tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post2677474926422259005..comments2024-03-14T13:50:26.981-04:00Comments on Chaz's School Daze: The New Underhanded & Sleazy DOE Policy To Get Teachers To Resign On The SpotChazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-24478728775430838692009-01-25T22:25:00.000-05:002009-01-25T22:25:00.000-05:00Hello, It was much to my delight that I discovered...Hello, <BR/>It was much to my delight that I discovered your blog, especially witnessing first hand how the UFT did very little to support me or my fellow teachers this past school year. <BR/> <BR/>After being a high school English teacher in the South Bronx for a year and a half (and another half year in Brooklyn because I started out as ATR), I was given a U-rating at the end. The whole observation process was a farce. There were things in each observation that were fabricated. I only had four observations the entire school year. Probationary teachers are supposed to be given six. One of the observations I was not even told was going to happen. No pre-observation, no nothing. The principal just walked into my class with her coach (amazing how many coaches the principal had) and just sat in my class for approximately fifteen minutes. I do not think I need to even go into how little support in terms of discipline teachers received. <BR/><BR/>Furthermore, four out of the five teachers in my school who were in their second and third years of teaching in the city school system (all veteran teachers who have taught outside the city, mind you) were all given a U-rating for the year. We all compared our observations and they were all very similar. It was obvious that the principal and the assistant principal were following a formula that was meant to discredit teachers. Is this the DOE's stance against tenure? However, instead of taking the U, I agreed to resign. I thought about how hard it would be to find another teaching job outside the city with a U-rating. <BR/><BR/> Included in the resignation was a stipulation from the DOE that stated no litigation could be brought against them DOE, not attempt to seek any other employment with the DOE and that I give up my license (the UFT told me I was giving up my city license NOT my state certificate as an English teacher). It was a lot to take in because I was given a timeline that certainly was not efficient in making such a drastic decision. Strangely enough, I have heard very little about teachers being coerced to resignation stipulations. Perhaps, what I signed was not even legitimate. I hope one day I can teach again in the city public schools but I'm not going to hold my breath. <BR/><BR/>From my understanding over 5000 teachers in the city resigned. Meanwhile, the city hired over 4000 new teachers. I am sure a big portion of those teachers who are Fellows or from Teach For America. I could be wrong, and while I do not have anything against Teaching Fellows or teachers Teach For America per se, the way the DOE operates seems is to get rid of teachers who are up in their second and third years of probationary service by having principal U-ratings and then start the whole 3020a process so Teaching Fellows or Teach for American fellows with no teaching experience can be hired, some who are barely old enough to drink. It's obvious it is them who contribute to the ATR crisis and yet will most likely return to their home state and say to whoever will listen, "Let me into law school or medical school. I taught inner-city kids in the Bronx or Brooklyn for two years." Or they may join the creepy ranks of the charter schools. However, nobody paid for my masters degree in education except me and I finished my undergraduate degree from a reputable school. And I come from New York City. I sincerely hope I do not come across as bitter or full of sour grapes. <BR/>I would not trade my time in the South Bronx for anything. Currently, I work as an adjunct professor writing. I have a lot less stress. Plus, it's nice that I won't have to worry about nonsense like accountable talk, other nonsensical rhetoric that the DOE, like the charlatans they are espouse. What's ironic is with this class I'm given lot of "academic freedom" and can actually apply a lot of the meaningful things I learnt in my graduate program like critical literacy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-50129861173752374802009-01-17T12:41:00.000-05:002009-01-17T12:41:00.000-05:00The above is a response to MoiraThe above is a response to MoiraAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-2757083749546347602009-01-17T12:40:00.000-05:002009-01-17T12:40:00.000-05:00Sitting in a rubber room next year (and burning a ...Sitting in a rubber room next year (and burning a few sick days) knowing you are going to be paid for a year before retiring is not the worse thing in the world. Plus this year (08-09)will be oddly enjoyable as your principal struggles to write how horrible you are on PIP and you know you are heading out the door anyway. Plus, as Chaz writes, you can blog blog blog away. I've been on your revived blog and you are an excellent writer...that's it, you can write a valuable book about the experience - on DOE's time!! And if you decide to go thru the 3020a and fight it you can do this to gather more material for your book - this way you won't take it personally. I am going thru an absurd, and I think humorous, 3020 of my own and have often thought of writing a book. Mine is an example of a vindictive principal exaggerating a trivial (by anyone's standards ) matter and am so pleased I did not take the original settlement offer or even the revised cut-rate offer later proffered. Enough about me. Good luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-51286853066799482222009-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:002009-01-17T10:36:00.000-05:00Moriah:I am glad you are blogging again and have p...Moriah:<BR/><BR/>I am glad you are blogging again and have put you back on my blogroll. Keep on blogging and expose the DOE for what it really is.<BR/><BR/>Anti-teacher<BR/>Children last<BR/>Abusing prosecutions<BR/>Unfair and biased investigationsChazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-55106776174344013262009-01-17T10:30:00.000-05:002009-01-17T10:30:00.000-05:00Moriah:Anon is correct. Since you are approaching...Moriah:<BR/><BR/>Anon is correct. Since you are approaching 62 and thinking of retiring anyway. Here is what I would suggest. <BR/><BR/>Take PIP+ and let them "U" rate you for this year. Starting next school year they will probably give you this resignation paper that will change all your "U"s to "S"s. You will spend the 2009-2010 school year in the rubber room and retire. However, if they try to do this before the end of this school year, you will refuse to sign it and be placed in the "rubber room" when they are ready to file 3020-a charges. Sometime during the 2009-2010 school year you will meet with your NYSUT lawyer who will offer you a similia deal as the one described previously.<BR/><BR/>If you want to fight the charges and go through the entire 3020-a process (recommended) it is quite likely that your case may not be finished until the 2010-2011 school year. Remember, very few teachers are terminated for simple incompetence.<BR/><BR/><BR/>I am more pessimistic than anon about what your CL can do here. The Principal has been told not to dump unwanted teachers on another school and they are afraid of Tweed coming down on them if they are caught doing this.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-29012963538934223502009-01-17T06:59:00.000-05:002009-01-17T06:59:00.000-05:00Moriah(I am not an expert or a lawyer)Your chapter...Moriah<BR/><BR/>(I am not an expert or a lawyer)<BR/><BR/>Your chapter leader should actually be of some help here if you play your cards close to your vest and let him/her know that you are considering retiring in June of 2011. Trust nobody of course. Word might get back to the principal. If they go thru the process Chaz describes they are looking at possibly getting rid of you best case 2011 anyway. This (your moves)is just the start of a strategy that might result in a rather pleasant final year (09-10 or 10-11) and a pristine file. I wouldn't worry about your file after you retire but I know that some folks do. Just some thoughts to mull over as I am sure you are considering all sorts of courses of action. And yes, DOE does negotiate and, believe me, so do the NYSUT attorneys. NYSUT can actually be quite helpful if and when you decide retirement is right for you. But be sure the date YOU want to retire is not the same as the one you originally present.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-63124401371693411342009-01-16T22:40:00.000-05:002009-01-16T22:40:00.000-05:00I am approaching the magic age of 62. I never pla...I am approaching the magic age of 62. I never planned to retire this soon, but I've been harrassed for four years and it has taken its toll on my health. I am therefore considering retirement. I've been in peer mediation since last May. My principal wants to sign me up for PIP-plus, so it looks like I am being led along the path that you describe. My problem is that I hate to retire and leave my file full of letters that make me look like the Teacher From Hell. It's like I'm admitting guilt. Do you know of a lawyer that could advise me on how to negotiate with the Principal From Hell?Moriah Untamedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08256637291823077134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-28929311568033543772009-01-16T13:46:00.000-05:002009-01-16T13:46:00.000-05:00I'm not surprised at all Chaz when they are amongs...I'm not surprised at all Chaz when they are amongst the perps.ed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-77646323539588133812009-01-15T16:20:00.000-05:002009-01-15T16:20:00.000-05:00proofoflife:Maybe he was fined previously for the ...proofoflife:<BR/><BR/>Maybe he was fined previously for the time and ATTENDANCE PROBLEM IN A PREVIOUS 3020-A PROCESS. Otherwise, I am at a loss of how he was fined.<BR/><BR/>Norm: I'm glad you have commented. I am very surprised the union has not commented on this development.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-83562207915177353072009-01-15T10:50:00.000-05:002009-01-15T10:50:00.000-05:00Chaz I've been meaning to comment. I have gotten c...Chaz<BR/> I've been meaning to comment. I have gotten calls from people under the gun - one yesterday from someone who is being railroaded to resign from the NYSUT sleazy attorney.<BR/><BR/>I am trying to get some people to go public or get a sense of support so they can stand up. <BR/><BR/>More than commenting we need a support committee for people in this position.<BR/><BR/>I'm sending a contact off line.<BR/>normed notes onlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15018047869059226777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-79975183523556423072009-01-14T22:58:00.000-05:002009-01-14T22:58:00.000-05:00Chaz, I was to defend a senior teacher who receive...Chaz, I was to defend a senior teacher who received the "U" because he was late way too often. He was in a school that had split sessions and went to medical to ask for reasonable accommodations. ( can't think of the correct term now as I am a bit exhausted) He was on late session and had no problems getting there on time. The principal denied the accommodation. The denial was a deliberate tactic to get rid of this senior teacher. He had a medical condition which he had supporting documentation that made it very difficult for him to get to the school at the crack of dawn. To make a long story shorter he told me in addition to the "U" rating he was fined for being late. I don't mean docked. He told me he was fined. He is in the process of suing the DOE for discrimination of people with a handicap. I was never told about fines and this is why I didn't accept the file. I sometimes feel like a liar even trying to "defend" teachers with a "U" for lateness and absences because I don't think they have a chance in hell to over turn the U. Teachers are being given U ratings even if they take ten self treated days in a given year, but have a negative CAR because they borrowed days in past years. The whole thing is a bunch of bull. Thanks for trying to clarify the fines , but I still find it incredible that the fines are not set!proofoflifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07223433380297875666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-54712838708400015682009-01-14T15:28:00.000-05:002009-01-14T15:28:00.000-05:00proofoflife:This does not surprise me that the uni...proofoflife:<BR/><BR/>This does not surprise me that the union is not informng the CL's of the DOE action plan on incompetence teachers. Since they have agreed to have the TPU group and the phony PIP+ program.<BR/><BR/>You would think that some CL would have read my blog or know of teachers that were pressured to resign and bring this up. However, most of the CL's are either union hacks or were elected to the position without knowing the contract and policy issues.<BR/><BR/>As for the fines. There appears to be no matrix or guidance on how a fine is determined. In the 3020-a hearings the fine can be negotiated be the NSUT @& DOE lawyers, or issued by the arbitrator. As for "U" rating hearings I was unaware that there is a fine component to it.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-83335976301856619902009-01-14T11:54:00.000-05:002009-01-14T11:54:00.000-05:00i have made about 10 foil request to DoE, they alw...i have made about 10 foil request to DoE, they always try to delay and try every trick on the book not to release the information you want. their foil officer will send you wrong stuff, the stuff you do not want, and will do everything she can to sabotage your effort.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-76526528739353477502009-01-13T21:35:00.000-05:002009-01-13T21:35:00.000-05:00Chaz, I just went to a chapter leader meeting and ...Chaz, I just went to a chapter leader meeting and none of this was mentioned. As a U rated advocate I had to back off of a case where a teacher was fined. I thought it was out of my league. Is the web site posted wher I can read about fines? No one taught me this when I was trained as an advocate. Who sets the fines? How do they deptermine them? Thanks CHaz!proofoflifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07223433380297875666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-58469555325105986062009-01-13T16:34:00.000-05:002009-01-13T16:34:00.000-05:00JenniferJust because the Principal gave you a "U" ...Jennifer<BR/><BR/>Just because the Principal gave you a "U" observation, it does not mean you will be getting a "U" rating. I suggest you follow your mentor's suggestions and get the AP on your side. Unless you have pissed off the Principal the Principal will follow the suggestions of the mentor and AP. If that doesn't work mske a deal with the Principal that you would look for another school next school year if you get an end of the year "S" rating and therefore tenure.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-68875220383189929302009-01-12T22:56:00.000-05:002009-01-12T22:56:00.000-05:00Are any of you familiar with the New York Freedom ...Are any of you familiar with the New York Freedom of Information Law?<BR/><BR/>Many school district officials around New York State are not thrilled about the fact that certain letters, notes, memoranda, reports, E-mails, and other types of records are available for public access.<BR/><BR/>http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/ftext/f14287.htm<BR/><BR/>Study the following website carefully!<BR/><BR/>http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/coogwww.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-88322481277582177152009-01-12T22:32:00.000-05:002009-01-12T22:32:00.000-05:00Geez. I work in a suburban St. Louis school, and I...Geez. I work in a suburban St. Louis school, and I really got it good compared to this mess. My principal is a great guy, fair and very participatory. Sorry for your situation. <BR/>I wrote a novel about the fun adventures of a veteran middle school special ed teacher. I have posted the first chapter on my blog, www.tomsboomertimes.blogspot.com. I invite you and all your readers to check it out. It should be published in the next 6 months. <BR/>Hang in there. TomTom....https://www.blogger.com/profile/06250830760621620435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-71141113419191028762009-01-12T21:24:00.000-05:002009-01-12T21:24:00.000-05:00Chaz:Thanks for your comment. However, in my third...Chaz:<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comment. However, in my third year, after two previous yearly satisfactory ratings, i received a "U" observation on a lesson that the building Principal observed. Now, I've been assigned to a "mentor" to help me with my lessons, and the Principal is demanding that I give her weekly lesson plans. Went to the Union, basically, they said they could do nothing, so long as the Principal plays by the rules. What do you all think of this situation out there?<BR/>So, the union does NOTHING at all? Looking forward to your comments on this. Thanks.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11676844341533526571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-8295965255212685002009-01-12T15:30:00.000-05:002009-01-12T15:30:00.000-05:00I agree with the anons about the 3020-a issue. Ho...I agree with the anons about the 3020-a issue. However, we are talking about this sleazy DOE action plan by the TPU and what our union needs to do to stop it.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-56062446051317981932009-01-11T20:54:00.000-05:002009-01-11T20:54:00.000-05:00Just by everyone demanding a full 3020a hearing, t...Just by everyone demanding a full 3020a hearing, the current 3020a system will be overwhelmed, it never means to be handling hundreds of cases. Every teacher pending for the hearing should seriously consider his or her situation,and only take settlement when it is no other viable options.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-49790120881714823262009-01-11T19:28:00.000-05:002009-01-11T19:28:00.000-05:00JenniferVery Wise to read this blog. To be frank, ...Jennifer<BR/>Very Wise to read this blog. To be frank, you have far less rights than a McDonald's worker at this point. You can be dismissed for no cause at all. Keep as low a profile as possible and help the principal and smile at all of his/her jokes. Do not even offer suggestions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-45260930722775747702009-01-11T16:33:00.000-05:002009-01-11T16:33:00.000-05:00Woodlass: That is a good idea. Maybe we should g...Woodlass: That is a good idea. Maybe we should go as a group. I am concerned how few comments I received over this new development by my fellow bloggers and other teachers. <BR/><BR/>Jennifer: As an untenured teacher you need to keep quiet until after your third year of S ratings. Just stay off the radar. The union offers no protection for untenured teachers. Read my post on a Chapter Leader that was untenured and the failure of the union to do anything about it.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-40113562797237824772009-01-11T16:02:00.000-05:002009-01-11T16:02:00.000-05:00What about teachers that are in their third year o...What about teachers that are in their third year of teaching, and are up for tenure?<BR/><BR/>Particularly older teachers ( like me) that are expensive? Is it possible that the new breed of Principals will deny us tenure and "discontinue" us because of these reasons, using the observation system to do so?<BR/><BR/>Any protection from the UFT there?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11676844341533526571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-7836224521862527412009-01-11T13:56:00.000-05:002009-01-11T13:56:00.000-05:00Chaz, I didn't know about this, so thanks for th...Chaz,<BR/><BR/> I didn't know about this, so thanks for the report.<BR/><BR/>There is a PEP meeting at Tweed on Jan 26th. Would you like to read this aloud to the members of the Panel and ask if they are aware of this? <BR/><BR/>If not: Would you like me to do it? I'd be happy to, and I have nothing better planned.<BR/>In fact: since we only get two minutes each at the mic, several of us should take turns reading parts of this, nice and slowly. We could even read it over and over again, just in case Klein misses it when he consults his blackberry.Under Assaulthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222267229529062957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20674128.post-85476851256170226882009-01-11T10:53:00.000-05:002009-01-11T10:53:00.000-05:00anon:You are right on the money it what you said. ...anon:<BR/><BR/>You are right on the money it what you said. It is best to fight your charges, except in unique cases. Most of the time the arbitrator will not terminate the teacher, except for serious misconduct or gross incompetence (time and attendance issues associated with the incompetence). However, as you correctly stated it is the fear of termination that pushes teachers to take deals.<BR/><BR/>I did write about this issues last month on November 10th and believe as you do. It's the teacher's fear and the DOE bluffing that allows the DOE to win.Chazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09964739497720364749noreply@blogger.com