Wall to Wall Teachers

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

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

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)

Christmas, Under the Covers.

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...

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."

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..

"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?'

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

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?

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?

"The Insanity"

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...

Bad Apple Bullies

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

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

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...

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

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

Damned if you do Anything.

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...

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...

It's All About Nothing.

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...

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...

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

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!

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"

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 the room. At 11am, musical cars begins again.

"INITIATION"

"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."

Custodian -aka "Self Appointed Executor"

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

It's PASS-OVER for the Reassigned...

Now that summer vacation is over, we dues paying members of the UFT are about to embark on the start of a new school year filled with anticipation and underrated ambition. So, why is this September different from all other Septembers? Perhaps it's because as a reassigned teacher, I've been "PASSedOVER"- (some pun intended).
On all other Septembers there were schedules to be triplicated, supplies to scavenge for, PDs to withstand, copy machines to battle with, parent meetings to schedule and several costly trips to 'Staples'. There were student record cards to decipher, teacher's manuals to dig up and lesson plans to formulate.

On this September, there's no shiny new crayons and no colorful border paper to hang... Absent is the sound of noisy kids and arrogant principals over the loudspeaker. There is just a list of the same old ridiculous rules and an empty room filled with tables and uncomfortable chairs. Time stands still in the Rubber Room. Passover comes early. Some reassigned teachers have been returned to their schools... others-like myself, have been ignored. There is no rhyme or reason to the methods used by the DOE. As a reassigned teacher who has still not received charges, there were no reassuring or concerned calls from my chapter leader this summer. Those stopped months ago No calls from the 'all powerful' Union. No one to say, "Rest easy, everything will work out fine".

For a reassigned teacher, the summer doesn't count in a big way; The timetable for receiving charges from a principal is 'supposed to be' six months from the date of reassignment. However, the clock stops ticking in the summer and resumes its' ticking process in September.
The DOE will conveniently use any excuse to extend ones' time spent in the Rubber Room. For some, the Rubber Room is an all too familiar place. In fact, many I have met are returning for their 2nd or 3rd year without any hope of ever returning to the classroom. Some who have already been 'exonerated' of all charges are deemed 'unhireable' by Human Resources and will reluctantly be sent from one failing school to another.

Didn't I loathe those useless PDs anyway? And- Weren't the lines in STAPLES always much too long to combat? By a show of hands, how many tenured teachers along with myself thought that when and if the dreaded day came that a child or parent accused you of the unthinkable, your union would have your back? We can all put our hands down now.

How does one spend months in the Rubber Room, enjoy a beautiful summer of freedom and then prepare themselves to once again sit and do nothing?
I am not about to give advice because the truth is, nothing can make this situation okay...The only moments that are pleasant for me is when I stop beating myself up. Bring your comfy chair from home, soft fleece blanket and neck support pillow. And that book you swore you were going to read over the summer? Bring that one. Heck, bring the other one too. Bring your DVD player, your Ipod and your laptop. And- don't forget your extension cords and adapters. Think LONGEVITY. Being comfortable doesn't hurt either. Sweatpants,running shoes, flip flops and clean white socks. We're talking "long run" here. Think COMFORT. It may sound crazy, but this place ultimately defines "boredom". Without a survival plan, expect to slowly deteriorate. After all, That is the DOE's plan. Fall apart and quit...No, no, no. Not me.

Certainly this is not something I have ever thought about before. Having always been a "good little teacher" who did as I was told, who knew? I was the one who thought it could never happen to me. Hey, at least someone is happy... -the 22 year old who is filling my position.

We Just Got Here.

With a smile, Captain Smile announced: "First I want to welcome you all here today and...Please don't take this personally men but this is about the boys bathroom, so you ladies are off the hook. 'So & So' from upstairs (Gestapo Suit Man) inquired if those teachers (we,the reassigned) downstairs are back yet...
You know, some people just don't understand who you are. I tried to explain to him that you aren't here to make any trouble so please keep it clean. He was complaining about some paper he saw on the floor. So, I assured him that you'd keep the bathroom clean."
It took all of one half hour before the Gestapo Suit Man blamed the 'mess' in the "Boys" bathroom on the men in the Rubber Room.

More Mayoral Control..."It's Good to be King"

Found this article on 'Ed in the Apple' -check it out.

and this...Backers of Mayoral Control See a Tough Education Fight
By ELIZABETH GREEN, Staff Reporter of the Sun |

"They Don't Own Your Soul"

I called the UFT today to inquire about the status of my Reassignment. I want to know if anyone at the DOE has looked at my file as of yet. I want to know if there are any decent, civil human(e) beings working for the DOE who might care that I have been sent to the rubber room due to events that the principal of my school could have easily prevented. I know I should be doing something to help myself in addition to just staring at 4 cement walls, but what? I was reassigned in March of 2007. To say that my life has 'changed' since then would be an understatement. Let's just say it's been an 'eye opener'.

After one month in the rubber room, I was called to report to OSI (the Office of Special Investigations) and told my story to an investigator. I was confident that after hearing the events that led to my reassignment, (which were beyond my control) I would be cleared of all charges and returned to my school immediately. Surely, any person with half a brain would recognize that with good management, these events would have never occurred. I was told that the UFT would be contacted when the investigator has a response. A response? -Should I expect a response? -When?

"Nothing yet", I was told in April. "Don't call us, we'll call you when we know something. All you can do now is wait to hear from us", I was told by the UFT in May. "If you don't hear from us, it's because there is nothing to tell you". That was in June. I'm thinking that maybe they lost my file. It is now the end of August and the idea of returning to the rubber room is haunting me in my sleep.

Sooo, I called the UFT today and after being put on hold and passed around a few times, this nice lady, aka "B" got on the phone. "Sorry, so and so is on vacation. What is this about? Oh, so you had one of Bloomberg's principals. I'm so sorry to hear that. Yes, I understand it's been four months and noone has contacted you. No. Sorry, he is not here either. Let me find out when he is coming in....(silence).... Oh, he should be returning on the 25th of August. Let me see if anyone has heard anything....(silence).... Sorry, I cannot tell you anything about your case. No, I don't have access to those files. So and so is handling it and he is the only one who has access to those records. He is the only one who knows the status. I can give you his voicemail if you'd like."
"Are you referring to the new agreement between the UFT and the DOE? Well, that will take some time to begin and because there is a backlog of people whose cases need to be heard, it will take some time before we will see its' positive effects. Yes, I understand that you want to get back to your school. You know, not everyone does. You're one of the few. Yes, I know, but the UFT is protecting you. You're getting paid aren't you?"
At this point of my frustration, I went on to tell her about the lack of space in the Rubber room and my concerns about rubbing shoulders with some of the questionable characters that I must cohabitate with. "Yes, they should separate the outside arrests from the in-school incidents. Well in the meantime, you can read, study, write. Listen to music. Do whatever you like. They may be able to keep you there, but remember, They Don't Own Your Soul. "No", I said. "They can't take that". Teary eyed, I thanked "B" for her time - and when I hung up, I sat down and had a good cry.


Eric said...
I'm sorry your having problems with your reassignment. However, you are doing exactly what the DOE wants you to feel. Like shit!

Your blog is an example how to fight back. Complain, challenge, and put the DOE on the defensive by showing how they are abusing you.

Be strong and continue blogging. The DOE does not like teachers bloggers because they expose the DOE for what it really is. A self-interest group that cares little of education.


Eventually, the truth will come out and the DOE will be the one having to do the explaining to do.

August 21, 2008 4:08 PM


Fidgety said...
Thanks for your encouragement. Hopefully that day will come.

August 22, 2008 12:30 AM


JUSTICE not "just us" said... "Don't mourn--Organize!!!"

Fight with every fiber of your being. Write or e-mail every pig politician you can. Contact every stinkin rag that calls itself a newspaper in this heartless city. Keep on blogging. Get in the best shape of your life--physically and mentally.

Tell everyone that you know that you are "a political prisoner" in the Rubber Room with the emphasis that you done nothing illegal or immoral. Tell everyone that you know that you do not even have an outstanding parking ticket to your name. Mention that while you sit in the rubber room your students don't have a permanent and stable teacher in front of them.

Remember that in other parts of this sorry planet they imprision and kill educators and that you still live in a country where you can fight back. I AM WITH YOU!

August 23, 2008 9:48 AM


Worst Nightmare said...
Fidgety,
Don't expect any sense from either the DoE or the UFT. Both are colluding to put you in this situation.
Both are sadists. Both will do their utmost to take away your method of earning a living.

Because OSI is investigating you they have 6 months to charge under 3020a laws. The minute your six months expires you must act by filing a grievance and a complaint against both the Union and the DoE in court.
They will be in violation of the law.
Since the arbitrators are biased and corrupt and the union is complicit in this torture, don't expect anything remotely approaching justice in a hearing designed to relieve you of your teaching license.

They don't care whether your guilty or innocent. They want you gone for two novice teachers for your salary.
The union gets two newbies who will pay twice your dues. Since they won't be tenured they won't have to do anything to help them should they end up falsely imprisoned and tortured as you have.

Don't expect anyone with reasonable intelligence or compassion to be helping or adjudicating your case.
This is the same as the nazi show trials. It is a corrupt kangaroo court and a total abuse of your 1,5th,and 14th ammendment rights.
The fact that the union asshole didn't throw in
" your getting your benefits" is a total departure from their usual crap that they mouthe with all of the other meaningless platitudes.
When you really get screwed, such as terminated, suspended without pay, or fined, they will say " I wouldn't want to be in your shoes."
That must be page 256, subsection C in their play book. Another perennial favorite of mine is "this is the climate."
You have entered a surreal kafkesque twighlight zone. Nobody but fellow inmates in the DoE concentration camps will identify with and understand you.
As for the real marginal and criminal types that you are forcibly incarcerated with, this just shows what the UFT and DoE think of you.

Nothing you did for these bastards ever will come to mean anything to them. The countless lives you touched and kids you helped don't mean a thing to them.

You, as I, are anachronisms, dinosaurs to this youth worship culture. The only thing they do is what the eskimo's would do to their elders and infirm. Coldly and callously set them adrift on ice flows.
The only way to go out is swinging. If you settle for nothing now, then you will settle for nothing later!
Your only option is to pick up your axe and fight like a warrior.
Kick the living shit out of them. Let them pay attention after a resounding shot across the bows.
SUE THEM!! Sue anyone who has caused this catastrophe. Make them eat, sleep and breathe this nightmare.

Force them to put down $7,500 initial retainers to attempt to protect themselves and their assets from your onslaught.
They will shrink in the face of you taking their houses and bank accounts. In this era of "accountability" let them hold the bag.
Take heart, you are not the only good human being involved in this war. Show them who you are and why its stupid to mess with you!
The UFT and DoE's worst nightmare:
THE UGLY UNVARNISHED TRUTH!
And To Reich Fuhrer Klein and Randi' horseface Swinegarten, I say
Fuck you very much! Something Wicked This Way Comes!

August 23, 2008 6:45 PM


Pissed Off said...
Good luck. I really feel for you. I know from reading blogs like yours that no one is safe anymore. I pity all the young kids starting out. I'm glad I can leave whenever I want.

August 23, 2008 7:17 PM


windhover said...
I agree with worst nightmare--get a lawyer and SUE!!! Then contact your local politicians--many of them hate Bloomberg, and even though most of them are useless, you must make as much noise as possible--something is bound to happen when enough of us complain! Good luck to you--I feel your pain!

windhover

August 24, 2008 2:07 PM

Teacher Advocacy Group NYC (TAGNYC): Advice to 3020a Participants

Teacher Advocacy Group NYC (TAGNYC): Advice to 3020a Participants

What if principals acted like leaders?

A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.
- General of the Armies John J. Pershing

Leaders encourage others to continue the quest and inspire others through courage and hope. Leaders give heart by visibly recognizing others' contributions to the common vision. With a thank you note, a smile, an award, and public praise, the leader lets others know how much they mean to the organization.
-Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge

The boss drives people; the leader coaches them. The boss depends on authority; the leader on good will. The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm. The boss says I; The leader says WE. The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown. The boss says, GO; the leader says Lets GO!
-H. Gordon Selfridge