleazeball.

March 30, 2009 2:54 PM

Life Under Mayoral Control

2009-03-29T16:54:00.000-05:00

“The way you treat our educators is part and parcel of the way you treat our students — constantly barraging them with narrow, deadening tests and demoralizing them with meaningless scores.”
-Jan Carr, Parent, Salk School of Science, letter to the chancellor

Could any of us foresee the devastating effects that would result from Mayoral Control?
While he hides the truth from the public with his control of the media, Billionaire Michael Bloomberg continues to portray a false "heroic" like image while he tramples on the people of New York. New Yorkers are starving for the truth and they don't even know it. Wake up everyone, please wake up! Nudge the person next to you, scream at the top of your lungs, shout it from the rooftops! Open your eyes. We are in serious trouble! We cannot allow history to repeat itself.

The Useless UFT -Rubber Room Squad

2009-02-15T21:14:00.001-06:00

Dear Mr.UFT Chap,
Why do you come to the Rubber room if only to yell and insult the reassigned members? Why do you shoot down our questions in mid flight? Could it be that you don't have any definitive answers? We ask, you roll your eyes. We apologize for asking the "wrong" questions. You are condescending and offensive. You jingle your keys and look around the room. You seem preoccupied. You look at your watch as if we are detaining you from something more important, like moving your car as it is parked on the wrong side of the street. Like a soap opera, you leave us void of answers week after week. Unanswered questions. Conflicting explanations. Your lame attempts to counsel are heartless and often cut short by your need to feed the parking meter.
Every situation is different", you say. Well, what about 'this' situation? Would it be so much to ask that you come prepared to respond to the concerns we left you with a week before? We are starving for information. You come here empty handed. You offer us nothing but the same old,"I'll get back to you". Your words are empty and meaningless. You are truly pathetic. Your lack of knowledge is unacceptable.
You are our union. Efficient in collecting our dues but inefficient when it comes to addressing our needs and concerns. Where is the apathy/concern for the deterioration of our physical and mental well being? You arrive void of solutions and leave us feeling worse than before you came. Where is the passion? Where is a union who fights a strong fight for its' members?
We have been reassigned and awaiting a chance for fair justice. It has been an endless wait for most of us. Why does the union allow us to be portrayed in such a poor light? Why does this feel and look like punishment? These strict and confining work conditions seem more like jail everyday. We are cut off from the mainstream. We are feeling stress and anxiety from the effects of isolation. Where is the moral support of our union? Is there such a thing as stress management?
We have served this education system for a majority of our adult lives. We are the education system. Most of us have been raised and educated by this system, a system that few of us can barely recognize now. A system that has betrayed and failed us time and time again.

Disillusion comes only to the illusioned. One cannot be disillusioned of what one never put faith in. -Dorothy Thompson

Chaz said...

Can't agree with you more on the UFT's lack of concern about the reassigned teachers.

February 16, 2009 9:54 AM
Delete
Blogger moriah said...

I suggested once to my district rep that the uft have support groups for teachers who were being targeted by their principals. She said that it would be a "pity party" and would serve no purpose. I don't agree. Cancer patients, alchoholics, divorcees, you name it. They all have support groups.

I understand your reticence inside the rubberroom. You don't know what the person next to you has been charged with--maybe he/she really deserves to be there. Also I wouldn't be surprised if there were a spy or two in there.

Another problem is that each person's case is privileged information between you and your attorney. You give that up if you talk about it.

The blogosphere is a good start. It's not like talking to a group of real people who are going through the same trials and tribulations you are, but it's better than being isolated.

There has to be some way to become proactive in your defense. The waiting game is designed to demoralize you and wear you down so that you'll sign anything just to get out of there.

Only those who have gone through this can understand how painful it is. But we have more to share than our pain. Any ideas?

February 25, 2009 9:56 PM

What the World Needs Now is More Neglected Children...

2009-02-12T12:46:00.000-06:00

Surprise, surprise, Nadya Suleman already has her own website. For your convenience, monetary donations can be made through Paypal, MasterCard or Visa...
Afterall, it takes a village to raise a village.

http://www.thenadyasulemanfamily.com/

Click here: Look Who's Minding the Rubber Room...

2009-02-10T09:38:00.000-06:00

Click the title above or copy and paste this link into your browser:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2009/02/08/2009-02-08_exprincipal_teacher_in_si_detention_cent.html

Blogger Long Island Educator said...

Fidgety
I am going thru a 3020a on Long Island. It has been 18 months and counting. I am in a one-person rubber room. I have kept my sense of humor by reading blogs like yours and PO teacher. Yesterday I started my own blog...still working out the bugs but I think you might enjoy it. I am keeping it dry because I tend to be sarcastic and there is much to be sarcastic about.

February 10, 2009 4:46 PM

Justice not "just us": "Open Letter" to the veteran staff(the few, the tired and the isolated) of BREC and that other westside school set to be closed.

2009-02-07T20:38:00.000-06:00

Justice not "just us": "Open Letter" to the veteran staff(the few, the tired and the isolated) of BREC and that other westside school set to be closed.

Pray That You Don't Get this Letter at Work...

2009-02-05T16:39:00.000-06:00

Dear Employees,

Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown in the economy, Management has decided to implement a scheme to put workers of 50 years of age and above on early retirement.

This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).

Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to management to be considered for the SHAFT scheme (Special Help After Forced Termination).

Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW programme (Scheme Covering Retired-Early Workers).

A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as Management deems appropriate.

Persons who have been RAPED could get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependants & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance).

Obviously persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by Management.

Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive as much SHIT(Special High Intensity Training) as possible. Management has always prided itself on the amount of SHIT it gives employees.

Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHIT, please bring this to the attention of your Supervisor, who has been trained to give you all the SHIT you can handle.

Sincerely,

Management

PS
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas and oil,as well as current market conditions, the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.
We apologize for the inconvenience

Blogger DAVID PAKTER said...

_________________________________

Fidgety Gets It Right, 4 STARS ****
_________________________________

So well written I was inclined to forward this piece to some friends with the following "Caution notice"
_________________________________
WARNING: Contains Language that may offend people who have never worked for Joel Klein, Esq.'s New York City Dept of Education, a 19 Billion dollar conglomerate that has treated NYC teachers, its own employees, so obscenely for so long that mere four letter words are the least of their problems.
_______________________________

February 5, 2009 8:35 PM

Blogger JUSTICE not "just us" said...
Can I use this one on my blog?
I LOVE IT!!
Also can you let me read your blog?

I am an ally.

February 6, 2009 2:49 AM

Dear Justice, My blog is set for anyone to read. I believe that you must be logged in though.
Sincerely, Fidgety

Snowed in with the Moocher...

2009-01-28T10:21:00.000-06:00

Days like this only magnify the dysfunctional traits of our most self destructive cellmates. Moocher, the mentally retired math teacher is being his old annoying racial slurring, self depracating, table slamming self. Watch as he moves from seat to seat...table to table...mooching food, newspapers, or whatever he can get his greasy hands on. Catch him doing a little dance every time he scores a free cookie or clips a coupon and hangs it on the wall behind him. Watch him stand over the shoulder of an unsuspecting newcomer- as his beady eyes read personal emails and private documents. Moocher knows not the meaning of boundaries and truly needs to retire for the sanity of the rest of us. I am praying that our mayor will create a retirement incentive especially for him and all of the other useless idiots the DOE is forced to keep on payroll.

2009-01-26T10:26:00.000-06:00

Blogger NYC Educator said...

Man, I love that cartoon. It says it all. Except all the rest of the stuff that needs to be said.

Designed to Depress

2009-01-24T11:43:00.000-06:00

Tiny room, 2 stories down below ground level. Bare concrete walls. 3 narrow unreachable windows, 25 feet above. Empty water cooler and no payphone. No visitors allowed. I am a tenured NYC school teacher with allegations made against me by a brand-spanking new Leadership Academy Principal. This is where I must report 5 days a week, 7 hours a day and you say things could be worse?

What it Looks like When an Urban Public School Teacher is Fired

2009-01-15T11:13:00.000-06:00

Since the link doesn't seem to be working,
http://gothamschools.org/2009/01/12/what-it-looks-like-when-an-urban-public-school-teacher-is-fired/#comment-13205
I have copied the article and comments. Sorry for the empty post!

What it looks like when an urban public school teacher is fired
by Elizabeth Green

Something has happened to the charter school teacher who blogs at Mildly Melancholy that almost never happens at traditional public schools: She has been forced to resign.

This teacher has been writing about her tough school year since September (without revealing the school’s name). At a non-charter school, her misery would probably have proceeded apace until June, mainly unchanged. If tensions with the administration escalated, she might have sought help from the union. But as it happened, Mildly Melancholy — who began teaching in September 2004 — got miserable and then was surprised to find she got fired. She plans to quit teaching altogether.

Her account:

I knew something bad was coming, but I didn’t want to think it was real, and I didn’t think it would happen so soon. This week has been really awful in my classroom (and across the entire grade, actually). I haven’t been a happy person at this job, and I haven’t been a very effective teacher. So it’s actually kind of a big relief.

I was pretty shaken by how fast it all happened; within an hour I finished teaching my last class, signed the letter, surrendered my laptop, and was packing up my belongings.

Here you can read her description of her first, much more optimistic days teaching, at a middle school in Queens.
Filed under: Newsroom
Posted at 9:05 am
Tags: Charter Schools, Teachers, tenure
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11 Comments

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1.
Schooldays January 12th, 2009 10:48 am

I found myself reading the descriptions of “her first, much more optimistic days teaching…” and was struck by the “0 comments” posting after posting after posting. One doesn’t have to read the posts carefully to see she is having some problems (3 minutes of teaching in a 45 minute class) yet “0 comments”.

Now that she has been fired, she gets comments. How ironic and sad. And unhelpful.
2.
MildlyMelancholy January 12th, 2009 11:47 am

thanks for the links, Elizabeth. no wonder my archives have been getting so many hits! :)Schooldays, I can’t tell if you’re saying shame on me for being a bad teacher back then, or shame on readers for not trying to help? nobody was reading it back in those days! there weren’t a lot of teacher blogs five years ago; the community has really built up since then. though i’ve never claimed to be an Amazing Super Teacher, my second year (and on) was millions of miles better than my first, which is quite common among teachers. my first year was awful–one of the reasons this year felt so horrible was that it felt just like my first year, which I thought was ancient history–and i don’t try to claim otherwise. the three years after that though, my classroom was, for the most part, a pretty good place to be (for me and the students). when this school told me i had to completely change my teaching style and teacher personality (which had allowed me to become a good teacher with great management), that should have been a clue.
3.
peter January 12th, 2009 12:05 pm

Teaching is an extremely isolating job … unfortunately in too many schools teachers complain to each other but rarely interact on a professional basis … observe a master teacher, are effectively coached by school leadership … I’ve always believed that the principal must be a master teacher, and, teach a class that is open to all staff … schools should provide teachers with constant feedback on teacher progress. That being said teaching is not for everyone … for some the learning curve is sharp, for others slower, and for some filled w/ peaks and valleys.

Leaving on your own is one thing … being fired is another … you will probably feel guilty, sad about your kids … walk along a winter beach, go to the gym … decompress, and move on … and keep writing!
4.
Schooldays January 12th, 2009 12:51 pm

Of course I don’t think Mildly Melancholy is a bad teacher. I found it sad that few would bother to post comments. As for “nobody reading it back in those days”, have you checked blog comments recently? Blog comments on this site?

With all the best wishes for a fine future. I’m sure you will have one.
5.
Chaz January 12th, 2009 3:39 pm

It is a pity that MM did not get due process rights. However, NYC public school teachers can and do get fired. The difference is that for tenured teachers, the DOE must prove their case in front of an independent arbitrator. It is one thing to accuse a teacher of misconduct or incometence, its another thing to prove it.

Many an innocent teacher would be fired just because an insecure or vindictive Principal wants the teacher gone due to ageism, race, religion, or advocacy.

By the way these Charter Schools are known for their high teacher turnover. That is their dirty little secret that fails to reach the media.
6.
Smith January 12th, 2009 9:59 pm

MM, Why not try teaching in a regular public school, with a union. Having a few basic rights and a little more power on the job could make a big difference. I would also suggest trying high school. If you survived middle school this long, you’d probably be a good high school teacher, at least in terms of classroom management.
7.
Socrates January 13th, 2009 9:50 pm

Interesting that she was fired from a school that uses “work hard, be nice,” has extended day and summer school, and exists in Brooklyn, the week before KIPP AMP unionizes. Connection?

I really hope they didn’t unionize because of this teacher. All my sympathies go out to her, but it doesn’t sound like she was doing too great a job.
8.
Jonathan January 14th, 2009 2:43 pm

“almost never happens at traditional public schools” ….. that’s really just not correct …..

Forced resignations occur frequently in the affluent suburbs. Typically, a new teacher will be told a year before the tenure decision that it is already clear that they will not be granted tenure, and is asked to find work elsewhere. Teachers jump at the chance to transfer rather than be fired. This “churns” the workforce, leaving a core of senior teachers at a school, with a pool of first, second, and third year teachers bouncing from district to district.
….. in New York City, the same game gets played with probationers ….. threatened with a U unless the transfer …. the transfer is equivalent to getting fired …. less frequent, but still common, probationers are denied tenure…. and discontinued…. this happened recently at Bronx Science…. (the teacher ended up in Westchester, where I hope she doesn’t get “churned”)
9.
Tillie January 14th, 2009 6:43 pm

Some people become lawyers, open restaurants, work in a corporate environment, whatever for a few years and they just aren’t that great at what they do, and they get fired and move on to other things. Why are people so worried when it happens to a teacher? I DON’T think MM should go work in a public school–why?? why not try something that she might be better at, something that would make her happier? And sure, some teachers get hassled by principals who are ageist, racist, whatever. But WAY more teachers are mediocre (or worse) and allowed to stay in the system because firing them is too cumbersome to principals who are already overwhelmed by the magnitude of their jobs. I think MM’s situation seems to be in the best interest of her and her students.
10.
Schooldays January 15th, 2009 3:48 am

How interesting that some assume MM was a “bad” teacher. The fact that she was asked to change her teaching style may reinforce that assumption.

But is the teacher responsible for student learning? It could be that students are responsible for their own learning. If students have no self motivation nor self reliance then they are the ones who are mediocre (or worse).

Teachers should not have to be “overwhelmed by the magnitude of their jobs” when many parents (and their student children) seem to be underwhelmed by the magnitude of theirs.
11.
Tillie January 18th, 2009 7:46 pm

I didn’t assume MM was bad–she said herself that she wasn’t very effective. I believe her–why would she lie about it? and I think teachers HAVE to be responsible for student learning. It is their job to teach students–if the students don’t learn (for whatever reason), then they’re not doing a great job and they should try something else.

Schooldays, you say that “teachers should not have to be ‘overwhelmed by the magnitude of their jobs’ when many parents (and their student children) seem to be underwhelmed by the magnitude of theirs.” I’m troubled by this–I’m not sure what you mean. Would you say doctors shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the magnitude of their jobs if their patients are underwhelmed by the magnitude of theirs? Would you say that more students with more inspired parents deserve more inspired teachers? I am not sure I’m reading you right on that–just trying to make sense of it.

Definitely there are students in our city schools who are unmotivated and irresponsible. I’ve seen those students really push themselves when they are in the presence of a master teacher. I think they–like all students–deserve to be in the presence of master teachers regularly.

(This story was found at http://gothamschools.org/)

Wall to Wall Teachers

2009-01-12T18:56:00.000-06:00

What's it like in the Rubber Room? I guess it depends on where you're coming from. For those who didn't really like teaching, were tired of writing lesson plans or never wrote them to begin with, pull up a chair, the rubber room is just the place to put your feet up. For some, it is a great relief from being pushed around by bullying administration and obnoxious students. Working on hobbies, crossword puzzles, reading newspapers and magazines, talking on the phone, catching up on sleep, socializing, eating and getting paid isn't so much of a burden compared to being in a school with an imbalanced, out of control, power crazed leadership Principal. For some teachers, there is little talk about "getting out" and returning to teaching. For many, there is an underlying hope that they never will have to return to teaching- EVER. Not only is it a dream job for the lazy, but it pays well too. Some would prefer to sit out their retirement quietly rather than face the jungle like environment that they left behind. There is a temporary feeling of relief for anyone who has been harrassed, falsely accused, injured on site or U Rated. While others are losing their jobs in this failing economy, getting paid to do nothing seems like a crime in itself.
As I have mentioned in older posts, some of the employees that one must contend with are worse than the students...There is no real way of knowing just who is sitting next to you. Lack of privacy, close quarters, bad manners, poor hygiene, bad habits and a high school mentality are commonplace. It can feel like a bad dream. Many teachers are depressed and scared. While they are going through what seems to be the worst time in their lives, there are others in the room who make the situation worse with their insensitive and callous behavior. Like most office settings, gossip runs cruel and rampant. Some teachers are just plain petty, abusive and narcissistic. There is nowhere to go when one needs refuge. There are wall to wall teachers. Because of the overwhelming atmosphere, many teachers cope by sleeping for hours on end. Others get angry, moody -or withdraw completely. The situation is so emotionally paralyzing that it spills over to their personal lives. Getting up in the morning is hard. Leaving the house, even harder. Many teachers don't even tell their spouses of the absurd situation they have been placed in. Would they even understand it?
I hear that the UFT is considering providing some type of 'stress management' for the reassigned...anyone care to comment?

Blogger Chaz said...

Fidgity:

I couldn't have said it better about the rubber room. I suggest you and your fellow teachers do worshops that are teacher directed. Waiting for the UFT to do this is worthless.

By the way you look like you are coping better. Keep your blog going and report your experiences. Other teachers must know how the UFT has abandoned the reassigned teacher.

January 13, 2009 1:43 PM

The UFT-Always Changing Their Tune

2009-01-08T18:04:00.000-06:00

When you are in your school, your UFT rep will give you 101 reasons why you need to attend meetings & maintain a united front to your principal. They will lead you to believe that as a dues paying member of the UFT, you are protected. Your job is secure. You are untouchable. Should you have any questions, the Union will answer them for you, guide you, advise you. You show your loyalty by showing up early for meetings. You help set up the bagels and even volunteer to make the coffee. The UFT rep will assure you that knowledge is power. Stay informed. Know the regulations. Read the contract. All that lip service is nice, until the unimaginable happens...
One thing the Union Reps never talk about is what can happen if you are accused of corporal punishment, neglect of duty, insubordination, whistle blowing or incompetence. The won't tell you how they are powerless in defending and supporting their members. They never talk about who is being targeted or bullied by the administration in your own school. They don't tell you that one day you are a teacher and the next you can be sent to the Rubber Room. They never talk about what is happening to teachers just like yourself, teachers in the NYC DOE throughout the city, every day.
Some union reps know all too well what can happen to an accused teacher. Inexcusably, there are many union reps who really don't. Others know, they just never came close enough to experience it firsthand. This new breed of principal will fix that in no time. (Many of the District reps are retired Tier 1 teachers who have no idea what it's like to work in a climate of abuse and intimidation.) Why the lack of information? Why the secrecy? Does it matter to you that your chapter leader may be so naive or ignorant about the process? It should. Especially when you are the teacher being accused and/or targeted. When you are the teacher who has false allegations made against you. When you are the teacher who has been removed from your school and deemed ineligible to teach. When you are the one who is humiliated, embarrassed, shamed and shunned by your colleagues. When you are the one who has to sit idly in the rubber room day after day with no end in sight. Don't you think that it is time we woke up and demanded answers?
The UFT is guilty of of doing nothing while our colleagues are brought up on bogus charges. They are guilty of barely objecting to the inhumane conditions at the reassignment centers. They stand by idly by while teachers are herded like cattle and treated like common criminals. By saying and doing nothing, our Union reps are doing us the greatest injustice of all. .
Once you are removed from your school and thrown into the land of, "Anything Goes", who do you turn to? There is no UFT meeting or Graduate course that could ever prepare you for what comes next. The UFT never talks about the City's Best Kept Secret, the Rubber Rooms.

Blogger Chaz said...

You hit it on the head. The UFT leaders really don't care about the reassigned teachers.

The UFT just wants those teachers to slowly die away and leave their careers behind.

January 10, 2009 11:52 AM

The Wall of Silence

2009-01-08T12:31:00.000-06:00

Please read this...http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/2009/01/wall-of-silence-about-nycs-rubber-rooms.html

Teacher Abuse Stories-ANOTHER WHISTLE-BLOWER SENT TO RUBBER ROOM (click here)

2009-01-04T10:46:00.000-06:00

Christmas, Under the Covers.

2009-01-02T22:27:00.000-06:00

The Countdown to Christmas in the Rubber room was rather disturbing. Here was a group of reassigned teachers in desperate need of a holiday break and all they could do was make each other miserable. How does the true spirit of the holiday prevail over people who are mean and outright hurtful to one another? These are grown adults who claim to love their children, spouses and families but cannot find a way to allow the others around them to exist in peace? It is an understatement when I say that the drama of the holiday countdown had left me mentally and spiritually depleted.
I wasn't able to spend this holiday with my family. Instead I pulled the covers over my head and remained in bed. Two days before the holiday I received 'formal charges' from my principal via certified mail. A befitting Christmas present from an institution that I have grown to despise and fear. It had taken eight months and 3 days after I had been reassigned. I had to go to the post office to pick up the envelope on the following day. When I arrived home, another certified mail notice was waiting for me at my door. For the next three days, certified mail notices filled my mailbox. A Department of Education form of harrassment? Each document had been duplicated and sent to me four separate times, each on a consecutive day requiring another trip to the post office. By the third day, the notices for the 3020 hearing began to arrive. It was now the 26th of December. Can you believe that my principal is actually a parent? A human? I don't know whether to laugh or cry each time I open up my mailbox. Today, January 2, I received a letter from my principal's lawyer. I am still trying to work up the energy to return to the Rubber room on Monday.

Blogger Eric said...

This is what the DOE does best, send the charges during the holidays. For many of the male teachers that are accused of sexual misconduct. They receive their "probable cause" letters during December. That is when the DOE takes them offline for 60 to 90 days for a very merry Christmas.

Stay the cause and fight your charges. Don't fret. You will end up alright.

January 3, 2009 8:47 PM

Blogger Pissed Off said...

Good luck. My prayers are with you.

January 4, 2009 5:21 PM

Blogger The Bus Driver said...

jeez.. merry f-n christmas to you... hugs and stay strong!

January 12, 2009 3:49 PM

The DOE -Where Anything Goes...

2008-12-25T12:13:00.000-06:00

In a short time, I have seen many teachers, principals, APs and school aides come and go from the Rubber Room. The funny thing is that when they leave, the chances of hearing from them again are close to none. The last teacher who was returned to her school was given a half a day's notice and then, Poof! She was gone. We never heard from her again.
"I am happy to be going back but I feel so bad for you all." she said.
"It's ok", I say, "Hey, you did your time."
Going back to the school environment can be a mixed blessing. It's like being on parole. All of the same threats are still out there. No teacher is safe. For a teacher bearing the scars of the rubber room, the chances of getting a U rating and being reassigned again are even higher the second time around. Life never goes back to the way it was before. A teacher rarely returns to the school or position from whence they came. In fact, a teacher rarely returns to a teaching 'position'. Their 'position' has either been eliminated or they will be replaced by a younger, newer, low-cost teacher. Although the UFT chaps will never admit it, most experienced teachers will return as ATRs and be thrown into the land of 'Anything goes'.
So here we still are, left to continue staring at each other from 8 to 3...waiting for a ship that hasn't even left the shore...

Blogger Chaz said...

I think for many long term RR's just being back in a school environment is uncomfortable. Furthermore, I believe that many Principals will give you a second chance if they accept you in their school.

December 25, 2008 10:52 AM

...there but for the grace of God go I."

2008-12-07T17:02:00.000-06:00

As three of my fellow rubber-roommates were making their way out of the building for lunch, one of them had the 'audacity' to innocently chuckle at the other's joke. There was an exchange of silliness and the three broke into laughter in the stairwell. By the time that they reached the front desk, the eyes of a male and female office worker were staring them down. Realizing that they had been heard, the 3 reassigned teachers quietly headed toward the exit smiling.
As the door had just about closed, the female office worker turned to the male and said, "They forget why they're here." Hearing this stopped the three teachers in their tracks. "Excuse me?", asked Teacher 1. I couldn't help overhearing. Since you seem to know so much about WHY WE ARE HERE and how we should behave, perhaps you can tell us WHY WE'RE HERE... After spending the last 4 months away from my classroom in a crowded basement, I still haven't been given a valid reason." Shocked by the teacher's response, the woman who was so quick to pass judgement just shook her head and turned her back toward the teachers. The man uncomfortably averted his eyes to the ground.

Blogger Chaz said...

good for them. Keep fighting back.

December 10, 2008 3:39 PM

Meet the Cast: The Angry Young Man..

2008-12-04T13:41:00.000-06:00

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”~ Douglas Adams

As I have stated in previous posts, the players in the rubber room are a very diverse and sometimes strange group of people- often too strange to go without mention. Meet Marley.

"Marley," is on a one man crusade. He is bitter and angry at the world. No matter the topic of conversation, it will always end in a heated dispute about the oppression, deprivation and suffering of those he calls, "his people". No matter what the topic, Marley and 'his people' have had it bigger, badder and far worse. When Marley is not making a point or arguing, Marley is reading and nodding in agreement with his books. Marley acquires his fighting fuel from the books he reads and the ideas that he captures from reading them...After gearing up, bystanders beware of crossing the undefined firing line and setting off a land mine.
Once Marley finds his unknowing victim, he will ignite his mission by quoting a freshly consumed passage and giving it a life of its' own. When his victim takes the bait by entering into an agreeable dialogue, Marley will 'flip' on his own position. This will cause his victim to become confused and vulnerable. His anger will slowly emerge and then spiral into a turbulent windfall disrupting everything within a ten foot radius. There is that one split second where all of his rationale ceases to exist.
Marley can hold a great debate, if he could just control his temper. When he runs low on venom, he will perhaps...throw in the kitchen sink. There is just no winning because he is always right. As a walking encyclopedia of facts and dates, Marley feeds on the ripe newcomer. He will devour his victim with relentless self righteousness and victimhood. I can speak from experience when I say that Marley always has the last word and when he reaches that involuntary conclusion, he is usually standing alone.

Theres a place in the world for the angry young man
With his working class ties and his radical plans
He refuses to bend, he refuses to crawl,
Hes always at home with his back to the wall.
And hes proud of his scars and the battles hes lost,
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on the cross-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

Give a moment or two to the angry young man,
With his foot in his mouth and his heart in his hand.
Hes been stabbed in the back, hes been misunderstood,
Its a comfort to know his intentions are good.
And he sits in a room with a lock on the door,
With his maps and his medals laid out on the floor-
And he likes to be known as the angry young man.

I believe Ive passed the age of consciousness and righteous rage
I found that just surviving was a noble fight.
I once believed in causes too,
I had my pointless point of view,
And life went on no matter who was wrong or right.

And theres always a place for the angry young man,
With his fist in the air and his head in the sand.
And hes never been able to learn from mistakes,
So he cant understand why his heart always breaks.
But his honor is pure and his courage as well,
And hes fair and hes true and hes boring as hell-
And hell go to the grave as an angry old man.

~Billy Joel

Does it help to 'Know your Rights?'

2008-12-04T00:02:00.000-06:00

After more than a decade of teaching and attendance at hundreds of Union Meetings, keeping informed of my rights as a teacher has always been a priority. "Know your rights," is what my chapter leader always preached, and I agreed. "Attend Union Meetings"... and I did..."Become familiar with the chancellor's Regs,"(Regulations)...I did that too. You too can become informed. You can find the 'Know Your Rights' portion of the UFT website by clicking here... You too can know your rights and stand by powerlessly as they are being violated and no one is doing a damn thing about it.
I knew my rights. I knew my rights so WELL... IN FACT- that when Robo Principal violated three of them, I knew that without a doubt that I had been disabled from correctly performing my duties. Oh yes, I knew my rights- alright. I knew it when they were being violated. I knew it at that very moment when it was happening. I knew it when it wasn't corrected. I knew it when it wasn't treated or handled as an emergency situation. I knew it when I informed my chapter leader and waited faithfully while she did nothing. I knew it when I informed my principal and asked him why no measures were being taken to correct the potential safety hazard that it posed. I knew it when he was making excuses and failing to provide sufficient support. I knew it the entire day leading up to the very moment when it handicapped me from doing my job to the best of my ability. I knew that at that moment that I was SCREWED.

Sure it's good to know your rights... that way you can recognize them when they're going down the drain...
Having rights and having them Enforced are meant to go hand in hand. Laws are created to protect THE INNOCENT, but if they are not enforced, who do they protect and what good are they?

Blogger jonathan said...

It's part of my pitch to new teachers: the contract names your rights; the chapter enforces them.

Getting the chapter to fight can be hard. Sometimes it is barely breathing.

In that light, I ask all teachers to attend chapter meetings. I don't even care if you say anything, the act of meeting itself, even if it is to eat birthday cake, is the beginning of gaining or regaining strength. And if there are not meetings, if you could ask, even one time in a year... that would help.

And new folks, untenured, can't really do much more than that. But helping is helping, in whatever way we are individually capable.

Jonathan
jd2718

December 7, 2008 10:43 AM
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Blogger Fidgety said...

Well then you answered the question as I already knew the answer.. I took all of those suggestions and became well informed. I am now more informed than my own chapter leader who knew nothing about the rubber room until I was reassigned. I am now keeping her informed. She has admitted to me that the union is 'powerless in protecting its' teachers.'

December 7, 2008 11:12 AM
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Blogger jonathan said...

True, though it depends somewhat on the chapter (only somewhat, of course). The rebuilding needs to start from the ground up.

Jonathan
jd2718

December 7, 2008 7:47 PM
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Blogger Fidgety said...

As a chapter leader you are limited to what happens in the school...except for rallies, protests, etc. Matters of reassignment become the district leader's responsibility.

December 8, 2008 9:10 PM

ATR Rally

2008-11-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

Audience in Captivity

2008-11-15T14:29:00.000-06:00

Audience in Captivity

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts...  -Shakespeare

Before my reassignment, an ordinary teaching day was active and productive. Along with my colleagues, I yearned for the Pre-Kleinberg, Pre-"Robo-Principal " days when my school was like a second home. I knew the ins and outs of the school and I knew what to expect. When my principal was having a bad day, we too, had to be in a bad mood. When my principal was happy, in turn we had to act ecstatic. It may not have been perfect, but we knew how to survive. My principal wore her moods on her sleeve and we monitored them like the weather. When her mood changed, warning signals were transmitted throughout the building in a flash.
The arrival of Robo-Principal changed everything. There were no changing facial expressions or moods to read. There was only one stone face and one mood and no one knew what that was. Fear permeated throughout the building, almost as if someone had died. He didn't like laughter or noise and reminded us to keep it down. In discussion, he never made eye contact and wrote everything down. He responded only through email. Communication as we once knew it had died. Everyday we mourned the loss of human contact. Teachers walked around saying, "I don't know." We were in the dark about everything. That is why it came as such a surprise when I was 'served' my rubber room invitation.
For many teachers like myself, the first few days in the rubber room were a turbulent and surreal experience. I was nervous, scared, disoriented and confused. From the moment I was reassigned & banished from my school building, to my first week in the rubber room, most of it is a blur. Although I was extremely restless at first, I knew that my task at hand was to slow down. God's way of saying, "Time to learn another lesson." What the lesson was, I did not know. Reassignment is a very humbling experience.
For the most part, the people that I've met in the rubber room are quiet, amicable and bright professionals who have fallen victim to our dysfunctional school system. Amongst the group are teachers, school aides, principals(yes- principals!), social workers, nurses and secretaries who want to maintain a low profile and a peaceful existence.
On the other hand, there are those individuals who require lots of attention and drama. For them, quiet complacency is foreign idea and the walls of the rubber room are a stage; A perfect channel in which to act out their neuroses. Whether it be their loud, incessant talking, whining and complaining or just plain ignorance, the show is and always was about 'them'. Their lack of respect for themselves and others is disturbing. Let us not forget that we are grown adults who represent the field of teaching. Regardless of allegations, we are still innocent until proven guilty and it is important to maintain a sense of professionalism. Try as I may, the unscripted drama, the characters and the storyline in the rubber room are all too bizarre to ignore.
Some of the behaviors that I alone have witnessed are; broadcasting loud ring tones and inappropriate phone conversations. Random calling out, 'hooting and hollering' and pounding on & smacking the tables. Also, unnecessary outbursts of laughter and cursing, insulting remarks about religion and racism and comments about the human anatomy- as well as pornographic images via the Internet.
Sad and depressed? These characters can never be sensitive to your needs. These actors are not in tune with any one's boundaries but their own. They will sneeze, cough, blow their nose and clear their throat without any regard for those around them. There is no escaping the dysfunctional daily performances . The rubber room comes equipped with a 'captive' audience or dare I say, "audience in captivity". These 'actors' will drain the life out of you. As the rubber room imitates life, these "Teachers Behaving Badly" are what perpetuates the negative stigma attached to the rubber room further increasing the already stressful and oppressive process for all who are reassigned.

Chaz said...

You should talk to your liaison and union rep and they need to talk to the site supervisor who should be senting these disruptive people to medical and isolate them if necessary.

November 15, 2008 3:55 PM

How do these guys sleep at night?

2008-11-11T16:11:00.000-06:00

2008-11-08T08:47:00.000-06:00

"The Insanity"

2008-11-06T19:59:00.000-06:00

Is there really a need to discipline a teacher further after sending them to the rubber room? Everyday in the rubber room is a punishment in itself. Loud, isolating, stigmatizing, claustrophobic and completely dysfunctional, there is no escaping its' damaging effects. Arguments among teachers, bickering and verbal attacks are a regular part of the day. Mental and physical personal boundaries are constantly being crossed. There is a slow deterioration of faith, hope and self esteem. Add an undeserved "U" Rating, falsified documents, an OSI investigation, trumped up charges or suspension without pay into the mix and you've got a recipe for insanity.
It is appalling the way the DOE ignores its' own laws on a regular basis. Obviously the 'zero tolerance' rule does not apply to their own. My own reassignment resulted from my robo-principal breaking 3 of the DOE's Chancellor's regulations while the almighty union sits idly on the sidelines. Tell me please, what are they waiting for?
UFT Chap says, "It's the DOE. They do it all the time." My own chapter leader is so in the dark and poorly versed on reassignment that his only reality are my desperate calls for intervention. Perhaps he should spend a week in the rubber room and educate himself. You can imagine my dismay when he says things like, "I hate to say this but, the Union no longer has any clout." and "This is the first I'm hearing of this!" and "I didn't know," & "I had no idea!"
Unless there is some revamping of the reassignment and investigation protocol, I can tell you now that we are all doomed. The Union is so overwhelmed with cases that they can't give you a straight answer even on minor issues. The insanity of this place has been a test in tolerance, patience and futility. Since my last required "playdate" with my principal, I have completely lost faith in the UFT's lip service. The principal's written follow up was biased and full of lies. I am tired of fighting against this relentless robo principal who won't stop until she destroys my career.

The total centralization of control of the school system has created a new culture of lackey behavior. . . . The system does not have the checks and balances to protect whistleblowers, nor even to tolerate a word of dissent. This is a symptom of a sick organizational culture.
- Diane Ravitch, research professor of education at New York University, author of The Great School Wars, the definitive history of New York's schools, New York Post, March 10

Blogger Chaz said...

Fidigty:

I feel your frustration. The UFT does not care about reassigned teachers. Their job is to keep you calm and provide you with NYSUT representation at the 3020-a hearing. To them it does not matter if the teacher committed a felony or just pissed off an insecure principal. All reassigned teachers are treated the same by the unio. Begnined neglect.

The DOE knows that the majority of 3020-a charges will not result in the teacher's termination. However, they can use the 3020-a process to get teachers to resign or retire and to get significant fines. Furthermore, it is a way for Principals to get senior teachers off their payroll.

Just think of the up side. No lesson plans, no paperwork, no student disrespect or parent aggrivation and most of all a time to catch up on reading good books, watching DVD's and making new friends with teachers just like you. Unfairly, charged for frivilous or minor infractions.

November 8, 2008 11:19 AM

Blogger The Bus Driver said...

I'm sorry there is no due justice for folks like you who have to deal with being "reassigned". I hope you are able to find some form of resolution soon.

November 11, 2008 8:23 PM

Teachers Against Bloomberg...

2008-11-05T17:14:00.000-06:00

Bad Apple Bullies

2008-11-04T12:16:00.000-06:00

Last night I stumbled upon this very interesting website....http://www.badapplebullies.com/ - I checked the location of Queensland - (a state in Australia) because the bullying that this Australian teacher/blogger speaks of sounds identical to the events faced by a typically harrassed- NYC teacher. She speaks of age discrimination, intimidation, threats, prolonged investigations, corrupt investigators, falsified documents and lost files. Is it me, or does all of this sound peculiarly familiar? Are you sure there isn't a Queensland somewhere here in NYC?

"It's a talent flight.

The best and brightest are driven out.

The slugs, the slow-minded, dimwitted sycophants are the bully's allies."

* Gary Namie, co-founder of the Workplace Bullying and trauma Institute in Bellingham, Wash., quoted in: Companies must deal with workplace bullies or lose brightest employees; expert, Camille Bains, CBC News: Business, May 8, 2006

(Click on the title above to read this teacher's disturbing account of her dealings with the Queensland Education System in Australia.)

Rubberroommovie.com Update

2008-11-02T08:05:00.000-06:00

Be sure to watch the trailer!!!!
The following update is from the rubberroommovie.com website.

Randi Weingarten Goes On The Record
10/22/08

On October 22, 2008, Five Boroughs Productions sat down for an interview with Randi Weingarten, president of both the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Ms. Weingarten addressed such issues as the physical conditions inside Rubber Rooms, age discrimination, the rising number of reassigned teachers, and the potential for the reassignment process to be used (or abused) as a political tool. She also discussed a recent agreement, signed by both the UFT and the Department of Education (DOE), that was created to help reduce some of the inefficiencies involved in the teacher reassignment process.

Five Boroughs would like to thank Ms. Weingarten and her staff for taking time out of a very busy schedule to answer our questions. Thanks again, Randi!

No Newcomer

2008-10-26T23:36:00.000-05:00

Our quiet Friday morning was interrupted when WD, aka 'Walking Disaster' reported to our room for the first time. "Attention everyone, we have a new room member. This is WD." We looked up from our papers momentarily when Miss WD blurted out, "Okay, where am I going to sit?" Before anyone could answer, she added, "I know the drill. This is not my first day you know," She scanned the room. "Well, I guess no one's offering, so if you all just want to ignore me, then that's fine." She dropped her coat and bag on an empty seat by the door. We all looked around and then rolled our eyes at each other. Essie offered Miss WD a seat next to her at the head of her table. Miss WD looked at the seat, paused and turned back to the group, ignoring Essie's offer. "It's ok. If nobody's going to move, I'll just sit on the floor. That corner looks empty. Is that okay with you? Would it bother any of you if I just sat on the floor in the corner?" "You can sit here," said Mr. M, generously offering his own seat, next to 3 Seater's chair. "No, she is not going to sit here." 3 Seater warned. "Sit down, sit down, please. I will sit on the other side," Mr. M insisted. WD accepted and sat herself down, legs crossed and arms folded." "Thank you, Is this this an incohesive group or what? You know, we're all in this together," she rambled to herself. "Oh, is that coffee for everyone or do I have to ask someone's permission to drink it? I'll have to bring in my mug. I am going on my third year reassigned. This is my third room. You'd think that you would have a procedure to welcome newcomers." I tried to ignore her but I had to cover my face to muffle the laughter. WD couldn't sit still for a minute. She walked around the room, looking here, there and under all of the tables. "I really need a seat against the wall and a desk for my laptop, near an outlet and room to plug in my phone," Miss So demanded out loud. "I don't have my laptop today but I bring it about once a week, you know, to get my stuff in order." At that point, I noticed WD eyeing my surge protector.
She then disappeared into the hallway and we sighed with relief. Her incessant talking was giving us all a headache. Cane had both of his ears covered with his hands. "Wow, what was that?" asked Sketcher. "I don't know but I think she should go back to wherever she came from," responded Marley. "Yeah, but they probably kicked her out of the other place." Sketcher shook his head and put his earphones on. "I'm going to sleep."
We could all hear WD in the hallway, rambling on to herself. "This group needs to be more cohesive. We're all on the same side you know. Them, against us."
Elsie addressed her as soon as she stepped back in the room. "You may have forgotten, but you were offered a seat when you came in. Why didn't you just sit down? You put your coat on an empty seat. Isn't that an available seat over there where you put your coat?" Elsie's volume accelerated along with her annoyance.
Now angry at Mr. M for giving WD the seat next to her, 3 seater began to roar at WD.
"And, I am letting you know now, you are not staying at this table. This is a quiet table. Go sit back over there", 3 Seater pointed across the room. "Tell me something, why do you have to displace someone just to have a seat? That is his seat and you should respect that. "Well, noone was showing me where to sit," she responded with a whine. "And who are you!? You should know the deal. You've been around enough! We don't have to accommodate you. You need to fit in with us." 3 Seater stated her piece, but it wasn't over there. It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the action. Trap stood up and had a few authoritative things to say to WD. "Ok, it's my turn to tell you what the deal is. First of all, you had no right to take to this man's seat. He offered it to you out of kindness, but there were empty seats available to you. You came in here with an attitude and some expectations and now you need to get those out of your head. We are going to start this whole thing over. You will get up, give this man back his seat and sit by the door." "Can I say something?" asked WD. "No!" answered Trap. "But I just want to respond to..." Trap gave WD another loud,"No! You you said enough. I think you owe everyone an apology." "Well, I'm sorry but..." "There is no 'but.' You can give Mr. M his seat back now." WD got out of the seat and made her way to the one by the door. "Thank the lord," 3 Seater whispered under her breath. She turned to Mr. M and said, "You I'll talk to later." "What did I do?" he asked. "I was just trying to be nice." "Like I said, we'll talk about it later." And with that, we all soaked in the next few moments of silence.

I've Been Setting Mousetraps...

2008-10-23T18:50:00.000-05:00

I have been out of the loop for the past few days. Writing rebuttals is very draining. My best advice to anyone that is meeting with their principal to discuss allegations is,"Keep your Mouth Shut." There is nothing you can say or do that will help when allegations are made against you. Speaking to a principal is just as helpful as helping them hold a loaded gun to your head. The principal will ignore what you say and write only what they want to see written on their report. If it makes them look good, they will write it. If it makes you seem imcompetent, they will write it. "How can they do that and get away with it?", you may ask. Very easily. They lie, distort the truth, twist and turn the facts and scramble your words until you barely recognize who and what the report is about. There are so many holes in my principal's report that I have set traps to keep the mice away.

Under Assault: Teaching in NYC: A shout out to TAGNYC

2008-10-13T21:49:00.000-05:00

Under Assault: Teaching in NYC: A shout out to TAGNYC

Damned if you do Anything.

2008-10-13T16:09:00.000-05:00

It's almost six months from my original date of reassignment. The UFT's "Don't call us, We'll call you" attitude" is really getting to me now. In spite of their rules, I went ahead and called them from the Rubber Room.
"Oh you're case? Let me check. What school are you in again? I'm so sorry. He, she, they are away from their desk. Do you want me to put you through to their voicemail? What district is that again?"
I called back four times. I left a message with every "he, she and they" that the receptionist would connect me to. I finally set an appointment to meet with my UFT chap.
"What is it exactly that you want to meet about? UFT chap asked.
"Teachers in my room are going back to their schools. I want out." I said. "What's going on?" Are you just going to let me rot in here?
"Your case is somewhat complicated. It's been almost six months and you are sitting there with no formal charges. The regulations say that they can't hold you any longer than six months without charges. After six months, they(your school) will have to take you back. When the six month point comes and they don't send you back, you can file a grievance on the grounds that you haven't been charged and that will probably piss them off. You need to sit tight and not push the envelope. If you do, she(Ms. Principal) will probably get angry and retaliate by making up charges against you. If she makes up charges, you will have to go through the whole 3020a process.
"You mean they have six months to charge me and when the six months are up, they can first decide to charge me with anything they want?"
"Yes."

Of Liars and Puppeteers...

2008-10-08T12:15:00.000-05:00

The purpose of my latest stint with Ms.Principal & UFT 'chap' was to review OSI's findings in my case. What a joke. After going over the OSI's "substantiated" findings(fabrications) in my case, UFT chap kicked me under the table to keep my mouth shut. It is not only the findings that are rigged, but anything you say in response to the findings can and will be recorded in writing by the principal and held against you at your next meeting. Mind you, principal will only select statements either good or bad and use them out of context to make you look irrational and unbalanced. Ms. Principal is very good at this. She can twist and turn words till they take on meanings that one never thought they could. My statements have been so convoluted that I don't even recognize them.

I am convinced there is no way to defend yourself against the DOE. They have the whole system rigged in their favor. Right this very moment, while Randi is off on her new venture at the AFT, Klein is gearing up to hire more liers- oops, I mean lawyers and puppeteers- uh I mean principals (who call themselves CEOs). Hey, what's the difference what we call em? They are all part of the plan to kill the public education system and it's only a matter of time before they do.

Today's Accomplishments...

2008-10-05T19:25:00.001-05:00

It's All About Nothing.

2008-10-02T18:07:00.000-05:00

I am starting to lose my mind. Getting up in the morning isn't like it used to be. In fact I can't even remember what it used to be like. How does one get motivated to wake up, shower, get dressed and get to work on time when there is no work? What is the purpose of sitting in a room where "nothing" gets done and "nothing" is expected of you? Is there such a thing as being motivated to do nothing? "I'm so excited, I have nothing to do today." or "Guess what? I have a lot of "nothing" to do today!"
Imagine the conversations one could have...
"What did you do today?" "Nothing."
"Sorry I can't talk now, but I have to get back to nothing."
"I am so exhausted from doing nothing."
"I'd better get to bed, I have so much "nothing to do tomorrow."
"Yes, you'd better rest up." (Wouldn't this would make for a great Seinfeld episode?)
How many newspapers, books, magazines, prayers and restaurant menus can one read before losing it? Moocher is famous for reading every newspaper that he can get his hands on, but never purchasing a single one. The minute someone dozes off, his paws are on their newspaper. If there is a pile of papers in front of you, he will pick through them without hesitation. You can just feel his prowling eyes scanning the room for his next unknowing victim. He will even do your 'Soduku' without asking for permission. Isn't there a law about that somewhere?
Oh, the insanity of doing nothing.

Blogger proofoflife said...

Your life sounds like Waiting For Godot! What is the UFT doing? NOTHING! Oh I forgot they are arming principals to put more teachers in the RR with the new data reports. Try to hang in there you are not a NOTHING! We are victims of a weak union, and that is the long and short of it!

October 5, 2008 11:31 AM
BTW, I found this great website. It describes exactly what we do all day!

It's Just Another Day...

2008-09-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

Another day, another teacher reassigned. 'Cee' arrived this morning in a sport jacket and tie holding a notebook and pen. Appearing somewhat tired and disoriented, Warden brought him to the door and introduced him in the usual way. Barely looking up, the inmates showed little interest in the new arrival. I watched as he chose the 'right' chair, one that wasn't already spoken for. I introduced myself and a few other inmates followed. After the ice was broken, we all knew the school, the district and the reason he was reassigned. Cee displayed the typical behavior of a newbie. Within 45 minutes, Cee was fast asleep with his head in his arms on the table.

The room remained quiet until I heard a high pitched squeal and Princess showed her face at the door. Amazing how just the sight of her causes people to push in their chairs and secure their bags. Anything and everything that could be knocked over was quickly cleared out of the way. Surprisingly, Princess managed to walk to her chair without hitting anyone with one of her many shopping bags. "Woo-woo, it's hot in here..Uh hum, it sure is hot." Before even sitting down, her shopping bags were ripped open and brand new, packaged & tagged blue jeans were being passed around the room. I guess the kids at the shelter won't be getting new jeans this year.

Moocher, like the class clown, is always busy trying to get attention. This time by telling self deprecating, tasteless jewish jokes to a table of mixed company. By 11:30, he had 3 elderly african women saying "schmuck" in unison. "Shhh", he advised. "What's the matter? Why can't I say schmuck?" asked one of the women. "Because it's the jewish word for penis. You can't go around saying penis."
There is no limit to what he will do just to fit in. I never understood the purpose of putting down a religion just to get a laugh and then justifying it by saying that it's "your" religion. So, does that make it okay? In these bare 4 walls, I say not.

The Truth and Nothing But the Truth...

2008-09-21T13:50:00.000-05:00

As my fellow bloggers and many others have confirmed, the OSI interview procedure is not designed to uncover the truth when allegations are made against a teacher. (Chaz's article on OSI Double Standards) It is designed to serve its' employer(the DOE), by twisting the truth and conjuring up a slanted version of whatever statements are made by the teacher during the investigation. Thus, serving up a horrendous one sided 'transcript' that barely resembles any of what was said. (Exactly the type of transcript that I have received this week.) Paid by the DOE, it is the investigators job to go to any length-no matter how dishonest, to substantiate the accuser's allegations against teachers.

Prior to my interview, my Union Rep advised me to make eye contact, be clear and consistent. The Investigator will be looking for statements that reveal your 'intent' as to how and when the alledged acts occurred. Now if this were a fair and honest investigation, done by a real investigator (not a DOE Puppet) she may have actually observed some revealing behaviors that would affect her final conclusion. Whether she observed them or not, it is obvious that she chose to ignore them.

Just out of curiosity, I looked up some of the methods that Professional investigators are trained to look for in criminal cases. Body language, speech patterns and consistency in the statements can be very telling during questioning.

"Generally people who are lying will not look you in the eye, although very practiced liars may be able to tell lies and do it with eye contact. People who are lying will usually be very stiff. They may have a stiff body or neck. When someone tells a lie it raises the blood pressure. Their face, chest or neck may become red.
The liar usually keeps their arms and legs closer to themselves. They will wrap their arms and legs to cover their body as if protecting themselves.
Liars will usually touch their face or neck when fibbing. The higher they go up on the face the bigger the lie.
Liars might fake an emotion like happiness or sadness. The expression may be limited to their mouth, but will not reach their eyes. Look for twitches. When someone is lying they may have a physiological reaction such as an eye, lip or cheek twitch.
Other physiological reactions include sweating or fidgeting.
They will not react in the correct emotional way. For instance if they tell you they are sorry, but their lips are turned up."
from eHow Article: How to Detect a Liar Using Body Language

Check out the variety of support resources available to principals who want to get a teacher in trouble...
DOE's corporal punishment reporting form A-421

A-420

ATU-Administrative Trials Unit

TPU-Teacher Performance Unit

http://www.nycsci.org/

Interrogation

2008-09-19T19:25:00.000-05:00

I was interrogated by the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) 6 months ago by one female investigator. Actually, I don't really know what her position was because she never formally introduced herself to me. All that I know is, my Union Rep was not pleased to learn that this particular person was handling my case. He made it clear that the two have never gotten along as compared to other OSI investigators that he's had to deal with in the past. Strike One on my side. Ms.OSI was extremely belligerent toward him and he didn't seem to have a real problem with it...but I did. After all, it is not his future on the line here. This is just a routine part of his job and doesn't affect him either way.

Although I can't openly discuss the nature of my case, I do want to say that the events leading up to my reassignment were caused by the administration's failure to follow specific chancellor's regulations. Had these regulations been followed, I would not be in my present position and having to defend myself. I was reassigned without an opportunity to explain what had occurred or caused the incident in question. Given the difficult working conditions that were delivered to me via "El Principal", the events that followed were a challenge that proved to be a recipe for failure.

The scene was not very different from something one sees on television. '''CSI or La Law', to be more accurate. The tiny room had a table and two chairs. No windows. No pictures. Just bare walls. Ms.OSI was cold, standoffish, and very rude. After asking me to explain my case, she repeatedly cut in and tried to finish my sentences for me. She dismissed several of my statements with rude comments such as, "Well, why do I need to know that?, "I can't see how this is important", "Cut to the chase," and "This is irrelevant." She twisted my statements and tried to trip me up. When I insisted that my statements were truthful and accurate, she rolled her eyes and impatiently tapped her fingers on the table. That this behavior is unprofessional goes without saying. The entire scenario was degrading and frustrating. After I was through being questioned, UFT Rep and Ms. OSI shared a few private moments alone in the room while I waited outside. UFT Rep had very little to say, least of all, anything encouraging. I was instructed not to call him, that he would call me when he had received a response. Mr.UFT rudely dismissed me by letting me know that he had to meet with another reassigned teacher shortly.

Yes, Chaz I agree...Having since been told that my case was SUBSTANTIATED by OSI. The minor infraction that they have judged substantial barely qualifies for a LETTER IN FILE.

Make Way For the Princess!

2008-09-15T19:14:00.000-05:00

She makes her grand entrance at 11 am everyday. Physically, she is not pleasant to look at. Her skin is oily and terribly blemished. Her hair is fake. She is very large and smells of way too much cheap cologne. Guaranteed that when she walks by, she will either knock into your chair or knock something of yours over. Instead of, "I'm sorry," you will hear, "Ooh, That shouldn't be theeeere!" or "Who put this here?" or "Why does this have to be here?" Everyone best clear the way for the Princess.
Princess believes that she not like the rest of us. She is convinced that she was sent here because, "Someone is probably jealous of me". And, "They should be watching themselves instead of looking at me!" She is sure that her students and their parents will fight for her return. In her sing-sing voice, she will tell you that "they loooove meeee!".
Princess,(not her real name) is a school aide. She works in the school for three hours a day. She claims that she is very close with the Principal and when he went down, they took her with him. It has been seven months and still no word from all of her fans at her school. She is certain that her students and coworkers are silently plotting her defense at this very moment.
Princess says it doesn't matter if she gets fired because this job means nothing to her. She can get another one just like it anywhere. However, she shows up here everyday with her 'mightier than thou attitude' and collects her full paycheck. If that doesn't annoy you, the awful screeching sounds she makes while listening to her Ipod will. Anyone brave enough to call it to her attention will surely wish they hadn't. Though she will swear that she was not singing, the minute she turns it back on, the howling will begin again.
Princess is a bad actress/drama queen. She can "ooh and ahh" at the drop of a pin. At 87 degrees, Princess puts on a performance that would have 'Oscar' running for the hills. "Ooh-Ooh, it is fa-reeezing in heeere! she squeals upon arrival. I don't know how you people can sit in this icebox. "I should not have to be exposed to this temperature." She claims that she is allergic to air conditioning and that it makes her sick. Princess spends more time out of the room than in. She sweet talks the attention starved Warden into letting her go outside. Heck, she even has her own chair. Hey, that is fine with me. The longer she stays out of this room, the better.

RESPONSES...
JUSTICE not "just us" said...
"it is the same cast of characters in every building only the names change." me

September 20, 2008 5:38 AM

Fidgety said...
Yes isn't it? But I have to vent anyway. I am glad that someone reads my blog. Thanks, obviously you know the deal. Earplugs help tremendously.

September 20, 2008 9:37 AM

ms-teacher said...
I've been reading this blog and it makes me sad. The people in the rubber room should not be treated in such a way, even the "princess" (despite the fact she's not a very likable character).

I wish that more people knew about this.

September 20, 2008 1:21 PM

Fidgety said... It is up to US to tell more people. In a democracy under the constitution, we are Innocent until Proven guilty. This does not coincide with how we are being treated.

proofoflife said...
i DIDN'T KNOW THAT SCHOOL AIDES WENT INTO THE RUBBER ROOM TOO! iS SHE PART OF DC37? OR IS SHE A PARAPROFESSIONAL? SORRY TO HEAR YOU ARE STILL IN TEACHER LIMBO HELL

Fidgety said...Yes, Aides are also sent to the rubber room. We have 2 at the present time that I know of. I know that one is definitely DC37.

"Musical Cars"

2008-09-14T14:14:00.000-05:00

Mornings are usually quiet here in the Rubber Room. Most teachers trickle in somewhere between 8am and 8:30. Coffee is made, newpapers are read and passed around the room.
At 9:30, the "Moving Of The Cars" begins. There is great comradery in this useless ritual as we drivers politely remind each other of what time it is. "Time to move the car, do you have your car today? Time to move your car." "Oh, is it that time already?" "Nope, I don't have to move my car today...just turned the corner and there was a spot with my name on it." "Don't forget to wake up EZ, I know he has his car up the block. He'll be pissed if you don't wake him." "Should I wake Moocher?" "Do you really think that Moocher would spend the money to drive his car here? He's got his bike chained to the pole".
The "Moving of the Cars" requires half of the people in the room to use(waste) their official 15 minutes of allotted break-time to avoid the expensive threat of a parking ticket. For those who don't drive to work, this ritual is foreign, but for the rest of us it's nerve racking!...
"Car, car- do you have to move your car?" Keys are jingling, cell phone alarms are ringing, everyone's clearing their throats, stretching- gearing up for the main event. Time to perform the nonsensical task of moving our cars from the perfectly good parking spots we are in to 'double parked' status on the other side of the street. Now we all sit in our cars, waiting for the clock to strike exactly 9:30. Marley gets out to smoke a cigarette. He calls to Newbie for a light. Newbie gets out and the two converse between their cars. 3 Seater is on the phone. EZ takes orders to make a quick run to McDonald's. This is comradery in the Rubber Room.
All of this to make way for the City's Sanitation trucks that spend all of 3 minutes noisily riding up the street. Here come their revolving brushes that do nothing more than upset the dust and spread the debris over to the other side of the street. Does it ever really look any cleaner after they have passed?
We retreat back to room. At 11am, musical cars begins again.

"INITIATION"

2008-09-10T21:14:00.000-05:00

"Excuse me everyone, Can I have your attention? We have a new 'staff' member here. This is Mr. So and So," Warden announces in his usual demeaning tone. Never without his tacky smirk, Warden humiliates another new DOE prisoner. After reading him the riot act and having him sign it, Warden then calls the entire rooms' attention to this unfortunate being. He then leaves him standing awkwardly at the door while the group sizes him up. Like a 'Fish Out of Water,' this teacher is left to navigate the rigid politics of the Rubber Room. Obviously at this point, So and So is feeling pretty bad. EZ walks over and shakes his hand. "Nice to meet you," he says. 3 Seater barely looks up from her laptop. Instead she casually places her shopping bag on to the chair beside her. (Translation- "Don't even think of sitting your butt down over here!") The only thing 3 Seater has been generous with has been her germs. Not only does she have a persistent hacking cough, but someone failed to teach her how to keep them to herself. Ironically, she'd be the first one to raise hell if someone else were coughing. Lucy, a school aide from Chapel Street takes her feet down from a chair, and then offers it to the newbie- thus sacrificing her only foot rest. Newbie passes on the offer and scans the room for a spot less congested. He finally opts for a chair near the doorway.
Remember what the realtor always stressed? Location, location, location. She was definitely on to something. With the room quickly filling up, the goal here is to position yourself where you are not in the way of traffic, not in earshot of the 'Warden', quiet enough to take a siesta and far away from anyone who does not meet up daily with a bar of soap. I am always amazed by the amount of educated people who fail to recognize the value of a shower and a shave...
In his button down shirt and tie, Newbie is now seated at his table in a state of shock. He is definitely not going to settle in anytime today. He hasn't made eye contact with anyone. He is tapping his fingers on the desk and well as shaking his knee up and down. He is not ready to talk. Moocher offers him the newsapaper which he politely declines with a waving gesture. He is definitely not ready to read. Finally, after about an hour, he lies his head on the table and falls into a deep, much needed sleep.

Blogger JUSTICE not "just us" said...

Look, your rubber room has to stop this! By allowing Warden to do this you give him the upper hand. Let them know you, the inmates, control the institution not the other way around. Form a greeting committee to make every newbie welcomed. I know my people were political prisoners(the real deal) and I have learned that in "prison" it is the prisoners who rule.

They can control so far as you let them control you. You have be united!

Political Prisoner on sabbatical

September 14, 2008 3:07 AM

"Politicians are a lot like diapers."

2008-09-07T14:59:00.001-05:00

Custodian -aka "Self Appointed Executor"

2008-09-02T20:30:00.000-05:00

Mr. Custodian used to be just a plain old 'building Custodian'. His only job was to clean and maintain the small, forgotten, rundown building that was once a district office. On any given day, one would find him sweeping the floor, replacing a lightbulb or tending to the lawn. But ever since his building began to house reassigned teachers, Mr. Custodian became 'Mr. Bad',"Self Appointed Executor".
As one might expect, the arrival and presence of the Rubber Room teachers(who are Innocent until proven Guilty) confused the existing DOE employees of the building. In justifying the need to house them, the DOE often referred to the reassigned teachers as "disruptive, dangerous, incompetent, pedophiles, trouble makers and thieves who are a danger to children". It is no wonder that their presence might make the average office supply stealer uneasy. Inevitably, as the days passed by uneventfully, the vulnerability, questions and novelty of these teachers also passed.
However, this was not the case for Mr. Custodian who befriended Mr. Warden, hired supervisor of the reassigned and 'keeper of the notebook'. The two grumpy old men were like two peas in a pod, sharing a common trait of making those around them as miserable as they were. Mr. Warden ( reassigned assistant principal with friends in high places) enjoyed inflicting additional discomfort onto the reassigned teachers who inhabited the Rubber Room. Soon enough, Mr. Bad (and obviously bored) Custodian began to practice his own brand of torture on these people.
"Jeeze, it's hot in here," comments Sketcher.
"Yes, Isn't it hot?" agrees Marley. "Who's going to ask the custodian to turn on the air?" Sketcher inquires.
"You ask him. He likes you," Marley answers, remembering the harsh response he received the last time he had asked.
"Uh-uh, I ain't askin' him. First it's hot, then he turns it on and 20 minutes later it's freezing in here. I don't want to be asking him all day long to turn it off and on. He sees one of us outside and he runs to the corner like he's seen the plague."
"We can't help it if it only runs on two temperatures, sweltering and below icebox," EZ chimes in. "He could adjust it a tiny notch, but no, he just wants to freeze us out. Make us sorry we asked for the air in the first place."
"You guys are scared of the big, bad custodian," Ms. Del teases. This comment drives Sketcher right into the hallway and on a custodian hunt. "Sketcher can't resist a dare."
Mr. Bad Custodian(self appointed executor) shuffles his feet in the hall before coming in. He then takes a look around the room and smiles at us as if he's amused. There he stands with his 'all powerful key" in hand as if he's granting us our last breath. "Are you sure you want the air on?" He asks condescendingly.
"Well it is going to be about 90 degrees today. It's already 85 degrees now," EZ answers. All the while I am thinking, of course we want the air on- you big jerk. We didn't go and get you because we like to watch you smirk at us. It is not your job to decide if and when we are allowed to breath. Just put the damn air on and leave.
Mr. Bad slowly fumbles with his keys, opens up the thermostat box and flips the switch. Then, 1-2-3- he slams the metal box cover down and locks it- as if on spite. He looks up, looks around and shakes his head. Well, that took a lot of effort, I think. It won't be long before 3 Seater wakes up and wants it shut off again. Let the games begin.

JUSTICE not "just us" said...
Mr. C is nothing bu a wannabe insect."He's got the Power."

But you know I have met these characters in the schools as well.

September 7, 2008 2:35 AM

Pissed Off said...
If this weren't true, it would be funny.

And, if it was on tv, no one would believe it.

September 7, 2008 7:25 AM

Fidgety said...
Pissed Off, Thank you... Your comment made me laugh:) Yes, it's definitely sitcom worthy!

September 7, 2008 12:41 PM