Once again the Principal of William Cullen Bryant high school has found herself in hot water. This time its about a missing $195 thousand dollars that was collected for gym uniforms, locks, and food. Apparently a DOE investigation found no receipts for the money allegedly spent. However, the DOE has failed, once again, to discipline and remove the infamous "Leadership Academy Principal" Namita Dwarka. Moreover, a veteran physical education teacher, Peter Maliarakis has claimed that money raised with the sale of the uniforms and locks that should have been allocated to upgrade the gym and to buy new gym equipment was not used for those purposes. The New York Post article can be found Here.
Namita Dwarka has been in trouble before but yet the DOE has failed to act. Last year there was the Regents cheating scandal where the school administration falsely labeled English speaking students as ESL, to give them extra time and higher grades on the Regents.
Earlier in the month 200 students, parents, and teachers protested outside the school against the Principal and her policies that shortchanged special education students and eliminated academic programs. She allegedly was accused of threatening students who joined the protest in not being allowed to attend their graduation ceremony. Again, the DOE refused to take any action.
Then there was the allegation of the Principal changing grades to raise her graduation rate. However, the DOE failed to take action against Namita Dwarka, despite the many students and teachers willing to testify to the grade changing.
She has shown her vicious side too by retaliating against staff and students who dare stand up to her. Here is a letter that was sent to Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chancellor Carmen Farina, and the Queens Gazette outlining the issues. Finally, she has a terrible reputation with the ATRs as she refuses to hire veteran ATRs and has been accused to have placed uncertified teachers in rather than select a veteran certified teacher for some hard to staff subjects.
This is just another case of the DOE "double standard" in protecting bad principals while going after teachers, despite the change at the top.
Update: Staff and student protests against the principal is scheduled for March 26 at 3:30 pm.
55 comments:
This principal is the absolute worst. Rumor is...if they don't pull her now, staff at Bryant have other documents proving she has misplaced other school funds that were intended to better student education. I don't see how and why the DOE,Mayor, and Chancellor are allowing this criminal of a principal to embarrass NYC like this.Why would they even chance it?
Wow, she looks drunk....if that was a teacher immoral behavior charges would have been brought on them...
The DOE has a history of protecting Leadership Academy principals at all costs.
Not a very attractive picture! Yet another reason not to have a Facebook account. If she were a teacher, she would be the cover girl for everything wrong with teachers by Cuomo and Moskowitz.
That is one nasty looking tart
That picture of her says 1000 words. Horrid picture. She looks like a drunk bitch asking for change outside a laundromat.
Clearly, Chancellor Farina has a soft spot for prodigal Principal
Dwarka. You don’t have to be a psychohistorian to understand the connection--Farina has walked in Dwarka’s shoes. In 2007, an OSI investigator swore to SCI that Farina lied to him about her role in covering up a sensational Regents cheating scandal at the Cobble Hill School of American Studies, which she oversaw as Superintendent of Region 8.
When the dicks from SCI subsequently called her in to testify about her incredible OSI interview, during which her renowned memory went kablooie, the fix was in. Although Farina was the prime person of interest in SCI’s review of OSI’s substantiation, her testimony (perjury?) was itself covered up in three cryptic sentences: “She answered all questions posed to her by SCI investigators. Farina’s testimony was consistent with the facts in the Scarcella report. She denied any knowledge of the complaint about cheating at Cobble Hill.”
N.B. Farina’s accuser was Lou Scarcella, the now notorious ex-Brooklyn North homicide detective accused of faking confessions of multiple murder suspects. Not to worry, he was never alone with Farina. Somebody upstairs at OSI or Tweed ordered special treatment: Deputy Director Tom Hyland sat in on his interview with her. Scarcella told me that Hyland censored his questions and cramped his style. In the end, Scarcella was muzzled and Farina walked, too big to fail.
So you see, Farina has been there and done that ... like Sister Dwarka; and both were/are protected by corrupt investigators.
P.S. But you have to admire the Danielson décolletage, has Leadership Academy written all over it.
Dwarka might very well get the boot. The most you see principals pocketing is 10-20k,but 195k??? This will be interesting to see if city officials fail to act on this one. Enjoy the show folks!
She was hired to push out the most experienced staff, now the school is suffering by low test scores and lack of direction.
What a skank!
She has an history of harassment and discriminatory practices against veteran teachers, specially if they speak up.
Let's not forget Dwarka's very public sexual affair with Howie Kwait fellow creep Principal of John Bowne HS. They were to marry but he shoved her in the garbage where she belongs.
Dwarka had a very checkered employment history prior to being put in charge of Bryant High School. The CFN of Bryant at the time was a woman who wanted to tank all large Queens high schools in the hopes that she'd get appointed principal at one of them.
What I wrong with the city?
She likes to bully the staff, and go after teachers that do not feel intimidated by her.
Rally at Bryant March 26th at 3:30pm endorsed by "new action" and "solidarity" Caucuses. Will the union sit at home and watch from their TV sets? There will be a press release. Come support !
The saddest part of her/my own career is that she was assessing my teaching skills after 30 years of practice!
Than you Bloomberg!
The UFT is becoming a joke, they do not want to do anything for the hard working teachers. It is the biggest fiasco of all, but we are prepared to drop bombshells very soon.
The saddest things of all is that the regents scores plummeted. This is what happens when there is no leadership, and only abuse happens everyday.
Let's not forget the est of Dwarkas gang that had their hand in the cookie jar. Lourdes Cuesta and her lover Rocco Rotondi, Papoutsis, Ghrawi, Tanalsi and of course APO Guy Yacovone who drives Jaguars and sleeps with every new teacher he can get his hands on. This school has been destroyed by these immoral people. They should all be brought p on criminal charges.
I wouldn't *&^%* that with my finger!
The Feds are moving in on the case regarding the embezzled funds. All the people mentioned above are going to have some legal issues come Monday and might have their licenses revoked.
Thank you whistleblowers, even when the system is against you. You manage to fight corruption, even though our UFT looked the other way.
While she pushes hard working people out, she also mismanages the money
Bryant Parents, Teachers Demand Answers On Missing Funds
BY LIZ GOFF
Teachers and parents of students at William Cullen Bryant High School are demanding answers from officials and Department of Education (DOE) officials – an accounting of almost $200,000 collected from students to support phys ed and student activities at the Astoria school.
Local leader and former Bryant Parents Association president Gus Prentzas said he and physical education teacher Peter Maliarakis last year sent a letter to th city Department of Investigation and DOE seeking answers about the missing funds.
Where's the story?
PointsMentioned Map2 Points Mentioned
Prentzas said the money comes from items purchased at the Bryant Student Union store, where students buy food, drinks, gym uniforms and other “authentic” school gear. The funds are supposed to pay for phys ed equipment, repairs to the school gymnasium and school activities, Prentzas said.
After a year went by without a response to their letters, Prentzas and Maliarakis reached out to the office of the Regional Superintendent for help, Prentzas said. “Still, no one has come up with any answers,” he said.
Maliarakis said he sent an email to Mayor Bill deBlasio and Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina and other officials in September 2014, telling them he had just two basketballs for use by 150 students in his three bale gym classes at the school.
Maliarakis said in his email that the two tattered basketballs are “at least” 10-to-15-years-old and they are “falling apart at the seams.”
On the following day, an assistant principal walked into the gym and handed over seven new basketballs to Maliarakis, he said. “But they were all girl-size basketballs. They’re smaller ad lighter than basketballs used by the boys,” making them useless as replacements he requested in the email, Maliarakis said.
Prentzas said he sent an email last September to school officials, United Federation of Teachers (UFT) officials and school network officials demanding an accounting of the missing funds. “I asked them to show us what happened to the money, to show us deposit slips, receipts – anything,” Prentzas said. “ I asked them how and when the funds were used to support th physical education department.”
Prentzas said he has yet to receive a response on the whereabouts of the missing funds.
Prnetzas also spoke up at a September 19, 014 meeting of the School Leadership Team (SLT) about “thousands of dollars” in charges that had accumulated on a school credit card used by Bryant principal Namita Dwarka, including “$500 dinner charges.”
Prentzas said he questioned th4 charges again in a recent email to deBlasio an Farina, after SLT officials failed to respond to his original request.
“I’m not demanding answers just for myself,” Prentzas said. “I want answers for other parents, teachers and for students who want to know how the credit card funds are being spent. What dinners” With whom, and why?” Prentzas said.
Prentzas said he and Maliarakis filed a Freedom of Informaion request last year demanding an accounting of the missing Student Union funds. DOE officials responded, saying they were unable to find receipts for student purchases at the school store from 2011 to 2013 – and had only found several receipts from 2014, Prentzas said.
A DOE spokesperson this week said the agency is investigating the matter to determine exactly what happened to the money.
Will we ever get an answer? I hope so, but I doubt it,” Prentzas said. “Just like in the past, they’ll sweep it under the carpet and never give us an answer. No one will ever be held accountable.”
Dishonest and incompetent administrators are a big problem in our schools, it demoralizes and wears down the teachers that do their good work.
Her philosophy is to pressure teachers to pass students, give credits as candies and as a results we are getting the worse regents results ever. But the DOE of NYC is protecting her, why? If students cannot pass the regents, how are they going to graduate? What a sham?
Everything circles back to one note johnny Nobile's whine about Cobble Hill. Phil Nobile, the man whose mission it is to keep down the number of kids graduating.
These Principals are causing so many problems, yet the Chancellor refuses to take any action. Scores have plummeted, and there is a lost of many good experienced professionals, ultimately the students are suffering because of lack of direction.
It is a sham that somebody so dishonest can be a Principal, it is just the wrong way to go.
No one trusts her, and she is liability for NYC but they are protecting her. Why?
We are going to expose all type of corruption that is going on in Bryant, because we want to be the school that we were and not the mickey mouse school that this Principal has created. It does not matter if you surround yourself with people of power, what matters is how you respond to the students' needs.
There is way more to the story. Students were used for tech work from june-sept monday through thursday or friday from 8am-3pm to be told end of summer they will not be paid as well as years the past years and this year as well they have not been paid. No comtracts were signed because the school knew the kids would use it against them. The kids were lifting shipments from basement to all around the school. Moving carts. You name it. One was even teaching the class because the tech was just there to supervise the class even without a teaching license. And the stunning ap Huezo. Sarcasm intended. He would rarely ever be there. Hed call to take the kids attendance and never attend himself. The school is trying to cover up an alleged affair between a student and the tech herself. The students were demanded to do the work. Racial profiling was what they all faced. The tech only liked her own kind which was indian. There was one muslim kid which shed tell the other kids muslims are bad. And never wanted any spanish kids or other races... Dwarka on the other hand told one of the kids in a private meeting that once bridges are torn consequences are to be faced. What did she mean by that? It sounds like a threat to me. Why did she say it? Because the student had sent an email to the chancellor which we obviously know one of Dwarka's friend didnt let it go through to her and sent it to Dwarka to handle. One student is complaining of back problems due to the heavy lifting. Its time for a change.
Dishonesty and corruption, that is what the chancellor is protecting.
There are rumors about a federal investigation, now we finally have the real investigation.
Hmm so is the federal investigation true?
Bryant High school what a quick cover up for Mr.Knight. If that were a student he/she wouldve probably been expelled from the school. But a teacher that can get this vicious with students that he breaks the glass of the door? How can you have a person like that around them. He put the lives of the students in danger. The DOE gives us a principal with a history and expects her to run the school. This year was a real eye opener. Isn't it a coincidence Bryant gets covered up? Go visit the Queens Council most of them graduated from Bryant hence they wont let this school down to ruins. This principal along with her pet(s) expect to be feared well im sorry. That doesn't happen with us. It's a public school not your home. Isn't it hilarious how teachers with scandals get the hammer but Dwarka's scandal with Howard Kwait goes beneath the carpet and never talked about again?. Oh god great job DOE :). She expects people to praise her like a lord and once you question her "fine wisdom" she attacks. *No not physically* but rather puts shame upon you along with the help of her puppets. They manage this school like as if its a game. Oh lets try this if it works. Putting staff in positions they haven't even applied for. But as we all know what she says goes ��.well thats all for now time to learn ;) or maybe teach. P.s Huezo you are no less then her.
It is shameful that she got rid of good veteran teachers and APs, just to produce the worse results ever. Her relentless quest for incompetence goes beyond what we have ever seen before. She does not care about the students or the staff. She wants full control on order to bring the school to the ground. She uses people to go after people, the puppets are always there to praise her abusiveness and incompetence.
Here are the top signs that you might be a victim of age discrimination:
1. Biased comments
These are the most obvious signs, and thus the rarest. If your boss calls you "grandma" or "old man," asks you about your retirement plans, says that they want a younger image, or says that your best days are behind you -- document it. This could be considered direct evidence of discrimination. If there are any witnesses, write down their names. Note dates, times and places.
2. Comparisons
Look around you. Pay attention to how younger employees are treated. If they are treated differently than you under the same circumstances, that could be evidence of age discrimination. Who was laid off and who wasn't? If older people were the primary targets, start writing down their names, along with the names of younger, less-qualified employees who were kept on.
3. Disparate discipline
If you're disciplined for something that younger employees do without consequences, write it down. They might be building a case against you due to your age.
4. Promotions
If you're more qualified than a younger employee, but you're not chosen for a promotion that you applied for, it may well be due to your age.
5. Favoritism
If younger employees are given the best leads, assignments and equipment, this could be a sign of age discrimination. Additionally, if older employees are excluded from key meetings, or if the boss only socializes with younger employees, then these too may be signs of age-based discrimination.
6. Hiring younger employees
If you see a pattern of your company hiring only younger employees, or if you are turned down for a position that you apply for and see it given to a less-qualified younger employee, it may be a sign that the company is discriminating due to age.
7. Suddenly stupid
Does the attitude at work change after you hit an age milestone? Or does a new boss only like younger employees? If you turn, say, 50 or 60 and suddenly get negative performance reviews and write-ups, you might have an age-discrimination claim.
8. Harassment
If it doesn't affect you in the wallet, it's considered harassment. If you think your boss is trying to make you miserable due to your age to try to get you to quit, or if you're being called names and made fun of due to your age, start writing it down.
Rally In Support Of Bryant High School
On March 26 a rally, organized by New Action, a caucus of the United Federation of Teachers (www.newaction.org) and UFT Solidarity Caucus, will be attended by members of the William C. Bryant High School community in hopes of removing Principal Namita Dwarka. The rally will be held at Bryant HS, 48-10 31st Ave., in Astoria, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. According to the flyer sent by Solidarity Caucus (www.solidaritycaucus.org), Dwarka is: currently under investigation for several infractions including grade changing, covering up safety issues found to be hazardous by the OSHA, financial misconduct, harrassment, discrimination and bullying of staff and parents; has been found guilty of other discriminatory acts by DOE investigators; is responsible for a 65 percent staff turnover rate, while pushing out veteran teachers from William C. Bryant only to employ 109 non-tenured teachers; is the subject of a poll where 97 percent of the high school staff has voted against her; is a defendent in over five lawsuits by staff members, including an assistant principal; and, according to the flyer, is engaged in creating an atmosphere of fear and stress for four years.
Rally in support of William Cullen Bryant HS
Thursday, March 26, 2015
3:30 – 6:00 PM
48-10 31st Ave
LIC, NY
Principal Namita Dwarka is an abusive administrator, and she must go!
Dwarka is a sham, and only the ones she promoted are supporting her.
She hires the cheapest just to produce the worse regents results ever, and the Chancellor supports her.
We may stand alone, or with a thousand other people, but on Thursday March 26, 2015, we stood for something. We were there to support the students and staff of William Bryant HS and push for the removal of Principal Namita Dwarka.
William Bryant HS Rally - UFT Solidarity / New Action
Despite unfavorable weather and lack of support from the UFT Queens Office’s Rona Freiser, James Vasquez and UFT Central, we stood tall and spoke to many parents, students and some staff. Principal Namita Dwarka has made sure to get rid of tenured teachers and leave mostly nontenured
“Wait, hold up. Can I put this on Instagram?” one student from a group asked.
“Sure.”
“That’s how we organized our student walk-out last time.”
Imagine that. Students using social media to organize a walk-out in protest of the Principal that de Blasio Carmen Farina continues to protect.
We distributed the below flyer to parents, students and staff walking in and out of Parent Teacher Conferences.
Community Rally for William Bryant Day Of Flyer
Community Rally for William Bryant Day Of Flyer
“I’m all down with that!” one parent exclaimed as she walked by and saw our signs. “Let me get one of those flyers.”
More statements from the students:
“She cut programs. We used to have more variety.”
“I graduated last year, but called her out as soon as she got here. Get her the ____out! Place has gone to ___ since she’s been here.”
“They hide safety issues. They don’t report what they should.”
“I was attacked and filed a report and they yelled at me, not the other girl. Not even safe.”
“They got rid of some of our teachers or they left or whatever, but they were good.”
Although many teachers walked in for Parent Teacher Conference, avoiding eye contact, some gave us a quick thumbs up, a wink and mouthed a “thank you.” Some stopped and told us of the conditions and how the place used to be a good one to work at. As recent as last month, Principal Namita Dwarka made a veteran teacher with the highest regents scores an Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR) or as the media and DOE spin them “unwanted teachers.” You have high scores, are a loud voice for the students and staff and then labeled ‘unwanted teacher.” Isn’t there an American flag in front of each classroom still?
In any case, UFT Solidarity was happy to have New Action and DTOE.org along side in a united front against a bad educational leader.
Do not expect anything from Mulgrew and the Unity team, they will throw any teacher under the bus. The Queens office of the UFT will defend Dwarka over any teacher. They allow age discrimination against veteran teachers.
One wonders why is there no action to remove an incompetent and abusive Principal?
Another teacher facing termination charges got removed. His crime was reporting grade changing and mismanagement of funds of a corrupt Principal. Aren't there any protections for whistleblowers?
More money wasted bringing a teacher to 3020A fraudulent charges. The students ultimately are the ones who lose the more. Why is the DOE and legal services protecting her?
A veteran teacher file an age discrImination lawsuit and he was retaliated against by Ms. DWARKA DESPITE THAT HE PRODUCED GOOD RESULTS WITH INCOMPETENCE.
This woman was hired to wreck the school. The question is why?
She has pushed out more than 100 experienced staff members out, it is systemic age discrimination. As a consequence the regents scores have plummeted. She retaliates against staff members for reporting wrong doing and age discimination.
She continues on a collision course in her destruction of the school, but her abuse is backfiring her and those of you who protect her shame on you.
I absolutely agree that she should be removed. I know I'm putting myself in danger by commenting on this with my real name. However, I cannot stand to see her fire or mistreat teachers that have done absolutely nothing. She tried so hard to get rid of my favorite teacher in HS. She limited her schedule for tutoring her students and gave the most absurd reasons as to why she should leave. At last my teacher left to another HS and I'm happy she doesn't have to go through this BS. Our class even signed a petition to let her continue tutoring in our freshmen year but alas, no reply was ever given. We have to do something, but no one is willing to stand up. I've asked a lot of my peers, but like I said before, no one is willing to help. I really hope that she is either removed or she changes her ways because she's not just making the teachers suffer, but the students as well.
After so many scandals, one needs to ask Why is sje still.the principal?
Can you email me? I would like to speak with you bout another corrupt NYCDOE issue..kathleencole62@gmail.com
WIth all the money you steal, still drinking budweiser? THOT.
NAMITA DWARKA IS A DEMON HER AND HER DEMON PARTNERS NEED TO ROT IN HELL
Stop raggin. she's more of a man than most of you!
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