One day to go!

Oh, the death of the ATR pool was greatly exaggerated. That according to the Post and everyone's favorite bastion of education reporting, Chalkbeat. 

The plan was originally if you were placed in a school the entire year and and received either an effective or highly effect MOTP you were to be automatically placed in said school. And something about not facing discipline.

But think about it. With all the craziness of this year, with not enough teachers at the beginning of the year, or through the year, an ATR was a godsend to the principals. They needed bodies.And ATRs provided the bodies. ATRs were seen basically as useful idiots. 

But now with the supposed grand reopening of school in September the ATRs are not needed. In particular, ATRs who have been naughty and don't make wads of cash. Oh, and those ATRs with institutional knowledge. 

Why would a principal want an ATR like that in their building? We gave up our seniority transfer in 2005 because principals want control. Sometime in the last ten years, I forget, ATRs were going to be forced place and the principals and their union were up in arms. Why should things be any different this time? 

And of course nothing changes with the Post and Chalkbeat bashing ATRs. 

From the Post...

And now teachers assigned to this pool, including some who really shouldn’t be teaching at all, will be given positions back in front of classrooms.

And from Chalkbeat (Christina Vega) using six year old data...

About one in five scored one of the bottom three rankings, according to data from the 2015-16 school year, the most recent the education department has shared publicly.  

But let's give her credit where credit is due. She did get one thing correct...

Teachers in the pool also tend to be more senior, and therefore earn higher salaries, creating a disincentive for principals to hire them. 

It would have been swell if Ms Vega bothered to spend some time speaking to ATRs. But I would guess that would be to difficult. 

Fixing the ATR problem is easy. Read it right here. It can be fixed. 

Being an ATR is like being in purgatory, actually Jewish purgatory. We are not wicked. Nor or we righteous. We are good people as well as teachers who have made mistakes. And learned from mistakes. 

...whose virtues and sins counterbalance one another shall go down to Gehenna and float up and down until they rise purified; for of them it is said: 'I will bring the third part into the fire and refine them as silver is refined, and try them as gold is tried'

 

In this corner we have remote teachers. In the other corner we have in person teachers. And in the center of the ring we have the New York Post stirring the shit pot and and pitting teachers against one another. 

This story, which myself and The Crack team believe was planted by the DOE starts off, not with a teacher kvetching, but rather a DOE official. Chances are it's some ass kissing,
narcissistic,  incompetent (And if male has some serious physical Freudian shortcomings) administrator with serious people issues.

 Article starts off....

“Teachers who work in-person are all raging right now,” one DOE official said. 

“They’re all pissed because they feel they’re getting the short end of the stick in here everyday getting exposed while people are sitting home in their jammies,” the staffer seethed. 

“I just feel they should be forced to come back [after getting the vaccine]. Right now there’s many people before them that are in direct exposure that should’ve been entitled to receive the vaccine first.”

Who says they are raging? Where is this DOE official getting this from?  If this source is an administrator, are they quoting some pimply face, runny nose newbie teacher whining that they can't boogie down in Manhattan anymore? 

But to say we are all in our jammies? How gauche! In fact, how unoriginal. Claim we're all in our underwear. At least lie that way. But seriously folks. We get up, we get dressed. We eat breakfast. We go to work. My dad worked from home from the time I was in 3rd grade. Not once did was he at his desk or on his phone in his jammies. 

How do you know that there aren't remote teachers that want to come back to work? Duh. But it won't happen as fast as some would like. From what I have read (And I could be wrong) it could be 3-4 weeks before before one is at full immunity. And that's after the second shot! Lest we forget 4 weeks go by between shots. That goes for everyone. 

One Brooklyn teacher said the request to “wait for further guidance” hasn’t stopped remote workers from signing up for the booster. 

“Remote people are already scheduling their appointments, they had the luxury of being home and were able to refresh [the page] and find appointments today,” 

Yeah, it hasn't stopped remote teachers, and it shouldn't have stopped unnamed Brooklyn teacher. As I stated on Sunday a SBSB groupie shared a link with me Saturday night around 9:30. Unnamed Brooklyn teacher had the same opportunity. Unnamed Brooklyn teacher had all day Sunday to sign up. Did unnamed Brooklyn teacher sign up? Nope. 

You want something bad enough you do it. In 2007 my then 6 year old son wanted a Wii for Christmas. I got up at 4 AM and got to Target by 4:45. I wanted to get it bad enough for him. See how it's done? 

The same unnamed Brooklyn teacher continued to whine... “Remote people are already scheduling their appointments, they had the luxury of being home and were able to refresh [the page] and find appointments today,” the teacher, who works in-person, griped to The Post. 

Again, where were you on Saturday night and ALL DAY SUNDAY? There is no one you could have entrusted to sign up for you? This couldn't be done on your lunch? Prep? Whilst on the commode? Excuses and whining is all this unnamed Brooklyn teacher can do.

And lastly, an administrator came up with the whine of the day:

“Wish I could give my spot to my mom who’s [in her 70s],” the administrator said, calling the vaccination system “not organized.”

My 79 year old step mother signed up Sunday and received shot on Monday morning. Enough said. 

The DOE said “employees working remotely have been directed to wait for further guidance.”

We're not waiting for further guidance. Why? We suffer from heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, etc... If we don't have suffer from these, then a loved one we live with suffers from these ailments. We are not doing anything wrong, illegal, or unethical. We are following CDC guidelines which the UFT and the DOE agree upon. For those whining about teachers teaching remotely, do you really think it is that easy? Walk a mile in our shoes before you complain. Oh, and I don't wear my jammies but I usually walk around in socks. Last week I stepped in a big wet hairball deposited by Sparkles.  

And let me add. Any teacher who that is in a building and does have one of the CDC comorbidities, you have the right to go ahead of any able bodied teacher as well.

But in retrospect I think it was the DOE all along that wants the teachers in buildings to get vaccine and the UFT went along with it. Sound familiar? Why spend time and medicine on the sick? Just separate the teachers as we get off the 4 train. Those that can work go to the right, those that can't go to the ovens. 

I have no intention of becoming a statistic. Nor should anyone become a statistic. Whether able bodied or with a susceptibility. I don't want to wind up on this list nor do I want to see any teachers on it as well. I know people on this list. My dear friend Chaz is on this list, and I miss him terribly. 

If you are a remote teacher, or a teacher in a school that is vulnerable, you have every right to get a shot NOW. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones. You are no good to them dead. I was raised to believe that we help our most needy and most vulnerable ahead of ourselves. Doesn't the time call for this? 

This Post article was clearly planted by the DOE to sow division amongst teachers and to discourage remote teachers to get vaccinated soon. Perhaps the DOE is wished us to die off? 

There is enough crap on Twitter and social media, by NYC teachers with fake Bronx accents stabbing remote teachers in the back with wacky theories and what not. 

Oh, it'll help if the UFT gets involved in this. Maybe at tomorrow's DA?

 I still don't think the school buildings are opening September 10. Yes, the UFT threatened astrike and/or job action (sick out). I don't think it will get to that point either. But that is a story for another blog post. 

 But Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber are completely fucking this so called grand reopening up and  losing allies along the way. They have painted themselves into a corner and either too stupid, too incompetent, or just thick headed to see that the ship is sinking around them. That they can only save themselves. Or have someone save them.

That person, Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber believed was to swoop down from above and save their sorry asses is Governor Andy Cuomo. Governor Cuomo in their little minds was to be there Dark Knight and force the UFT to have teachers report. Guess what? It ain't going to happen. 

Today, on the Today Show, and according to the Post, Cuomo...

..said he had his “fingers crossed” that Big Apple schools are ready to open safely — but admitted he is not sure he’d send his own kids to one in the city.

“I would have a lot of questions,” Cuomo admitted on the “Today” show when asked if he would send his children to New York City public schools amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a risky proposition no matter how you do it, let’s be honest. We’ve seen schools open — we’ve seen colleges open — and get into trouble in one week. So there’s a lot of questions to answer,” he said.

Asked how confident he was that they were actually ready to reopen, he said, “Fingers crossed on all of this.”

Governor Cuomo knows it's over for Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber. He's prepping them. Or prepping us. But he's getting the bus ready. He's throwing both under. He won't have their incompetence sully his already sullied hands. 

The question is, does Cuomo do this bus throwing publicly, or in private? Let's hope and pray that it is a nice public throwing under the bus. I think this was his plan all along. 

Or, and I just thought of this. Will DeBlasio suck up enough to put the entire blame on Carranza and drive the bus? Either way, someone is going under that bus.

I said it back on June 30 and I will say it again. My gut feeling is that building will not reopen in September, and it will be 100% remote learning for the time being. 

I am not going to even bother going over the myriad of cohort schemes that the DOE has come up with in splitting up classes and school for safe distance learning and whatnot. In a system so large, this cohort plan to too cumbersome and will be too burdensome on the families. 

The much maligned schedule, hopefully this is just a trial balloon or some type of prototype but a one size fits all 1,800 schools is not workable. Worse, was the silence from the UFT in putting this forward. Again, this is where the UFT still continues to have problems with the rank and file. This schedule appears to have been completed in a vacuum. Who was involved? Were teachers involved? What other choices were presented to the UFT as well as the DOE? And once again, a change to the contract was not presented to the membership to be voted on. I for one am tired of this. This must end now, not sometime soon. Especially with what happening now, nothing in education is static anymore. Life and education are now fluid. The UFT must change with the times. 

I don't believe a word the DOE says. Right now I am giving the benefit of the doubt to the UFT.

So what makes me think the buildings won't reopen?

Two hundred thousand students will start off the year remotely. Where are all the extra teachers coming from? Schools are going to need extra teachers in the schools, right? They're going to need just as many extras if not more doing remote learning.

We still don't know how many teachers will receive medical accommodations to teach from home. The New York Post has speculated that 80% of teachers at Stuyvesant High School will receive accommodations. What if that's the same in every building? What is the demarcation line for a school and teachers being remote? Do we know if medical is processing the accommodation requests without quotas for each and every school?

The school buildings are disgusting. Some of these buildings are over 100 years old. That means there is 100 years of rat doody, dead vermin, dead cockroaches, etc... lying within the floors and wherever. And if that gunk hasn't ever been cleaned what makes anyone think the buildings will be thoroughly cleaned every single night. Where is the extra custodial staff coming from? The extra monies to clean and disinfect? The safety materials for the custodial staff? Too many questions, zero answers. 

 Plus, there is not enough ventilation in the buildings. Some windows don't open. Some air conditioners, if a school has them, don't work. Are the proper filters installed? If so, how do we know?

The lack of nurses. Mulgrew has drawn a line in the sand with this one and I hope he keeps to it. He said if every school doesn't have a nurse then teachers will not report. As of now, I believe, there are 85 nurses without a school nurse. And no one cares if you train someone for a day and give them the duties of a nurse. They aren't nurses. 

The monitoring of students and staff. Did I read this right? Mommies will determine whether or not junior has symptoms? The same mommies who send junior to school with snot dripping out of his nose? Oh yeah, there are to be temperature checks outside the school buildings in the mornings. By whom? For whom? With what training will these temperatures be taken? Won't that cause a non social distancing situation outside the building? This would seem to take up quite a bit of time. 

All it takes is one. It takes one child to get sick, one child to die and there will be a shit storm. The city doesn't want a shit storm. And the parents will pull their children in a nano second. Then again in Carranza and De Blasio you have two thick headed bone heads.

Which leads me back to...

As I said earlier, I am giving the UFT the benefit of the doubt thus far. I do not think that that it is time(nor is it a fair comparison) for emulate Chicago and Los Angeles. Nor is it time for  Mulgrew to go all radical on the DOE.

Think of a poker game. The UFT has a flush, and Carranza and De Blasio are holding different cards of different suits and keep on raising. Why the fuck should the UFT call? Let the Carranza and De Blasio keep fucking up. And guess what? They will. Why use a hammer when a chisel will do? Mulgrew is p3wning both these dolts. Let him.

If and when Mulgrew declares that staff can't (not will not) report, the teachers will come out as the benefactors and protectors of the schools and students. Carranza and De Blasio will look like schmucks. This isn't Chicago or Los Angeles. Yes, those cities are big but not nearly as important. All eyes are on New York City right now. 

 I'm not rationalizing anything. I'm not shilling. This is how I feel. 

Twiddledumb and Twiddledumber should have been planning for full and comprehensive remote learning as well as proper professional development. They've both been caught with their underwear down around the knees. It's time to bring the undies down to their ankles.

 Update #2 4/20/20 I accidentally deleted this post and now re-posting and re-posting original comments but those comments will be listed as today. 

Update#1 4/20/20 The Crack Team erroneously believed Mulgrew never commented on the budget cuts but found he had last week in the Post.


So cuts to the DOE's budget are on it's way. James Eterno went right to the horses mouth here. Meanwhile, what do we get from 52 Broadway? Thus far? Crickets chirping. Yes, Mulgrew did comment, but we here at SBSB believe it was the wrong forum to comment.

We also got a nice video giving us a pat on the back as well as health care workers. Nice.

But what of the silence lack of sharing with the rank and file emanating from 52 Broadway on budget cuts. Some of them, to be truthful, who cares. But there are several places within the DOE that can be cut and should be cut. Tweed, 65 Court St, Zerega Ave, Fordham Plaza, and whatever other borough support places there are.

How much redundancy are there at these places? How much dead wood? How many unqualified people are there?

For instance, likes take a gander at former chief of staff for Deputy Chancellor Cheryl Watson Harris, Sean Corlett.

I had the unfortunate experience of teaching with Sean for two years. Sean could not control a classroom. Sean could barely teach. Sean came to the DOE through Teach for America. Sean showed how much he cared for the students of the Bronx by doing his minimum two years and then somehow got a gig at Tweed back in 2013.

Sean did excel at two things, though. Kissing ass and throwing other teachers in his grade under the bus. In retrospect, one can say he is eminently qualified to work at Tweed.


Check out Sean's LinkedIn page. In 2013 he started his rise at Tweed as...
and listed the cuts

 Education Officer - Career Development, Teacher Recruitment and Quality

Whatever that is?

But Sean made great money. According to SeethroughNY Sean made some good scratch the last two years.

Not bad? Ass kissing and being a rat will take you far.

But Sean is a symptom of the monies being spend by the DOE. But yet Tweed and Court St will remain bloated as cut are made to the school and what we hear from 52 Broadway will just be feigned shock.

Instead of showing good time happy commercials, there should be commercials explaining to the stakeholders of the DOE how much will be cut from their children's education and how the DOE is bloated up top. Seize the initiative. This is the time to do it. As people are losing their jobs and the have no idea what the future holds, now is the time to show how the upper echelon of the DOE is spending THEIR money. Get out ahead of the story UFT and be proactive!! Ask yourself WWPLD (What Would Pat Lynch Do) if the NYPD faced these cuts?

We know that the cuts that DeBlasio came out with can and will change. But wouldn't it be nice that our union shows us, the stakeholders, that they are on top of things?

Praise be to God Sean Corlett is no longer with the DOE having left in February for NYU. Godspeed to those who work with him.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'll criticize the UFT when I must and praise it when I should. I will support the always support the union, and I will support the UFT against any outside agitators any time, any where.

Having said that, I will also admit when I unfairly criticize the UFT as I did yesterday (Updated today with correction). Mulgrew spoke with the Post rightly upset and indigent about the proposed cuts. We here at SBSB did not do our due diligence and several members of The Crack Team have been summarily disciplined.

But I still stand by what I said in how I believe the union should react to the budget cuts. That I will not waiver on. It is time the UFT takes off the kid gloves. Stop with the crap line, "Well, at least we have a seat at the table." Yeah right, I had a seat at the table, the kids table until I turned 13 at Passover. That's the table we--as a union--have sat ourselves at time and time again.

Mulgrew says that the DOE..."according to its own filing with the state, the New York City school system spends more than $6 billion every year on central administration...To the extent that DOE cuts become necessary, that’s the first place the city should be looking,”

Show us, Mike. Without naming names (for now) show every position with every salary and how every redundant job there is. Go a step further, break down every position to whether or not a union or non-union position. Which positions are at will? Which positions do those serve at the pleasure of the mayor and/or the chancellor? Which positions, in the opinion of a blue ribbon panel put together by the UFT, are filled by completely unqualified suck ups?

Once as something like mentioned above is complete, take the information and with membership, the city council, and the DOE and then be gone of the dead wood. If that doesn't work, then name names to rank and file, the press and the stakeholders.

You know what else Mulgrew can do? Demand that the chancellor, all the deputy chancellors, first deputy super duper secret supervisory executive grand poobah chancellors, all the superintendents, all the deputy superintendents take across the board temporary pay cuts post haste! And lest we forget, all the other at will hangers on at Tweed like the useless chiefs of staff.

After that is done go over each and every contract with each and every vendor with the DOE with a fine tooth comb. Time to prune that gravy train. Again, look for the redundancies. Look for the questionable contracts that someone somewhere is getting a kickback. Renegotiate all contracts with all vendors. Get a better price.

These are just some ideas that we have been kicking around here at SBSB. There are plenty more and The Crack Team is hard at work, staying up late and will share ideas as they come out. 

Lastly, the UFT needs to come out ahead of the curve. Be proactive 24/7. Show Mulgrew with the stakeholders. Make commercials with Mulgrew telling the communities that it is the UFT and not the DOE that cares most about the students. That the UFT is dead set against any draconian cuts and that first and foremost the DOE must shed dead wood. Mulgrew must now seize the opportunity to go into communities and meet with families and listen to them. Show people how much the UFT truly cares (There are so many fine decent people I know personally at the UFT that I believe will be on board in each community to facilitate this).

Hold pressers in front of Tweed with parents and students by Mulgrew's side lambasting the waste coming out of Tweed. Take the show to 65 Court St and do the same. And then to each and every borough support center or whatever it is called nowadays.

Grab the DOE by it's balls and don't let go. It'll be hard work but it will pay off on the long run. An opportunity like this might never come again.

Oh, the New York Post is at it again blaming and shaming teachers for the ills of the NYC
educational system. In the minds of the Post, "If only those gosh darn fucktard teachers will all drop dead the students of New York will learn." To which one can respond, "Fuck you Post!"

This past Sunday, the Post had its second hit piece on teachers in three weeks. It must have been a slow couple of weeks at the Post. One can hazard to guess there were no stories about how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez uses only one ply bathroom tissue or that she puts mayo on a brisket sandwich. Heaven forbid!!

No, but let's denigrate teachers some more thinks the Post. And especially naughty, dirty teachers who went through the process and an arbitrator found (They kept their jobs) in the favor.

I am not going to comment on these teachers cases nor post their names. They had their day in Kangaroo Court and the city fucked up the cases or didn't do their due diligence.

Let's have a look...

But blundering educrats called investigators too late

The alleged victim recanted,

The DOE did not appeal the decision in court.

Why not take the DOE to task? If one goes to a restaurant and the food sucks, does one blame the waiters or the person who selected the ingredients and cooked the food?

Back on October 19 the Post had it's 345,988th article that basically said the same thing...

"ATRs suck, ATRs are costing the city gazillions of dollars, all ATRs should be banished to an uninhabited island, start a new culture, and kill themselves off like they did in Lord of the Flies, yada, yada..." 

Yeah, we know the story. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Ok? We get it already!!

And to top it off, the Post interviews the Clown from Solidarity (See! I am not mentioning his name!!!) that has never met a camera, video, or recorder in which he can't blabber about himself. And he can't even get the quote right.

Hey, I am happy for the Clown from Solidarity in getting a full time gig. All the more power to him. But he just couldn't help making his quote all about himself instead of saying something like...

"While I am fortunate that I have been able to leave the ATR pool, I will not rest until all my ATR brothers and sisters find a permanent home and teachers across the city are treated as professionals and adults." 

But that is just a fantasy I have. It'll never happen. But a leopard will never change its spots.

Why doesn't the Post do an expose on all the incompetent and corrupt principals across the city who instead of being terminated are instead whisked off to the safety of Tweed or 65 Court St after they are caught cheating, advocating pot smoking, cooking the books, stealing, banging their secretaries or so many other misdeeds? And the funny thing is that these cushy gigs these principals get aren't vacancies. These gigs are created! Like, "Director of InterBorough School Book Distribution," or "Executive Superintendent for Pre-3 College Readiness."

Nah, it'll never happen.

Principal Ben Sherman, who joined Forest Hills in 2017, shrugs off the pot-puffing — saying “it’s going to be legal” anyway, teachers complain. So this says in the New York Post this past Sunday. 

Yet, Principal Sherman remains on the job.

Let's play make believe. Regular guy teacher at Forest Hills High Aaron Rabinowitz is quoted in the Post saying the same exact words with the same flippant attitude.

Yep, you are right. Aaron would be exiled to the Rubber Room posthaste, have 20 stipulations in his 3020-a and risk his 23 year career go down the drain.

Or let's pretend this didn't happen at Forest Hills High. Instead in our pretend, make believe world, this quote was uttered by the principal of Scarsdale High School to the Journal News. Anyone care to guess what would happen?

The parents would be up in arms. The school board would convene an emergency session. The auditorium at the HS during the emergency meeting would be packed with irate parents. Some will have large signs demanding the principal be removed and terminated while others would be hanging the principal in effigy.

So why is Ben Sherman still principal and the teacher and Scarsdale principal are screwed? Several reasons.

Remember, everything is always the teacher's fault. Even though we just serve the crap that is given to us by administration. But in the bigger deal is why a principal in NYC can get away with this and not in Scarsdale.

In NYC there are low expectations from on high all the way up to the chancellor. These are urban kids they say. Some will say (and mind you this is from admins through the schmucks at Tweed and Court St), "These kids are going nowhere," or "These are kids of color who cares if they are stone all day. At least they are calm."

I was amazed when my son was in 2nd grade and I saw the math work he was doing and the math work in my school. My son's work was challenging. Not so in the Bronx. Low expectations.

In Scarsdale there are parents that are involved, that knows their rights and knows how they can influence educational policy. Where have the parents of Forest Hills High been on this?

For the most part the parents in NYC are either afraid to speak out, don't know they can speak out, or intimidated into not speaking out. This is why all the ed deform and testing starts in urban schools and not the suburbs.

One more thing. The principal in Scarsdale would be fired. Ben Sherman is looking at a nice cushy desk job at Tweed.

Dang. Our venerable UFT Presidenté Mike Mulgrew was in the Post yesterday. It seems that he has accepted...

...two tickets worth a total of $1,250 in 2012, and two tickets worth $1,300 in 2013. In 2014, he received $2,700 in tickets. In 2015 and 2016, he got tickets worth $1,500 each year.

That's a total of (Hang on The Crack Team is crunching the numbers.) $8,250. Who did he get these tickets from? According to the New York Post these tickets were obtained through.

a that firm represents the UFT and other city unions in litigation. In 2017, it collected $2.9 million in legal fees from the UFT...Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, the firm that collected $15.5 million in fees from the UFT in that time.

Yes, I get it. The UFT needs a law firm to do whatever it does. Virginia LoPreto, while probably less costly, can't do everything herself. I also understand that a business wishes to reward clients and throws them tickets. My dad had a business for years, and he would get tickets for his clients as well. It's the price of doing business.

But running a union, especially the UFT where time and time again it's leaders come across as tone deaf to the masses this is bad optics. James Eterno as quoted on the Post article as saying...

“It doesn’t pass the smell test. Your average teacher isn’t getting these kinds of perks — and nor should our union leaders.”

No, it doesn't James. Yes, Mulgrew can do this, but should he? That is the bigger question.

Just as out to lunch is Stoock partner Charles Moerdler who said he was unaware of the ticket exchange and went on to say...

“We have season tickets to a whole variety of sporting events, and we give them to clients who ask for them.”

So Uncle Mike asked for US Open tickets? Why? I used to the men's finals every year when  when I was a kid. I had to sit through a 5 1/2 hour match between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe in 1980 (I think).

Sorry Norm, no raffle for winter coats. Technically, myself and every single UFT member are clients of Stroock. I am putting my request for tickets to Mr Moerdler. Other UFT members should do the same. Let's see if he comes through.

In order of preference this is my wish list I will present (I will accept two tickets please.).

Super Bowl LIII (I will find my own way to Atlanta.)

Opening Night (Can you believe? Game is scheduled at 6:35!) for Yankees April 1. If game is moved to the afternoon please disregard. And no substituting with Opening Day Mets tickets. I only watch Major League baseball. 

Giants vs Cowboys last game of 2018 and possible Eli's last game as a Giant. 

Any home Rangers game or a Devil's game. 

The 2020 US Open (golf) at Winged Foot. Final round. Mickelson might finally atone for his 2006 disaster.

2019 Masters.

Knicks or Nets home game. 

Islanders, only at the Coliseum. 

Oh, if Rush somehow starts touring again, Rush moves to top of the line.

If Mr Moerdler is kind enough to give me four tickets, I will take two UFT along with myself and my son. Beers on me. 

With Janus looming over the UFT and all public sector unions like the sword of Damocles the optics of our union leaders must improve.

Here we go again.

In yesterday's Post there is a story about an ATR, who escaped war in Bosnia only to walk into another one within the NYCDOE.

This, according to the Post, is some of what happened to Aida Sehic...

"...rampaging pupils broke her nose with a bag of metal rulers, stabbed her with a mechanical pencil, demanded sex acts, trashed her classroom and hurled epithets at her including “white bitch.’’

Of course, guess whose fault this was? The system? The DOE? The schools in which she taught? The administrators? The students? The students parents? Nah.

It was, of course, the teacher herself. Heck, Aida even tried to take the high road in attempting to appeal to one student's mother only to have the student retort back...

“...When my mother comes in tomorrow, she’ll deck you,”

Aida reached out to anyone and everyone she could. The DOE, NYPD, and the UFT. She got nowhere other than being brought up on 3020-a charges in 2016 for incompetence.

Isn't it possible, that the constant threat to one's physical well being, the constant fear for one's safety, just might have an affect on one's pedagogy?

Aida was excessed in 2011. She has been teaching since 1999. Three schools, IS 218 in the Bronx, MS 322 in Manhattan (School site and Inside Schools), IS 143 (Which was closed for poor performance according to Inside Schools) in the Bronx were the schools where she was abused.

Anyway, Aida was lucky. I guess. She kept her job. She was fined, $7,500. But she could have lost her life at any moment and left her two children without a mom. As one colleague shared with me who had been through something very similar to what Aida had been through...

"Wait until a teacher is killed. It's coming, people."

I don't think so. I hope not! But sadly, if it did happen, I would not be surprised.

But something is bothering me more. I am not upset at the lack of any action by the DOE or the NYPD.What I'm upset about and sadly not surprised at all is the lack of any action by the UFT. 

Why would the UFT ignore this teacher's desperate pleas for help? Where was an action team from the UFT when Aida needed one? Where were her chapter leaders? District leaders? 

This story was in in yesterday's Post. It was on the Post's website Tuesday night. Today is Thursday, September 13.Where is a statement, a communique, and email to the rank and file in support of Aida and calling for outrage against the DOE for the way her situation was handled? Something. Anything?

But I'm able to get a robocall last night at 7 PM from the UFT imploring me to vote for Cuomo and his crew. And then, guess what? I got another robocall this afternoon (As did many other teachers) again requesting that I sell my soul for Cuomo. WTF????

The UFT has time for this inane electioneering for Cuomo but doesn't have the inclination nor the time to have a teacher's back? What the F*** gives? If Aida were a cop, Patrick Lynch (as much as I think he is a turd) would be front and center having her back!!

But not our union. Not the union we no longer have to pay $100 a month to (even though I will).

Well, Aida has filed a federal lawsuit. Good for her. Even better, she has hired Bryan Glass as her attorney. She can't go wrong there. She is damn good hands. Get some fuck you money from the DOE.

We, each and every teacher, must fight back in a united method against the UFT.

The "Children First" slogan espoused by the NYCDOE and all it's sycophantical toadies is such a load of bullshit. Well, yeah, that's not a major revelation, now is it?

I have just spent this rotation, since December 4, co-teaching with another ATR, A 5th grade class. Including myself and the ATR this class was on it's 3rd teacher this year. The teacher they had at the beginning of the year suddenly quit. That teacher was replaced by an ATR who was rotated out and then us. On Monday, teacher(s) #4 take over.

So one wonders why this is a rough class? I had to spend time not only building trust but building and maintaining my expectations along with catching the students up with the rest of the students in their grade.These students are 5th graders in the Bronx. The are brought into this world to be skeptical, to know the difference between shit and shinola.

Then there was Danny Noonan. Danny is ADHD and smart as a whip. He, alone among his classmates, would call out the utter bullshit that they have not had consistency in their classroom's teaching position the entire school year. He was right.

Danny was a challenge. He challenged and tested me right up until the end. The first week with him was tough. But I was me did what I had to do and his outbursts and temper was soon few and far between. I saw some of my when I was in 5th grade and I wasn't going to let Danny down.

I think things came to a head with him earlier this week. After weeks of being firm, yet compassionate during his disruptions with Danny I had to try a different tact. The day before the AP suggested that I call mom. With this outburst I told Danny I had no choice but to call mom. As I was walking out the door he pushed the door shut almost catching my fingers my thismuch.

Mom came in and we talked. She told me that too many teachers had given up on him. I told her that I will not give up on him (even knowing in the back of my head this was my last week). I think I finally got through to Danny. He finally felt safe.

Thursday night I got the email telling me to report to a new school this Monday. I told the class first thing yesterday morning. Danny wasn't there. He was late as usual. At about 8:40 I saw him walking down the hall and I told him outside the class one to one that I was not coming back.

He was stoic. Maybe too stoic. I saw the look in his eyes. Then with about 20 minutes left in the day there was a major meltdown.

I'm not blaming the principal at all. The principal of this school is a damn good principal. It's Tweed. It's the system. Its the fair student funding bullshit. Not all principals want the newbs.

This blaming the teachers and laying waste to ATR's needs to stop and stop now. The Susan Edelmans, the Eva Moskowitzs, the New York Posts of the world and all like those need to open their fucking eyes and look at how the people who are in charge are laying waste to education.Not to mention the con artists from within, like the UFT, and Mulgrew and Fuckface von Clownstick who is nothing more than Professor Harold Hill in manipulating ATR's and offering false hope and empty promises and now has decided to turn teacher against teacher. 

The Danny Noonans of the NYCDOE are being adversely affected. Don't they deserve a system that everyone works together for them?

The New York Post had a story the other day in which a dance teacher was brought up on 3020-a charges because she had the audacity to ask cheerleaders who were cheerleading to be a tad more modest. How dare she!

According to the Post, the DOE spent over $300,000 prosecuting Karen Eubanks in which the arbitrator ruled that Ms Eubanks should get a letter to the file for she should not have used words like "vagina" and instead should have used the euphemism, "private parts."

So all that for what could have been from the outset just a letter to the file. What a waste.

The more shocking part is that the Post, yes the Post, has come out with an editorial speaking out against the persecution of Ms Eubanks.

Sadly the Post is silent with all the imprudent persecutions against teachers that could have saved the DOE millions is only handled at the school level between adults.

But what is confusing us here at SBSB is how the Post is speaking out in defense of Ms Eubanks while nary a word has been heard from 52 Broadway, the UFT, and UFT President Dunsel.

This all started in April 2016 and it can be save to say that the hearing was sometime earlier this year? Where was UFT President Dunsel's outrage? Where was his staunch defense of Ms Eubanks? Was he too busy with fabric and paint swatches for the new UFT Welcome Center and Spa at 52 Broadway?

Has much as one can or does disagree with the NYPD, it's officers, and the PBA, at least Patrick Lynch (whether or not he is wrong or right) speaks up and out for it's members.

John Samuelsen, the president of the TWU speaks out for his members as does the leaders of DC37, 1199, FDNY, Sanitation workers, gee, the list can just get too long.

What does a teacher get whilst they're being persecuted from the UFT leadership? SILENCE, whilst the UFT parties it up, thrice a year, at the Westchester Hilton (soon to be in Elmsford, Ardsley, Yonkers, Greenburgh, or White Plains).

Again, UFT and UFT President Dunsel, pay very close attention to the next paragraph;

Janus, Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus,  Janus, 

Got it? At the very least start acting like a husband that has been caught cheating and is trying to be on his best behavior for his bereaved wife.

Because if the UFT doesn't UFT President Dunsel will have to stop buying his suits at Barney's and instead buy them off the rack at Sears.

Is it the end of the world UFT as we know it, is it the end of the world UFT as we know it, and should I feel fine? 

Earlier this week, the New York Post's intrepid reporter, Carl Campanile, basically wrote a story on how the $128 million budgeted UFT might have to change it's ways with the Janus court case expected to reach the Supreme Court sometime this year. The roosters are coming home to roost at 52 Broadway.

According to the Post, the UFT;

is a far-flung enterprise with a $42 million payroll that includes more than 700 members paid to perform full-time or part-time union duties

with borough reps, district reps and 65 staffers each making more than $150,000. Mulgrew pulls in $283,000.

See, this is just not right. This shows that the leadership is just completely out of touch. Yes, there are some in the UFT who actually, in my opinion, that do earn that money. But why do salaries have to be that high? Why must there be such a disparity between the "anointed ones" and the rank and file? Heck, I know someone from my town who works for the UFT and he makes 30% more than I do and he has never taught. He's a great guy, a great dad, and I like him quite a bit, but he should not be making more than teacher. At least with District and Borough Reps, officers, you can make an argument for, but someone who has not risen through the ranks making that money...no. And, I would not begrudge Mulgrew his salary if he was more transparent. Or accessible. Or proactive. Or listened.

How exactly is OUR money being spent. Why isn't each member of the UFT mailed or given EASY access to how each and every dime is spent?

But according to the Post, the UFT might be getting a clue in regards to this summer's retreat...

The event was held at UFT headquarters at 52 Broadway instead of the Hilton Westchester in Rye, NY, where the union typically holds its retreats.

That's a start! I've been to that retreat. The grub served there is much, much better than most Bar Mitzvah's. Hey, at least have the retreat where there is a golf course. The Doral Arrowwood about 5 minutes up the Hutch in Purchase has a decent 9 hole course. Solve problems, etc... over match play or best ball.

But this must have the UFT crappin' it's pants...

If the Supreme Court rules against government employee unions, membership and dues revenues would likely plummet by 20 percent to 30 percent, labor sources said. The union would have to get written consent directly from teachers to collect dues from them.

It's now a death watch. Who will be this 20-30 percent? The newbie blonde hair and blue eyed teachers who still have mommy and daddy pay for the closet sized apartment in Manhattan while Junior weekends in the Hamptons with his babe Buffy.

Yeah, these teachers can't look past their their next drink when the hang out in their hipster bars in Brooklyn or Amsterdam Ave nursing their craft beers (WHAT IS WRONG WITH JUST HAVING A COORS LIGHT?) while they converse how special they are that they, the rich chosen ones, are sacrificing and delaying their ascent into business or law school.

Let them shit themselves when they need representation in a discipline meeting or worse, a lawyer. Let them be on their own.

Better yet, and this should happen with a reverse lawsuit, if you don't pay the dues you get noting. Bupkus. Nada.

Yeah, I am not happy with the UFT leadership. But I will keep paying my dues because not only do my dues benefit me but my dues benefit other teachers.

Once you stop paying your dues you get none of the spoils of the contract. You must negotiate your own salary with the principal. You teaching schedule. Your days off. Your hours. EVERYTHING! No health benefits. No welfare fund,. No pension. No nothing.

You don't pay union dues, you are then a independent contractor. Heck, you are paid as a 1099 and have to pay your taxes quarterly.

Every CL in each school will share a list of teacher's that refuse to pay dues and those teachers will be nothing more than rats and scabs. Let them be an island onto themselves. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Same goes for the UFT. They need to get their act together. Show us what you got. Now.

A few weeks ago I touched on, and broke down the idiocy, of Chalkbeat's latest ATR missive. In the last few days,  Chalkbeat again showed it's cluelessness as well as the DOE's official mouth piece, the NY Post. The New York Times also chimed in, but it was a little less shrill.

All of these articles came out within the last 3-4 days and I so much wished to comment on them, to break the down the BS and expose the truth. But in a way, it'll be beating a dead horse. There must have been some way I can shed light on the truth without just rehashing the reality yet again.

Arthur Goldstein today helped me unlock what I been wanting to write about for some time but never found a proper segue to put fingers to keypad and share.

Arthur wrote...

It's important to note that any teacher can be brought up on charges at any time, and that even if the charges are nonsense it's likely some minor one will be sustained. Maybe you used your phone in the school, or did something equally inconsequential. That's enough to fine you a few thousand bucks and place you into the ATR. Then you're doomed, if the Post gets its way.

This is every ATR's nightmare. Yes, other teachers have this nightmare as well, but with an ATR it is especially magnified. One thing, one mistake, one act taken out of context can at worst, have charges brought against you or at best, a letter to your file in which no matter how trivial and how much great work you do the rest of the year will bring you a U rating.

This past December, my 3rd day in my assigned school, I was bringing a 5th grade class upstairs from lunch. I had never had this class before. They had no clue who I was. There was one young man you was quite attention seeking and was quite boisterous the walk up four flights of stairs.

When we got to the class I lined the students up and asked for quiet until I would send them in. Most of the class complied as I sent them in four at a time. In the meantime this student, and for the sake of keeping his anonymity will henceforth be known of Shlomo Epstein was getting more and more obnoxious.

With him and three other students the last ones to be asked to go in the classroom not only was his obnoxious level rising, but his obnoxiousness was rubbing off on the other students. Their teacher was in the classroom and she heard and saw of my issues yet did not lift a finger to help. It was her prep. A MADE UP PREP. I was on my own.

I asked Shlomo to step off the line. I walked up to him, whispered in his ear and stepped back. I was about 12-18 inches from him when he finally complied and walked to the other side of the hall. As he walked by me he tripped over his own feet, on purpose, and then threw himself into the wall. He turned around and screamed, "WHY DID YOU THROW ME INTO THE WALL????"

Then the teacher got involved. She asked one of the students if he had seen anything and he feigned ignorance. Great. 

My heart stopped. I knew it was BS and so did he. But, and I heard this later, his mother is a para for the DOE and she sees no wrong in Shlomo. And, I heard from other teachers that he has pulled this fake thrown into the wall act in the past.

At the end of the day the AP wanted me to give a statement. Just the facts. I wanted a UFT rep there with me. Not the one in the school (She was way, way too inexperienced) but I got hold of the Bronx UFT and was told that for a statement I did not need a rep. But I did it anyway.

The AP appeared sympathetic to me, but that could have been a ruse. It seemed that the adminstration was more concerned with mom and wished to share with her what had happened when she came to pick Shlomo up.

I immediately reached out to my District 7 rep and he assured me that when and if I met with the principal he will be there to rep me.

Days went by, I hated the wait. It was about 3 weeks until I got the notice to meat with the principal. At least it seemed that OSI bounced it back to the school. But I was still nervous.

When we met with the principal I signed the waiver to be able to read the statements of the other students. There were 11 statement and every single statement except one exonerated me of throwing Shlomo into the wall. Shlomo's statement was the only one still insisting that I had.

I was fortunate. My DR knew what to do and how to handle the situation. I doubt at anytime the school's CL could've done the same. I got no letter, no nothing. The principal was quite fair to me and treated me with dignity.

I am sharing this for a few reasons. One is how quick something so inane, so baseless can ruin a teacher's career in an instant. Second, that being an ATR, especially when you first arrive at a school you are basically an island onto yourself. You have ZERO support. Nothing, nada, bupkus. You are on your own. At this school there were a few teachers I knew from over the years and this helped. But too many ATR's are left alone and vulnerable in their schools and worse they are ignored and/or chastised.

One more thing. If you go into a discipline meeting, unless you have a strong Chapter Leader, whatever you do go into any discipline meeting with you DL.

Here we go again with the NYCDOE and attempting to separate teachers from their direct deposits.

Chaz touched on this Thursday in his blog. Math teacher Alan Herz of Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School in Queens was brought up on 3020-a charges. According to the New York Post in 2014 Mr Herz allegedly made a sexist remark as well as an anti-Semitic remark to students; 

 “Oh yeah you don’t get it because you’re a female” and another, “I know how you Jewish people are, and it’s okay because I am Jewish, I know how Jewish people run business”

Now. Let's think for minute. First one needs the context in which the remarks were made, (and that is if they were made). And secondly, why is the DOE spending all these thousands of dollars on going after Mr Herz whilst a simple letter to the file will suffice?

But the Post must throw even more inane and mundane crud at Mr Herz.

According to the cherry picking of the  Post, Mr Herz's

...students and their parents gave him a middling three out of five stars on the website Rate My Teachers.
“The worst teacher my daughter ever had,” said one reviewer in October.
“Not clear and boring,” said another in 2007.

All the while ignoring;

Me.Herz is the kind of teacher who teaches the lesson and gets his point across. Not only, does he teach you the cirriculum; but he gives you life lesssons on the side. His teaching methods were full proof and worked. He would always have a demonstration model for us or an analogy which helped the kids understand.  

Great teacher, helped me sooo much to get accustomed to common core math, has creative ways of teaching

But my favorite part of the Post's story is that (Hold on to your seats!) the NYCDOE is suing both Mr Herz and his arbitrator of his 3020-a, Philip Maier.

Why the arbitrator? Apparently it appears that Mr Maier follows the law.

(Meier) never even heard the merits of the case because he determined that education officials blew a 90-day deadline to issue written findings following an investigation.  

So the DOE screws up and sues the arbitrator and Mr Herz?

We here at SBSB are praying, hoping beyond hope that this case is seen through. Think about it. The DOE in its chutzpah and stupidity is doing everything it can to set a precedent for each and every arbitrator to be sued by whichever side does not like an arbitrator's decision. I even mentioned to Über lawyer Bryan Glass if we could have sued the arbitrator in my case. Bryan, and rightly so at the time, demurred and did not think anything can happen. Maybe now, any teacher that does not like an arbitrator's decision will be able to sue.

Yes, this also means that the DOE will be able to sue, but think if this. Would anyone want to be an arbitrator for 3020-a's if they risked themselves to civil litigation? This just might blow up the entire system.

As for suing Mr Herz, what is the DOE going to get from him? Blood? Again, Mr Herz is sitting in the catbird seat. Where is the standing the DOE has to go after Mr Herz for his comments? Mr Herz is not responsible for the arbitrator doing his job as well as the DOE not doing theirs. We here at SBSB look forward to both defendants having fun with the discovery that they will receive from the DOE. Mr Herz's case is in state court and this leaves one to wonder if he can seek court costs.

As for the Post feeling the need to use Rate My Teachers and the be all and end all of the type of teacher Mr Herz is, remember this. The ratings are subjective!!! In my house none of us cared for my son's baseball travel team coach last year. He knew his baseball, but he did not click with my son. Other parents liked him. Other parents were in the middle. Doesn't make him a horrible coach or that he doesn't know baseball. It was all subjective.

The DOE again is pissing away monies that are better spent on the learning process and the New York Post is once again the New York Post.

I have this little OCD habit which I believe I have mentioned in the past. If I awaken in the middle of the night I reach for my phone and check the news. I did this morning at 5 AM and boy did I get a surprise.

No, not that Namita Dwarka, principal of William Cullen Bryant High School is in the news again, but that this time as reported by the New York Post, she apparently was covering up sexual malfeasance. Apparently her AP, Pelagia Papoutsis, was involved in sexual tryst with a female student.

As the Post reported that the DOE is;

"...investigating allegations that a female assistant principal slept with a girl student while the principal kept it quiet."

And...

"...the former math teacher and Bryant HS alumna was promoted to assistant principal last school year, and considered a powerful member of Principal Namita Dwarka’s inner circle. But she is now under a cloud for allegedly engaging in a romantic relationship with one of her former students."

Sickening.

Has Chaz the Blogger asked today;

"Here we go again....You just need just to look at the many issues associated with the Principal.  Here, Here, Here, and Here."

Who do we have to thank for this getting in the Post? None other that Bryant High School phys ed. teacher Peter Maliarakis (Check out his Facebook pages here and here.) who has blown the whistle ever since he was reassigned in June for alleging;

"....filthy conditions in the basement area adjacent to a bathroom that caused such a stench “students put shirts over their noses,”

For this he was hit up with 12 charges of incompetence and insubordination.

Two takeaways here.

One, Peter is a whistle blower for the noblest of reasons. This is not about him, his quest for revenge, it is about the students. Peter has a young child and one on the way. Putting his neck out there like this in his situation shows that he is not doing this to advance anything other than what is right for the students. What is right for the school. And what is right for the community. Doing what he has done and being in the situation he is in surely is not easy. I too have blown the whistle and like Peter my reasons were for the safety of the students.

The other takeaway is how does Dwarka keep her job (Seriously, we know how she keep her job, she is a administrator with the DOE)? Face it, she is a fuck up. If any teacher covered up sexual malfeasence he or she would be arrested immediately, suspended without pay, and have an expedited 3020-a hearing. If Dwarka even gets removed and Rubberized it will be at least 4 years before some resolution happens.

Same with her AP. In fact I was chatting with Peter on FB today and jokingly told him that Papoutsis will probably be promoted to a nice cushy position when this is all said and done. Same to with Dwarka.

But the worse part is this crap was happening when Bloomberg, Klein, and Walcott were in charge and where is the outrage that will follow this week when Farina and de Blasio are castigated by the press (Farina should be crucified by the press and then resign!).

Apparently the DOE seems not to care about the students and the community and only wishes to keep itself in power just like some two bit Central American military junta.

Individuals and the communities need to keep up the pressure, not just with the DOE but with he media as well.

And what of the false idols claiming their writing of  letters and emails to the principals and superintendents shall worry them and/or keep them on their toes?  The false idols are nothing more than just paper clowns (THIS IS OPINION! DEAL WITH IT!).

 All of us get lost in the darkness/Dreamers learn to steer by the stars/All of us do time in the gutter/Dreamers turn to look at the cars--Peart, Neil 1989

I have this habit of waking up at 5 AM and checking my phone for the latest emails and news. When I clicked on the NY Post app on my phone I saw and read a story about Jeanene Worrell-Breeden, the principal of the Teachers College Community School had killed herself back in April on the same day that someone at her school reported her she had cheated on the standardized tests.

The first thoughts on my mind, as well as condolences, go out to her family and friends. This was a needless, senseless death that never should have been. She is someone's wife, mother, daughter, grand-daughter, niece, friend, principal, teacher, etc... No one has won here except Governor Cuomo and Chancellor Fariña.

As I lay in bed thinking of this, my thoughts went back five years to a teacher in Los Angeles, Rigoberto Ruelas, a teacher that suddenly found himself ineffective due to a Los Angeles Times reporter, Jason Felch becoming the story and not reporting on the story. Rigoberto after he was outed by Felch, committed suicide.

I know there are some out there who no matter what would see this death as some type of vindication towards their goals but I do not. This death if nothing should bring all educators in New York City and New York State closer together and fight as one against the marauders of education in Albany and at Tweed. For whatever Ms Worrell-Breeden has been accused of doing it did not happen in a vacuum and was completely avoidable.

The pressure from Albany as well as from Tweed to more or less tie everyone's job, their pay, their  own self worth to whether or not that person can be the next coming of someone's fantasy teacher that only exists in the movies is an impossible ladder to climb for almost anyone. God only knows what was going through Ms Worrell-Breeden. Not only to allegedly cheat, but worse, once confronted with this information, to jump in front of an oncoming B train and kill herself.

This sick, unrealistic method, test, test, test, punish, punish, terminate, embarrass, ostracize, method of educating children and evaluating teachers must end and end soon or we will have many more Jeanene Worrell-Breeden's.

Last Sunday night we were in Corning NY and had dinner with another couple. The wife, who I won't mention, is very prominent in BATs and the AFT. Both her and her husband on two of the most real people I have ever met in my life. In the many topics of discussion that evening we touched on what teachers need and what can or should be done for them.

There are false prophets seeking false profits preying off the backs of teachers that are down to their last act of strength in fighting back against the same forces that Jeanene Worrell-Breeden was fighting.

What support are they given? "Oh here, this is how you file this." Or, "This is what you do when this happens to you." Maybe they get a, "You need to do this." But this is the simple advice.

Now mind you I am all for fighting back and blowing the whistle. But the trick that I learned so long ago is not everyone when they need to fight back can or wants to.

Sometimes the best thing one can do is just to be there. Someone to be there for that teacher to have a shoulder to cry on, someone for that teacher to vent to, someone for that teacher to divert their mind from their troubles. I doubt Jeanene Worrell-Breeden had someone like this. Or someone who could tell her she could have fought back. But the trick between being supportive and being one who can lead someone to fight is a fine line and one must have the EQ to know what is the difference and which one to use.

Teachers and principals are sick if this. Yeah, I said principals. How about this? Educators are sick of this pressure. If we, not them, but WE, do not start supporting one another the best way we can for each and every educator and stop from projecting our ways of settling old scores onto them we will be just as guilty to their emotional and physical demise as the powers that be in both Albany and Tweed.

False hope needs to end immediately to teachers walking the precipice. The testing pressure, the culture needs to end.

The whistleblower did the right thing. For some reason Ms Worrell-Breeden thought she was doing the right thing. But neither of them are to blame for her death. The people to blame are the ones hiding behind the dollars and the sense of self-importance and self-righteousness they have.

I do not want to hear of anymore educator suicides. Enough is enough.

It will and can get better.

Wow, Eva Moskowitz made news today. In a short article by Aaron Short of Success Academy's official newspaper the New York Post, it's being reported that  Eva having said in an interview on WYNC that she does not;

"...accept midyear transfers from regular middle and high schools because their students don’t keep up with their charter counterparts."

This statement has left The Crack Team in a state of confusion, mass hysteria, and a general sense of malaise.

For years, we (The general public) have heard that charter schools are just like public schools---even though we all know that charters are really private schools. In traditional public schools if a student and their family has to change schools, or a student is not doing well and needs a change of scenery, he or she is can enroll in a school no matter what their abilities are. That's just the way it is and should be.

Yes, it is difficult no matter how strong or weak the student is to acclimate themselves to the new neighborhood, class, school, routines, etc... but they are welcomed. By law we have no choice.

But why does Eva get a choice, especially after the sweetheart deal her "special friend" Governor Andy gave her last year?

Eva shared these words of wisdom as well;

“Until the district schools are able to do a better job, it’s not really fair for a seventh-grader or high-school students to have to be educated with a child who is reading at a second- or third-grade level,”

So Eva is assuming that the student that enters a Success Academy mid-year is so far behind that it will be a disservice to the other students to have that struggling student amongst them? Would it not be beneficial for students that are so far behind Eva's wunderkind, no that's not the word. Hmm, her 21th-century genetically engineered children designed to create perfect students? No, that is not what we are looking for. Her T-1000's? Her scholars?

Anyway, it would be beneficial for these students to work with students that are ahead of them. Students when challenged academically will most of the time be able to bring themselves up academically as well.

But what this really seems like is pre-creaming and proving more to the point that Eva is only interested in Eva and only wants the best of the best to advance her cause and herself. Kind of like charter school eugenics.

This really doesn't come as a shock considering the shenanigans that  Eva has pulled in the past when it comes to who can stay and who can leave at Success.

Of course Eva does have an altruistic side to her as she shared with WNYC when she said that Success has an;

“...obligation to our parents in middle and high school.”

Isn't there an obligation to the students? Haven't we've been hearing from you for years that the students come first? Haven't we heard for years that you and Success can educate any student, any tine, any where? Eva claims that Success is a public school yet her words and actions speak as Success is a closed off exclusive private school. So why then are public monies going to Eva and Success?

Let's come back in 10 years, maybe less, and see where all the great "scholars" of Eva are at that point. Let's see how they do in college once they are on their own and not having every decision made for them and not forced to conform anymore. Let's see how Eva's students do in the outside world where they will have to make decisions on their own without getting rewarded.

Eva's smoke and mirrors are slipping out.

I'm surprised I don't push for more of these ATR horror stories.

This come from an ATR within the 5 boroughs. This ATR shared what you are about to read with others though social media. I asked for and received permission to share this and appreciate and thank the ATR.

This truly does come from the files of "You Can't Make This Shit Up!"

In the ATR's own words;

I was covering a math class and the teacher had the equation S=ph+2b on the board. I erased it and put some other math work up. The next day she telephoned me in the classroom and asked to speak to me. I said sure and went down to her room . She wanted to know if I erased the equation from the board I said yes and she said "I'll put in on paper and I want you to write it on the chalkboard."  My response was are you kidding me???

And there is more!

Yesterday I was teaching 7th grade math asked 1 student who was misbehaving to stay. He then put his foot in the door and pushed me now I have a 48 hour notice because he turned it around and said I pushed him! He has an IEPs-- I was never told! I covered my ass by requesting that the 2 students who fabricated a story about me not be present in the class I teach today. They did remove the whole class so the little darlings would not feel like they were being singled out.

This is how the ATR's are treated. Thanks to our contract, the New York Pravda...oops, I meant Post, the parents believe what they read and it trickles down to the students.

The worse part is that our colleagues, our co-workers believe what they are reading and don't mind dumping on ATR's.