Every time the New York Teacher newspaper comes out the union spotlights a Principal In Need Of Improvement (PINI). However, the union does little else about these PINI Principals. While I will never condone what Chapter Leader Francisco Gimbitos of MS328 in the Bronx did. I do understand his frustration at being targeted by an abusive administrator while the union did little or nothing to protect him or the teaching staff from the PINI Principal.
The "rubber rooms" are full of teachers who have been unfairly placed there by vindictive and abusive Principals on the union's PINI list. However, there are no consequences to the Principals when they remove a teacher. For these Principals it is not about the collateral damage done to the students when an effective teacher is removed, its about the control. Of the 640 teachers in the "rubber rooms" throughout the City, only 10% of these teachers probably belong there. Many of the most intelligent and outspoken teachers who dare stand up to the Principal find themselves removed from the school by Principals who retaliate for the teacher's whistileblowing or for disagreeing with the administrator's improper decisions. The PINI Principals are notorious for getting rid of staff and yet Tweed will look the other way when the union complains about the PINI Principals' practices.
The union needs to file PERB complaints against these "Principals from hell" and if necessary. take the complaints to the courts. Until there are serious consequences to these PINI Principals who abuse staff, they will continue to abuse their staff while the DOE does nothing.
"Children last" continues.
6 comments:
Hi, Chaz:
How and where did you get the number 640 for the total rubber room teachers? no need to be specific if you do not want to.
Anon:
This number came from the UFT who receives a 3-month updated number from the DOE. This does not include any teachers who were taken out of the classroom and waiting to be reassigned.
The odds of accused teachers being treated fairly by the DOE are about as good as their chances of winning the lottery. Relief lies elsewhere.
What an excellent term, PINI.
Yes, the union must aggressively go after PINI principals. But the UFT's New York Teacher April 23 story on one PINI is a decent start.
I've put up lengthy quotes and analysis of the on a real principal from hell, Iris Blige, on my latest post. http://nycityeye.blogspot.com/2009/05/uft-paper-blockbuster-w-doe-inside.html
NY 1
That is the problem. The UFT just talks about them but does not take any meaningful action against them.
When I was beat several times by a child in my school, the union did nothing. Then I was brought up on make believe charges. Again, the union did nothing. I filed harassment charges (10 pages) with dates, names etc. The union again, did nothing. The principals are allowed to do whatever they want because DOE allows them too. Make no mistake about that.Division of Human Rights said hostile environment is not on the list of charges that they will deal with. You can't make this stuff up.
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