I snickered with amusement as I read the Chalkbeat interview with the disappointing Chancellor, Carmen Farina, and was especially laughing about the lies she said about the staffing of the renewal schools. If you read the Chancellor's comments you would be led to believe that "quality teachers" were applying in droves for coveted positions in the renewal schools. Unfortunately, the truth is very different.
Let's look at what happened at Automotive High School. Few teachers reapplied for their jobs and the hired staff consisted of "newbies" with zero classroom experience. That is what's happening at all the renewal schools. Few "quality teachers" are willing to jeopardize their careers to work in these struggling schools with "high needs" students while being subject to onerous accountability requirements that make teaching that more difficult. Yet, according to the Chancellor, teachers are applying to the renewal schools so they can be subject to the increased stress, useless professional development, and added responsibilities working in the renewal schools. Either she is in fantasyland or outright lying.
Even when it came to the attendance issue, the Chancellor was less than forthright. She made it seem that the student enrollment has stabilized and that at least one school had more applicants than spaces available. First, most of the renewal schools continue to have enrollment issues and the parents of academically proficient students do not select these schools for their child. Moreover, many of the renewal schools suffer from safety concerns as the schools have more violent incidents than other schools. Finally, the increased accountability on teachers add to an already stressful situation at these renewal schools.
The truth is that the renewal schools are not a pleasant place to work in and no matter what the Chancellor claims, its a place that no "quality teacher" would willingly work in.
Chaz, have a heart. Farina is not a kid anymore. You don't have to be an ageist to recognize creeping cognitive issues. For example, the Times reported her fabled memory on the occasion of her retirement in 2006: "A beloved and at times feared administrator, [Farina] seemed to know everybody in the nation's largest school system and has an uncanny ability to recall students from decades ago.” (“Top School Aide Becomes the Latest to Step Down,” April 27, 2006) But two years before departing Tweed she exhibited alarming memory loss when OSI questioned her about her role in the notorious Cobble Hill Regents cheating cover-up that occurred while she was Region 8 Superintendent and later Deputy Chancellor:
ReplyDelete"This investigator asked Ms. Farina when she first became aware of the cheating at Cobble Hill. She said, “I don’t think it was when I was Superintendent. I don’t remember.” She was asked if she had any discussions with Superintendent Lyles [her successor in Region 8] about the Cobble Hill situation prior to mid-April 2004 [when NYSED stepped in]. She said, “I don’t remember.” She was asked if she discussed [Principal Lennel] George’s removal from Cobble Hill with Superintendent Lyles. She said, “We discussed it, not specifics, just general background, I can’t remember.”
They are sending out emails requesting resumes for those dumps and other horrible schools and there not even in the boro of the recipient. They are desparate, as usual, during the last week of August. Some things never change. Rest assured many ATRs will be filling those positions - very much like working in the dunk tank at a carnival except you can't insult those who are throwing objects at you.
ReplyDeleteTon of money for per session in the Renewal Schools. You should see their budgets. Millions.
ReplyDeleteChaz:
ReplyDeleteI work in a renewal school and would leave if another school would select me. However, with fifteen years in, no school offered me an interview. Now I;m stuck in this hellhole with no expectations of things getting better.
By the way, you're correct, my AP told me that three teachers were hired for my department, all "newbies"!
It is not just renewal schools. Word is out that over 30 staff members are leaving Ms. Dwarka's beloved Bryant High School, including members of her crew and her disgusting secretary Peggy. Plenty of work for unsuspecting newbies. Before long she will turn it into a renewal school. What a disgraceful person.
ReplyDeleteHow is Namita Dwarka still allowed to be in charge of our school? More than $200K was missing from the schools account. If a teacher forgets to hand in their Teachers Choice receipts, they get a LTF?
ReplyDeleteBryant HS and several other cesspools just sent a ton of emails out to ATRs in different boroughs requesting resumes, Who's going to travel to a different borough to be treated like a piece of shit? I can stay where I am for that.
ReplyDeleteDwarka has just walked into her third federal lawsuit......yet she still has a job.
ReplyDeleteIf a teacher doesn't hand in their receipts for their $50 of teachers choice, they get grilled.
Thanks a lot Mulgrew.......yes, I'm blaming you!
Again...it's not the schools...or the staff...it's a 75% out of wedlock birth rate....coupled with a 50 year Democratic Party Plantation mentality that IS the problem. The Welfare State is a dreadful, and very sinister DISASTER...it has nothing to do with schools or teachers or tenure or anything else.
ReplyDeleteTake of two cities. I happen to be in a great school with high 80's grad rate. Kids going to big name colleges. I can't relate to any of the stories/situations in here. It really is a tale of two cities. Maybe you guys really don't know how great it is at some city high schools. Sorry to read the stories. Luck plays s big role where you land I guess.
ReplyDeleteYes...but your tale is reality for, I would estimate , maybe 20 % of teachers.n
ReplyDelete@ anon 8:29 Yes it does. Luck in this system is huge. Whether it's the school, the administration or the principal, where one lands and sticks may for many dictate the level of how well one sleeps at night. The issue this creates is a tired, divided and ignorant rank and file that either is to stressed or anxious due to their negative condition(s) that the act of survival takes so much out of them making it difficult to muster any individual attempt at real change in terms of Union or Doe policy or on the other hand a rank and file that is fortunate enough to work in sane conditions and thus for many of them lack the understanding of the reality of the other half who were not as fortunate to land in "good" schools run by quality leaders. 23 year Veteran Teacher Brooklyn
ReplyDeleteThat Dwarka $hithead is tageting atrs too. I rather work at pathmark than work for that Bch! Stay away at all cost from Bryant HS in Queens.
ReplyDelete@ 5:33...U NAILED IT. !!!
ReplyDeleteHey Chaz maybe you can find out why sesis has a list of 6 schools for Atrs. Thanks
ReplyDeleteone renewal in the Bronx lost another QUALITY teacher to a Westchester school. seems they DONT want to be in the city
ReplyDelete