Answers To Anonymous Questions

There was a response from an anonymous "student" to the post recent blog posting, "More Ignorance From Non Educators." Though I believe this student to be a certain hedge fund manager that for some reason has a passion for highway rest areas.


How many levels of growth do your students typically achieve in a year?

Zero. None. How does one measure growth in phys.ed, or art, or social studies?

How do you determine which of your students "will" learn versus those who "can" learn?

All students can and will learn. All won't excel. Just a fact of life. I didn't excel in HS. To quote Judge Smails, "the world needs ditch diggers too."

Why would it be "socialist" if all the students in your classroom or at your school were learning on grade level and were accepted to college?

Oh I was being snarky and sarcastic. I saw the word "collective" and wanted to be a smarty pants.

And lastly, why do charter schools threaten you so much?

Threaten? HA! Give me, or any teacher for that matter a class of 12-15 students that are the cream of the crop, and who are there to learn and see what gets done! The reason these students do well is the parents are buying into the system and they have a stake, as do the students. I am sure there are very, very few behavior problems in charters, and when there are the students can, and are removed from these schools. How long will a student be allowed to stay in the charter if that student is not contributing or failing? Not very long. So please, give the public schools the same deal as charters and you'll see the change.

More Ignorance From Non-Educators

Just about a half hour or so ago I was perusing the Internet for something amusing. I decided to see if see if Interstate Rest Stop Magazine's Man of the Year Whitney Tilson's blog had been updated. I mean you can always get a good laugh there. Alas, it has not been since December 18. Oh, Whitney, the challenge still stands. So I am reading some love letter he wrote to Diane Ravitch in a style that he thinks he knows more then her when I came across yet another busy body know it all in the style of Whitney. Her name is Catherine Bellinger and she thinks she is really, really, super duper smart. She goes to Princeton, so she should be super revered, and when she speaks, should be treated like EF Hutton. She has this organization called Students for Education Reform, and a blog, as well as a page on Facebook.

Catherine was very rude to Ms Ravitch as well. Condescending, patronizing, and I guess like her mentor, pimp, teacher, etc... Whitney Tilson, just plain ignorant. Hey, NYC Educator, not doing any name calling here. Just stating facts. Mmmm,K? But I want to discuss her blabbering to Diane Ravitch another time. There is something else I came across.

On Whitney the do gooders blog he listed something Catherine listed from a book, "Sweating the Small Stuff: Inner-City Schools and the New Paternalism," by David Whitman. Entitled, "20 key practices of high-performing, high-poverty urban schools" just another manifesto in the slippery slope into turning all schools into charter schools, or just something written by someone who does not know what they are talking about. Unfortunately Li'l Catherine is taking this as gospel without using any of HOTS.

Let's examine the points.....

1.Tell students exactly how to behave and tolerate no disorder

Really? But if teachers do that SCI, or OSI will repel down the school in hoods and remove us from school.

2.Require a rigorous, college-prep curriculum.

No problem with that. I believe in challenging students. But what about the students in special ed.? Or who just aren't going to college? All students CAN learn, not all will excel. Sorry if that sounds cold but it is a fact.

3. Align curriculum with state standards and specify performance outcomes.

It's done already. DUH!

4.Assess students regularly and use the results to target struggling students.

They are assessed way too much as it is. We are talking about CHILDREN! And how do we target the struggling students when you have a class of 27 and 4 serious behavior problems?

5. Keep students busy in class with a clear plan and a variety of assignments.

Busy time.

6. Build a collective culture of achievement and college-going.

Sounds like Obama's socialism to me. How do you propose this happens?

7. Reject the culture of the streets.

Of course!!! "Hey you young student. I know your parents are never home and you are out until 11 30 even though you are in fourth grade. But give up the bling and the wads of cash and pretty please stay in school." See how simple?

8. Be vigilant about maintaining school culture.

Huh?

9. Extend the school day and/or year.

I will give a massage to the first person, except Norm Scott, that will explain to me how this is a benefit.

10. Monitor and enforce attendance.

Really? You agree with this Catherine? See # 7 and please don't forget all the asthma related illness we have. Maybe you can help by going from borough to borough picking up all the rat feces.

11. Welcome accountability for adults and embrace constant reassessment.

Does this include administrators as well? What about accountability in Tweed?

12. Give principals and teachers more autonomy -- think "charter school."

No, think "THIRD REICH"

13. Eliminate (or at least disempower) local teacher unions.

HAHAHA! Why not spay or neuter? Not to worry, Mulgrew has beaten you to it.

14. Use unconventional channels to recruit committed teachers.

You mean hedge fund managers that want to satisfy their white liberal guilt and think they know what is best for little brown boys and girls?

15. Don't demand much from parents.

Yes, there should be no demands nor expectations of parents. Screw them. Who needs them. Bloomy is right.
For those who don't know, I am being a wee bit sarcastic.

16. Escape the constraints hobbling traditional district schools.

Isn't that what Kathy Bates did to James Caan?

17. Don't waste resources on fancy facilities or technology.

Or courthouses, or no bid contracts, or consultants paid in six figures.

18. Keep the school small.

School small, or class sizes small? This seems like code for CHARTER SCHOOL

19. Track and support students after they graduate.

Tracking is BS, and I think he might have been struck down in the Supreme Court.

20. Help create additional schools following your model.

CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK.

Li'l Catherine, you need to really find another line of advocacy.

I Am More, Mayor Bloomberg

I was searching the internet to see if I could find any photos of Bloomberg or Klein with a sheep or some other type of farm animal and came across this video. Probably been seen before and to those who have, apologies.

The NCLB Night Before TESTING PILL

I wish I could take credit for this. So funny!! I had this Tweated to me this morning. Click here for the link. Read on:

I recently stumbled across a highly classified document in the files of one of our largest pharmaceutical companies when I placed "Manhattan Project (similar)" into a classified search engine. It appears that an unnamed career officer in The U.S. Department of Education has, since 2004, been funneling hundreds of millions of dollars through the CIA for the development of a TESTING PILL to be administered to all students taking high stakes tests.

On trial tests of the TESTING PILL in a secret location in Texas, 100% of the students tested above the 90 percentile in reading and math. Thus, the scores of American students have the potential of becoming the highest in the world, outstripping even Taiwan and Finland. In addition, this modern day miracle should also guarantee that our children will lead the world in the 21^st century global economy.

However, the results of this Manhattan like secret project, in terms of its urgency and its mind-boggling consequences, haven't yet been openly reported. There appears to be one major side effect which the researchers are at this point calling the ZOMBIE EFFECT and which requires further investigation and testing. It seems that 97.6% of the test group displayed significant decreases in their levels of intelligence, creativity, and higher order thinking skills.

Researchers and drug company representatives are hoping that the TESTING PILL will have the same instantaneous impact upon improving education as Prozac has had as an antidepressant in a world that seems to be speeding out of control.

Richard Lakin,
Your Not So Tongue in Cheek reporter
April 3, 2009

See Ya Kid!!

So why am I writing this on Christmas day? One, I have the time, and two this is something very near and dear to me. I am writing about something in my school which I swore I won't do anymore, but now I am compelled to. I will attempt to put my cynicism and sarcasm away for a few moments.

On Wednesday I said goodbye to a student. He is in second grade. He was held over this year. He went to another school where there is a special ed seat open for him, and he will have a management para. This is the best thing that could happen to him. I am happy for him and his mom. But I am saddened.

I have spent the better part of this year focused on this student. He has a lot of issues. Major anger issues, but also wants and needs major attention. Unfortunately he was getting too much negative attention. But he also has a huge heart, is quite verbal, and quite smart. Academically he is very behind. But through no fault of his teachers.

He has thrown chairs, flipped over desks, tried to stab students with pencils, blocked the door and refused to allow his class to leave the classroom. I can't count the times I had to look for him all over the school. He has a sense of entitlement, and all the instances I mentioned have come at the slightest perceived provocation.

But he loves music and art. He wants to be loved, and needed. One on one, or in a very small setting he shines. He is caring. He does have empathy. He is not a mean kid, nor a bad kid. He truly is good. He wants to be good. He just does not know how to go about it at times.

His mother is on the ball. The father is a sperm donor. He speaks a good game, but it is all talk. Mom is the one who has to deal with the phone calls, and the promotion in doubt letters, and the crap. I feel for her.

I told the kid that he can call me anytime, that mom has my phone number. I promised him I will visit him at his new school and that he better visit me. I will genuinely miss him.

But according to Joel Klein, I am a failure, even though I am not responsible for his academic progress. I know that somehow, someway I have had a positive influence in his life. I know that ten, twenty years from now something I said will click in his head and he will become a better person for it. I know when he hears my name in 2033 he will smile. But I can't now, and I don't know if I will then. The SYSTEM, not his teachers, has failed him thus far.

The SYSTEM is responsible for making learning unfun, everything skewed to some bullshit tests that only benefit the test making companies and the DOE. The SYSTEM is responsible for the large classes this kid should never have been in. The SYSTEM is responsible for monies going to Tweed lackies, Klein toadies, and charter schools instead of getting this kid a management para long ago. The SYSTEM is responsible for an asinine method of holding kids over no matter the test scores or ages when ever freaking study out there shows that the only time this benefits a student is when it is done in Kindergarten! Let's have more fifteen year old fifth graders and let's see how their self-esteem is doing. Yeah, I have seen such students.

The SYSTEM is broken. Joel Klein is walking around butt naked but very few wish to tell him the truth.

I Have Been Thinking About Whitney Tilson

Yeah I admit it I have. But not in the sort of rest stop rest room tapping on the stall next to you sort of why. More thinking along the line how Whitney Tilson is the embodiment of the Hitlerjugend, or Hitler Youth.

Just reading the ignorance, self-righteousness, and the hate in his blog, I see the comparisons between the Hitlerjugend and Whitney and his ilk.

As the Hitlerjugend were basically mindless drones, clueless and indoctrinated into the ways of the Third Reich, so has Whitney been into the ways the the DOE.

Just reading what this Turd Blossom has written lately, especially about Diane Ravitch, who has a resume second to none in the world of education, you can see how entitled, as were the Hitler Youth were, that Whitney thinks he is.

Just like the rallies the Hitler Youth had in Nuremberg, Whitney rallies all to his palatial, hidden away from reality palace on 5th Ave where all hail Whitney and his self-endorsed greatness.

The Aryans thought they knew better than everyone else, Whitney there is no difference with you.

Jaime Estades For UFT President!!!!!

Sorry for the long time between posts. Been busy. So busy I didn't catch how the top 1,400 sycophants working for Joel Klein will be getting raises totaling $12 million dollars, including 475 that already make over $100K. That is bugging me, but not as much as something else I read in the Daily News article.

What is bugging me, perplexing me, annoying me the most is Mike Mulgrew's response. Mulgrew, and I must think of a pet name for him, blabbered, "The chancellor has the right to make his own judgments about what his managers deserve." No outrage Mike? No stern consternation? Not even a tsk tsk?

Mike, you lead a union of approximately 80,000 members and with a statement like that you show absolutely zero leadership. What sickens me is a parent is able to say what you lack the balls to say.

"It doesn't make sense at all," said Jaime Estades, PTA president at Brooklyn's Public School 84, which saved money this fall by packing fifth-grade classes with an average six more students.

"It's laughable and painful that anyone in their right sense would give raises," Estades said. "What we need [in city schools] is textbooks and teachers and after-school programs."

Mike, why is Jamie able to be outraged and you aren't? You are sickening Mike. The election can not come sooner to vote you out.

Teacher Season

I have been holding my tongue since Reichsführer Bloomberg opened that hole underneath his nose and announced as if he were the Burning Bush, "that the state should place a one-year limit of teachers in the reserve pool," and something he could also press for in the contract.

Is he serious? Think about this. If this ever goes through, it is open season on any tenured, over forty, making too much money, thinks for themselves teacher in the system. Ya think the principals wield the absolute power without any reason now? Just wait until they have the unfettered power this will give them.

A principal doesn't like the cut of your jib? Well there is reason enough for a principal to start writing you up, throw letters in your file, which you can not grieve thanks to the 2005 bending over Randi Weingarten did on our behalf.

Has a teacher been a thorn in the side of the administration? Let's start showing up in the classroom every day and find anything, or everything wrong. Students didn't answer question correctly, too much student movement, not implementing the WORKSHOP MODEL during phys ed. The spaghetti theory in teacher evaluation will be used. Throw it all against the wall, and if it sticks it is good.

A teacher makes too much money and the principal wants to get some young, cheap blood in? Turn a handshake between a teacher and a student into a corporal punishment accusation. Sure, why not, teachers are no good.

What gets me is right now when a teacher is brought up on charges 99% of the time there is a settlement offer made before the hearing. Basically boils down to sign this, pay a huge fine spread over 18 months, take a course, oh and here is the kicker. The teacher signs the settlement with prejudice. Meaning, that the teacher has no future right to civil action against the DOE. If a teacher is so incompetent, why settle? And why the fear of any future litigation?

But, where again is Mike Mulgrew? Mike, we are waiting. It is so simple to save face and do the right thing. Just say ten simple words, "we won't accept any contract in which ATR's are sacrificed." C'mon Mike, just say it. You can do it.

Bloomberg and the Final Solution for Teachers

I might get reamed for this, but I feel this way, at times, and besides, only Mel Brooks could write "Springtime for Hitler" only I can write post. Bear with me, this post is going to be somewhat a stream of consciousness.

Not to long ago I read an amazing book, "Ghettostadt: Lodz and the Making of a German City." Basically the book chronicles the Nazi's ghettoizing Lodz, Poland and the systemic annihilation of the Jews of not only Lodz, but of Poland. With me so far? See the parallel?

There is a "Final Solution" in store for teachers, and public education that is being implemented. But instead of Hitler, we have Arne Duncan. Instead of the author of the real Final Solution Heinrich Himmler, we have Michael Bloomberg in his place. Instead of Hans Biebow running the ghetto, we have Joel Klein instead. See? Teaching, being a student, a parent anyone associated with the DOE, and not being on Klein's side, we have been put in a ghetto. But it gets better.

The Nazi's could not have succeeded in Lodz if it were not for the Judenräte enabling them. The UFT are the Judenrät, and the head of the Judenräte in Lodz was Chaim Rumkowski. But now instead of Chaim collaborating and enabling the regime we have Mike Mulgrew.

Now you ask, how can I compare Bloomberg and Klein, two Jews to Himmler and Biebow? Think about it, the teaching profession, at least at one time in NYC was predominantly Jewish. Who started the UFT and ran it for years? Jews. Bloomberg and Klein are two self-loathing Jews. Mulgrew, not a Jew. But, I wonder.

In Lodz Jews no longer deemed productive were sent to the camps. Who made the choice? Rumkowski did. Either through silent enabling, or choosing himself. In the world of the DOE teachers no longer deemed productive are sent to camps as well. Only these camps are the Rubber Rooms. Has anyone seen the Rubber Room at George Washington High School in Washington Heights? Trailers, fences, security gate, where's the difference between that and Auschwitz? Mulgrew in the role of Rumkowski is silent and sacrifices good teachers in collaboration with Klein in the role of Biebow, who answers to Himmler, er I meant to say Bloomberg.

Teachers clutch the metaphorical gates of the Rubber Rooms, till their fingers bleed, hoping that the horror will recede, hoping that tomorrow they will all be freed. FYI, that last sentence was paraphrased from Rush's 1984 hit song Red Sector A.

Rumkowski sold out the Jews of Lodz, as Mulgrew is doing, and he is enabling Klein and Bloomberg just as Biebow and Himmler had been enabled. But those two want to curry favor with Arne Duncan.

Ward, Have You Seen My Beaver?

There was this episode of "Leave it to Beaver" in which Beaver's teacher comes over for dinner. I forgot the premise of why, but one thing lingers deep in my mind about the episode. Beaver's teacher came over wearing shoes in which her toes were exposed.

Beaver called Larry Mondello to come over and they were in shock. They were mesmerized with the fact that their teacher had toes, or that she was wearing such "risque" footwear.

I got to thinking about this during that entire Polazzo imbroglio in which some of the comments made by Stuy students were shocked that how a teacher can write nasty, snarky, sarcastic posts in this blog. Or one comment in which someone commented that at 7 PM I should be correcting papers, doing lesson plans, etc... without realizing that teachers do in fact have lives. Well, most of us do.

Why are teachers put on such a pedestal? Yes, I know we work with children, and there must be a certain amount of decorum. But, why are teachers constantly singled out? And I think this leads back to this entire Bloom/Klein of bashing teachers.

There is this stereotype that is still out there that a teacher must still be virtuous, virginal, and chaste. That all we should think about is the students. But why aren't cops, or firefighters, or CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS held to the same unrealistic standard as teachers? They are all very important, if at times not more so to the community than teachers.

Back in 2005 when we were negotiating a new contract there was talk of a strike vote. I was with some colleagues and we were discussing it. I mentioned that I am ready to strike if need be, when this new, TFA inane drone said, "how can you talk about striking, what about the children?" I explained to the TFA inane drone that the children don't put food on my family's plate, nor will they put my child through college. He shut up fast.

I am just getting tired of us getting dumped on as a profession, by people who do not know, nor care about education. Thank you for letting me rant.

Mike Mulgrew's Leadership Qualities

BREAKING NEWS!!!! SBSB HAS SNEAK PEAK AT NEW CONTRACT!

Remember the book Logan's Run? Seems that Joel Klein is a fan of the book, and in the new contract him and Mike Mulgrew have decided to implant a crystal in all new teacher's palms.

In an exclusive SBSB interview with Joel Klein, the chancellor says, "The seeds of the Teacher War were planted in a restless strike of 1968, with picket lines and selfishness. By the late 1970s over 40 percent of the teachers in NYC were over 40 of years of age. The teachers continued to age — and with it the percentage.In the 1980s the figure was 55.8 percent.In the 1990s, 60.9 percent. In the year 2009 — critical mass."

According the the new contract which SBSB has seen a leaked copy, a new teacher will have his or her crystal set at yellow. Once the teacher receives tenure, or after three years, whichever comes first, his or her crystal will then become blue. After maxing out at step 8b the teacher's crystal will become red. Once a teacher hits L15 or turns forty the the crystal will start blinking red/black letting the teacher know that the end time has come. This will be known as Rubber Day.

When teachers reach Rubber Day they are to report to what will be known as the Rubber Shop. Once there, they willfully enter the Rubber Room, not to be seen of, nor spoken of again.

There is also a provision for teachers who refuse to report to the Rubber Shop. The DOE will employ what will be known as "Deep Rubber Operative", or "Rubberman." These operatives will have special weapons, such as perjured testimony at their disposal to force these teachers into the Rubber Shop. Also, they will employ a special new martial art called "Omnite."

But there might be hope. Sources have told SBSB that there will be Sanctuary for those who want to avoid the Rubber Shop. At press time, Sanctuary will be deep inside any administrator's colon. Or Mike Mulgrew's colon.

I am not buying this for a second. Sanctuary is not inside a colon. Sanctuary is unity amongst the teachers of NYC. We need to stick together and fight as one against aschimothusia.

Hey Dan Smith, Awesome Matt Polazzo Is Dangerous!

Oh Awesome Matt Polazzo, have you learned anything yet? Have you heard about Dan Smith? To sum it up quickly, Dan Smith was accused of asking a girl to sit on his lap. He never said anything of the sort. Dan is a whistle blower, something you would never have the guts to do. You, and anyone else can read about Dan and his taking the DOE to Federal court here.

Dan, do you realize whyAwesome Matt Polazzo is dangerous? Maybe it is because Awesome Matt wrote:

The controversy was stirred up by Stephen Brill's article "The Rubber Room," featured in the Aug. 31 New Yorker. It shows the incredible lengths the United Federation of Teachers has gone to protect bad teachers.

Teachers accused of offenses are forced into "rubber rooms" where they fight over chairs and play cards for six hours and 50 minutes a day.

See Dan, Matt doesn't have the higher order thinking skills to realize what a shill Brill (Hey! That rhymes!) is for Tweed, nor does Matt know what a failure at almost everything Brill has been in his life.

What is that Dan? You are asking if Matt failed to institute HOTS for any other part of his article? Hmmm, let's see. Awesome Matt writes about what his love interest has done to the schools:

It is true that Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein have tried mightily to reform New York's education system. They have expanded the amount of time teachers work in a day, given administrators the ability to hire and fire their assistant principals and allowed assistant principals to hire teachers that they choose.........

.........We must insist that a new contract contain three key provisions. The contract must allow administrators to fire bad teachers, give them the power to hire any teacher they want, and give administrators flexibility in setting the pay of their teachers.

Dan, people like Awesome Matt want to give all the powers to the administration. But we know what happens when one has absolute power. Ten years ago Dan, what do you think would have happened to you? But you are over forty and think for yourself. Awesome Matt thinks you are useless.

What makes one wonder is what would the powers that be say if they saw teenage girls shaking their "bootys" at Awesome Matt Polazzo during instructional time and Awesome Matt laughing and applauding whilst it being done? But Awesome Matt Polazzo is not over forty. Yet. Nothing will come of it. For those curious, please check out 4:55 to 5:35 of video.

Two Peas in a Pod

Ariel Sacks and Awesome Matt Polazzo. Watch. Listen. Think. Learn.

A Retort to Awesome Matt Polazzo's Retorter

My mother told me two things. Always wear clean underwear in case you are in a car accident, and never argue with crazy people. Well dear old mom, I am about to break one of those rules. FYI, the underwear is clean.

So I wake up with a wicked headache at 2 AM and check the blog. And "anonymous" starts off thusly:

"You are an example of everything that is wrong with incompetent teachers. You are like the teacher "who had given a 100 to a student who claimed that Abraham Lincoln had won the Revolutionary War."

Wow, interesting. Doesn't even know what I teach but is able to deduce my teaching method, style and grading system. But, and this is a big but, something even the Awesome Matt Polazzo failed to point out. When I was in high school passing on a regents was a 65. It is now 55, or 50? Are students being serviced by this? Standardized tests have been dumbed down. Again, how does this benefit the students? And what is the deal with this credit recovery thingy? That was implemented by the wonderful people at Tweed. Isn't that just as bad, if not worse than the teacher who gave a 100?

"Not only did you completely fail to interpret Mr. Polazzo's piece, you are focusing your blog on the wrong things, the trivial things that don't count."

Yes junior, the trivial things do count. I am sure if you wrote a paper for the Awesome Matt Polazzo and left out facts he would let you know.

"you are just a UFT sycophantic suck-up."

ROTFLMFAO!!!! Obviously you have not read the entire blog.

"Explain yourself Matt. You mean the literacy coach? The math coach?..."
"@He explained himself full well if you read the damn article--teachers in the rubber room; teachers getting paid full time to play cards for 6.5 hours..."

Second sentence in his article; "Even hotter is the buzz about what to do with teachers who get paid for staying outside the classroom." He failed to right then and there qualify his point.

"Curious, you had an out of classroom position, and with an office no less. Matt, you are contradicting yourself here aren't you?"
@You know full well he means rubber-room teachers."

Please read above.

"Perhaps you should check out rubberroomovie.com."
"@What? You back up your claims with some nonsense movie? Is that how they taught you do support your arguments when you were in school?"

Isn't this statement a tad bit specious? Have you even bothered to check out that website?

"Define incompetence. Please. Or better yet, define why you think you are so wonderful."
@Incompetence is your blog post. He didn't make any comments about his post. He is merely expressing his disgust at the incompetence of teachers. By your train of thought, a parent who complains must also express why they are wonderful?"

Again, explain incompetence, and explain why Awesome Matt is not incompetent. It is totally probable that one day (and I truly hope this does not happen) that Awesome Matt will be labeled incompetent by a principal that just does not like him.

"As far as the chemistry teacher weeping, what was the question Matt?"
"@"What was the question Matt?" You're kidding me right? You focus way too much on the things that aren't important."

What is the big deal? Why did the teacher weep?

"Hey Matt make you a deal. If and ever you are brought into your principal's office, or are investigated, do not take any advantage of your chapter chair, or any legal services the UFT might offer you. But you won't. You will be the first to whine and beg for the UFT to take care of you."
"@Maybe Mr. Polazzo is man enough to stand up for himself. You're a full grown person. Have some pride; if you're incompetent, go find something else. Earn a living on your own merit; don't freeload off society."

No Awesome Matt is not man enough to stand up for himself. He will want all the protections of the contract if he is ever accused of anything. However, I will respect him more if he came out and renounced any union benefits.

"If true, wrong, but again you do not supply the context. As far as making 3X your salary, SBSB has done some math. You have been teaching about 9-10 year so your salary is somewhere around 65K..."
"@This part pissed me off the most. Quote-on-quote "My first year of teaching". It shows just how little attention you paid to Mr. Polazzo's op-ed. 'Nuff said."

Hey I stand corrected. But. If this was Awesome Matt's first year teaching I would say he was making about 32K. The maximum salary when Bloomberg in 2001 was 70K. Again Awesome Matt was incorrect.

"The contract mentions only two year-end ratings for a teacher: Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory. No other ranking is covered and thus allowed for."
"Wrong!!! There is also N/A. Dang, Matt read the contract!!!"

"@Dang, A Teacher in the Bronx, you're an idiot for even mentioning N/A." Matt was incorrect here. He said only an S or a U can be given, he fails to mention the N/A as well as mentioning that there is space for comments.


So there you have it Junior. If a may paraphrase, "Let us not go blindly into the endless winter night."

"A facts a fact from Nome to Rome."

BREAKING MIKE MULGREW NEWS!!!!!!

Where at SBSB have learned that UFT SA-Obergruppenführer Mike Mulgrew has gotten the acting bug. Through digital mastery Mike has replaced the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. The new, and improved version has Mike digitally remastered replacing the late Bert Lahr, and get this, the dialogue and song has been altered as well. We here find it more than a coincidence, but highly appropriate that Mike Mulgrew has replaced the so-called Cowardly Lion. Mike by his inaction to endorse William Thompson as mayor, allowed Mike Bloomberg to win a third term. Mike was more afraid of Bloomy getting mad than doing the right thing.

We here at SBSB have acquired through sources a still photo of the movie with Mike and have some of the script which will be shown here for the first time.

Mike Mulgrew sings: Yeah, it's sad, believe me Missy When you're born to be a sissy Without the vim and verve But I could show my prowess Be a leader, not a mowess If I only had some balls I'm afraid there's no refusin' I'm just a confusin’ A fate I don't deserve I'd have balls big as golf balls (Tin Man) I'd be gentle as a lizard (Scarecrow) I'd be clever as a gizzard (Dorothy) If the Wizard is a wizard who will serve (Scarecrow) Then I'm sure to get a brain (Tin Man) A heart (Dorothy) A home (Mike Mulgrew) Some balls

Mike Mulgrew: Balls! What makes a king out of a slave? Balls! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Balls! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot? What have they got that I ain't got?
Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Woodsman: Balls!!
Mike Mulgrew: You can say that again! Huh?

Dorothy: Mike, if you had a set of balls, you wouldn't be afraid of anything?
Mike Mulgrew: Not nobody! Not nohow!
Tin Woodsman: Not even Bloomberg?
Mike Mulgrew: Imposerous!
Dorothy: How about Klein?
Mike Mulgrew: Why, I'd thrash him from top to bottomus!
Dorothy: Supposing Randi?
Mike Mulgrew: I'd wrap her up in cellophane!
Scarecrow: What if it were a Arne Duncan?
Mike Mulgrew: I'd show him who was leader of the UFT!

Mike, go visit the Wizard. Shanker's grave. You will learn that you had the balls all along.

New York Pravda, er, Times

It's funny how those without any experience in education, or an understanding of the issues continue to blabber about how to fix the DOE, or education in general. But once again, one of the official party newspapers of the Bloomberg Administration, The New York Times shows it lack of grasp of the issues, in this case reporter Jennifer Medina.

It's bad enough that the Times has shrunk and now costs two dollars during the week, and five dollars on Sundays. But to see the paper that ran the Pentagon Papers become a somewhat semi-official mouthpiece of Bloomberg-Klein just is sad. Medina just writes without delving into anything.

Facebook page Team Polazzo linked this, so let's comment on this.

"But many principals prefer new teachers."

Of course they do!! I have no disagreement with that. But why? Several reasons. One, the new teachers are cheaper. Two, you get a teacher that is you can mold, a teacher that doesn't ask why or question things, and a teacher that does not have family commitments. And three, a teacher that is not a threat knows more than the principal. In Joel Klein's DOE the administrator's have less and less experience as teachers. I have seen teacher's become AP's, or principals after only five years of teaching. Even less! Of course they would feel threatened.

I took abuse when I was untenured. I had no choice. I have a choice now. I refuse to be abused, and I refuse to do what is wrong by the students.

"So in an act of quiet defiance, they are allowing jobs to sit vacant."

Can this be construed as an act of insubordination? Would a teacher be allowed to refuse a directive? I have no problem giving the principals all the power in the world, but as we know absolute power corrupts absolutely.

"And principals are upset that after years of choosing their work force, their options are being drastically limited."

They can choose their workforce, but from a smaller pool than in the past. But as the Marines say, "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome."

“The picture out there is not pretty,” said Jemina R. Bernard, who directs the New York office of Teach for America,'

Boo-hoo. I can't feel sorry for the TFA's. Yes, there are some darn good ones out there, but I see too many leave after the commitment is over, and many of them come to NYC to live that NYC lifestyle. Not saying all, just too many.

"But a number of schools may end up with larger classes or have to temporarily stop offering a subject."

Who is getting hurt the most here in the long run? Seems very unChildren First to me.

"As Chancellor Joel I. Klein moved aggressively to close poor-performing schools, more teachers found their positions eliminated. And principals tended to hire younger, newer teachers because they were cheaper and did not carry the stigma of having come from a failing school."

Poor performing? By who's estimation? The letter grades which are a joke? By state test scores in which tests have been dumbed down? Or by finding any school to close to make room for a charter?

"Mr. Klein has suggested that those who do not find jobs quickly are undesirable, or that they have stopped looking."

Is that a fact? Joel, you are so amazingly smart. You have this clairvoyance that is just beyond that of Darth Vader. You know it all.

"With the teachers’ contract up for renewal this fall, Mr. Klein said he would push for a limit on how long teachers could stay in the reserve pool before they could be laid off. But an arbitration board has rejected such a limit."

You caused this problem Joel, you fix it.

"Michael Mulgrew, the president of the teachers’ union, the United Federation of Teachers, said that the Education Department had not made a great enough effort to place teachers and that Mr. Klein had unfairly maligned them."

Shut up doofball, who cares what you say? Put your money where your mouth is. We are in this mess because the UFT has no balls.

"Several principals — who did not want their names published for fear of angering the administration or the teachers’ union — said they were circumventing the restrictions by offering new teachers jobs as long-term substitutes or hiring them as specialized teachers but placing them in regular classrooms."

There must be some type of unfair labor practice or illegality here. But since Mike Mulgrew has no balls, we will never know will we?

"Valerie Hamilton-Roux, 45, who was a reading specialist at Public School 201 in Harlem until it was closed last year, said she had been little more than a “glorified sub” since then. In the last several months, she has attended job fairs and sent out more than a hundred résumés to schools, she said."

The only thing Valerie has going against her is her age.

“I want to work and be useful, not just a placeholder,” she said. “Whether I don’t say what the principals want to hear or whether they’re skeptical because I haven’t been in the classroom for a year, I don’t know. It’s getting harder to not have sleepless nights.”

Hey Ariel, what do you think?

Krystel Martinez, 27, also cannot find work. She left a job at Sony Music to enter the Teaching Fellows program, which recruits people without classroom experience to teach while earning a master’s degree in education.

“Why did they go ahead and bring us if there were no jobs for us to have?” Ms. Martinez said. “Some people are losing motivation, but we’re all concerned about having a roof over our heads.”

How do you think the ATR's feel Krystel? They have families, bills, roofs too!

Matt Polazzo, Shame On You

We here at SBSB cam across Matt Polazzo's Friendster page. How shocking to find out that Matt that Matt is misogynistic and sees females as prostitutes. How so you ask? Matt, remember Halloween some years back, better yet, what is the quote? Hmmmm, let's see what it says.

Posted 05/05/2004 2:35 pm This man is the only teacher I've ever seen dress up as pimp on Halloween. I'd rave about what a great teacher he is, but I already did that on Gary He's website some years ago while I actually had him. Now all that matters is that he makes a bitchin' pimp.

Matt, Webster's defines a pimp as :

a man who solicits clients for a prostitute

Is that how you see yourself and/or other females? Shame on you Matt. Pimps are bad people.

But just as equally disturbing is:

Posted 03/18/2004 2:59 pm
Mr. Polazzo as i know him. XXXXXXXX and i used to
always wonder whether or not he smokes
pot... wed say no he seems to have it
together he cant be blazed.. but then certain stories he would tell us led us to believe otherwise...

What kind of stories are you sharing with the youth Matt?

Open Letter to Anonymous Defender of the Wonderful Matt Polazzo

In the previous post about noted sycophant Mark Polazzo came a comment that instead of commenting on in the little comment box I wish to share out on the open.

"....The first piece of contradiction lies in the fact that you point out that Matthew Polazzo was the former Coordinator of Student Affairs and was therefore a teacher outside the classroom. Unlike perhaps the COSA in your school, at Stuyvesant High School, the COSA is a teacher who teaches at least four classes a day and also devotes their last period and after-school time to work as the COSA, and yes in an office."

Hey, if wrong, then we here at SBSB will admit it. But, Matthew decided to represent himself as this "big shot" coordinator. What is girl to think?

".....Also, in terms of reading comprehension, when Matthew Polazzo refers to teachers outside the classroom, you clear well know that he is referring to teachers in the rubber rooms."

Where oh where does Matthew make that clear? Here is the quote: Even hotter is the buzz about what to do with teachers who get paid for staying outside the classroom. This is in the first paragraph. Where does he qualify it as teacher's in the Rubber Room?

"You are also an educator who is complacent with the way things remain in the New York City Educational system."

Obviously you have not read the entire blog and seen how it shook up the powers that be last year. I suggest you give it a thorough reading and then comment. As far as me being complacent, where are your facts? Do you know me? Do you know anything?

"Unfortunately, as the citizens of this city realize the terrible quality of education they are being forced to deal with, they will take action by voting and by demanding reform."

The only reform has been rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. Smoke and mirrors baby.

"You shouldn't defend the UFT contract as it stands in dealing with poor teachers."

How do you define a poor teacher? Please do.

"The contract may very well protect teachers from abusive administrators and from being forced out because of false accusations, neither Matthew Polazzo nor anyone else is demanding for these provisions to be removed, nor should they ever be removed..."

As previously stated, fine no problem with getting rid of poor teachers. Define a poor teacher. But the Rubber Room was a place for teachers that were accused of being a danger to children. Now you get teachers there who after 25 years get a U rating in the middle of the year, who have had a Diet Coke in their hand, who have blown the whistle, who report abuse. That is the majority in the Rubber Room.

".....all we are asking for is a different regulatory measure by which to insure quality teaching."

Define quality teaching.

Matt Polazzo. Joel Klein's Parrot

Did you read Stuyvesant High School's noted sycophant Matt Polazzo's op-ed piece in today's Daily News? I did, and we have yet another UFT member, and teacher suckling at the sphincter of administration just like Ariel Sacks. Unfortunately, Matt distorts facts just as bad as Ariel Sacks. Matt wants the UFT contract torn up.Taking apart his ramblings seems so unfair. Like shooting fish in a barrel. So what does Matt have to say?

"Even hotter is the buzz about what to do with teachers who get paid for staying outside the classroom."

Explain yourself Matt. You mean the literacy coach? The math coach? These people are integral parts of the school community. They work with, especially new teachers, on setting up curriculum, letting all teachers know the latest in their fields and are a vital part of the school community. Surely you don't mean reading specialists, or ESL teachers. Aren't they vital to the school community as well?

But what makes one wonder is why are you contradicting yourself Matt? The crack SBSB investigation team has uncovered this from the New York Times, February 19, 2006:

"It’s a huge phenomenon,” said Matt Polazzo, the coordinator of student affairs at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, referring to the compulsive habit of teenagers to snap everything in their lives, especially self-portraits. “Just yesterday I had a girl sitting on the couch in my office...."

Curious, you had an out of classroom position, and with an office no less. Matt, you are contradicting yourself here aren't you?

"The controversy was stirred up by Stephen Brill's article "The Rubber Room," featured in the Aug. 31 New Yorker. It shows the incredible lengths the United Federation of Teachers has gone to protect bad teachers."

Yeah, incredible lengths the UFT goes through. Yes, I agree there are bad teachers out there, there are teachers that physically and have sexually abused children. But, they are all allowed due process. But Matty, what about the teachers who are there because the blew the whistle? Who just didn't get along with the principal? It is so, so, so easy for a principal, if she or he doesn't like you, to get you in the Rubber Room. Perhaps you should check out rubberroomovie.com.

Oh, and as far as quoting and taking anything Stephen Brill has to say, remember this is the man who wanted to show students commercials in class. Consider the source.

"On top of that, a giant pool of educators who have lost their jobs due to budget cuts and incompetence are paid full salaries not to teach - and this separate reserve pool contains over 1,100 members."

Define incompetence. Please. Or better yet, define why you think you are so wonderful.

"In my 11 years in the system, I have seen a teacher drag a boy down the stairs by his ankles, seen a teacher break down and start weeping when asked a basic question about chemistry and seen far more who do an absolutely minimal amount of work and dole out high grades to keep students content."

Do you know the context in which the boy was dragged by the ankles? If you know this did you report it? As far as the chemistry teacher weeping, what was the question Matt? Are you one hundred percent sure his license was chemistry? Do you know that principals have had the tendency in the past to have teachers teach out of license. Do you have all the facts? As for as doing a minimal amount of work, define minimal? How do you know this? As far as teachers doling out high grades I suggest you look at the credit recovery so espoused by Tweed and the controversy going on at Lehman High School now. Isn't that more shocking Matt?

"It is the gigantic and ridiculous 165-page UFT contract, which is relentlessly defended by union leaders. The contract expired Saturday; negotiations are underway to replace it."

Hey Matt make you a deal. If and ever you are brought into your principal's office, or are investigated, do not take any advantage of your chapter chair, or any legal services the UFT might offer you. But you won't. You will be the first to whine and beg for the UFT to take care of you.

"Then he told me that I should grade student work based solely on how neat the penmanship was. I looked at the work he had evaluated in this manner and saw that he had given a 100 to a student who claimed that Abraham Lincoln had won the Revolutionary War. This teacher got three times my salary."

If true, wrong, but again you do not supply the context. As far as making 3X your salary, SBSB has done some math. You have been teaching about 9-10 year so your salary is somewhere around 65K. So for this teacher to be making 3X your salary the teacher must be raking in.....HOLY SHIT!!!! That teacher is making $195,000!!!! Psst, Matt, does Bloomy know this????

"If you are a New York City teacher, your pay is still determined almost entirely by the number of years you teach as well as your education level."

It is alike this all over the country, even in Scarsdale.

"The contract mentions only two year-end ratings for a teacher: Satisfactory and Unsatisfactory. No other ranking is covered and thus allowed for."

Wrong!!! There is also N/A. Dang, Matt read the contract!!!

"An assistant principal once told me that she got in trouble with the union for suggesting that the principal rate a teacher Excellent. "No such rating," said the union rep."

Oh Matt, there is room on the year end evaluation for the principal to write in comments. But, you must want a "kisses ass so freaking well, and asks how high when asked to jump" rating.

"We must insist that a new contract contain three key provisions. The contract must allow administrators to fire bad teachers, give them the power to hire any teacher they want, and give administrators flexibility in setting the pay of their teachers."

In closing Matt, you really know how to make friends. You need, and will want the contract there for you if you are ever in a jam. You are a blatant hypocrite of the worse kind. Go slither back to the rock you crawled out under.

Ariel Sacks. Aiding and Abetting Law Breaking?

Yes, more Ariel Sacks. Remember how last week in gothamschools.org she ripped ATR's a new one? But apparently she showed her hypocrisy, and an actual lack of caring about the students with this comment:

One of the ATR's is covering for a special education teachers who is on maternity leave. If no teacher is absent, I can count on her to be in my room while I have my CTT class. (When she's not there, I'm on my own...another story for another post.)

Why are you alone in a CTT class Ariel? Do you know that it is against state education law for a CTT class to be manned by only one teacher? Do you know that you are a designated reporter and by law are required to report this? According to the Special Commissioner of Investigation:

......Every officer and employee of the City School District of the City of NewYork, the Chancellor, the PEP and all other officers and employees of the City shall have the affirmative obligation to report, directly and without undue delay, to the Special Commissioner of Investigation, any and all information concerning conduct which they know or should reasonably know may involve corrupt or other criminal activity...

You know a law is being broken. You are under obligation to report this immediately. But you haven't. Why not? Shame on you Ariel.

Blithering Ariel Sacks Blabbering

We here at SBSB have decided to break down and retort Ariel Sacks blabbering blog that appeared yesterday in Gotham Schools. Next, and this will happen when he returns from Austria, Dr Hans von Schlaggel of the Institut für schweren psychiatrischen Erkrankungen will give us a psycho-analysis of Ariel Sacks, free of charge, or as they say in Vienna, "Es kostet Geld."

Ariel opens up her diatribe thusly: "Strange happenings... There are ATR's in the teacher's lounge of my school." Oh no! Bats in the belfry! Strange people, people who might be as wonderful as you think you are. Too bad.

Ariel goes on...."My principal interviewed 37 ATR's. That's right, 37. She said they were the most depressing interviews she has ever done, and that she "could not, in good conscience, hire any of them." Did you see these 37 ATR's? Or you just taking it on blind faith that your principal interviewed that many? Do you know what her good conscience involved? Were these teachers actually not qualified, or were they veteran teachers who when asked to do something ask "why?" unlike newbie teachers such as yourself when asked will sycophantically snap into line? Could it have been that your principal did not wish to pay the higher salaries? What positions was your principal attempting to fill? Did some of them just interview poorly? See Ariel, you need something called facts. You have none other than what your principal told you.

But yet you decide to make an assumption. "Why were the interviews so bad? Are these teachers really the dregs of the profession? Or is it that they've become all too comfortable being ATR's with no teaching position and do not want to go back to the classroom?" See above Ariel for other reasons.

"We received three from a high school that was shut down. These three teachers, all middle aged, have 10-15 years of experience and get paid much more than I do." Middle aged? If they have been teaching 10-15 years I doubt they are in their mid-fifties. As far as getting paid more than you do? Why need yo worry? Surely mummsy and dada take good care of you still.

"In the classroom, they behave like incompetent substitutes." Wow, nice. And you are a great teacher because.....???

"No order, no real planning, no real teaching." Have you seen the lesson plans? Are you authorized to review their lesson plans? No order? You get plopped into a new school after the school year starts, no matter how experienced and how good a teacher you are it takes time to build a rapport Ariel. It would happen to you Ariel if you were plopped in my school.

"One of the ATR's is covering for a special education teachers who is on maternity leave. If no teacher is absent, I can count on her to be in my room while I have my CTT class." Count on her to be there? Is she a puppy? Perhaps the reason you can count on her to be there is because she is scheduled to be there, so therefore she shows up. Duh!

"She asks me about the curriculum, and is trying to work more with the students. It's nice to see the shift, but honestly, I feel like I'm training her, while she gets paid twice my salary." You feel as if you are training her? Isn't teaching about collaboration with your colleagues? Now you say she is from a high school. So would it not make sense for her not to know middle school curriculum and to seek out assistance from God's gift to teaching, you?

"Another ATR as been assigned to teach an 8th grade advisory," It would help in your writing if you were able to explain what 8th grade advisory means and what the position entails then those reading can make a better judgement.

"However, this ATR just hands out whatever materials we give him, and sits in the room and reads a book." See above. I can't makean opinion without having all the facts. Can you Ariel. I think you think you can.

"However, given the turnover rates in high poverty schools, you know which schools had to take the ATR's instead of the usual TFA'ers (who can be just as inept, but are usually far more committed and faster learners)." Oh this only happens in high poverty schools? And what do you base this statement on? As far as the TFA'ers go, most of them have no families, no life, and come from elsewhere and want to keep living in the city, ***wink, wink*** Ariel, ***nod nod*** so of course can be more committed. But that don't make them better.

"But who is responsible for these ATR's apparent low ability to teach?" You have only mentioned two, what about the third. Again what is their low ability? Can you come across any more condescending and patronizing? Again please share your high ability.

"Look at the environment they must be coming from. Is it their fault they were teaching under horrible conditions and probably received no support?" Prove it, prove this statement!!!

"I feel like I'm in the twilight zone. Should I just "suck it up" and teach this woman what I know" Of course! She is a colleague!

Ariel, you are such a yutz,.

Tweet, Tweet, Tweet Went Ariel Sacks

Teacher and noted sycophant Ariel Sacks of Brooklyn's School for Democracy and Leadership wrote a highly critical article yesterday in Gotham Schools critical of three ATR's (Absent Teacher Reserve) in her school in which she claimed her principal interviewed 37 ATR's and they all were useless, and she berated the three ATR's in her school as overpaid, ignorant, and generally past their prime as teachers.

Now I am sure that Ariel thinks she is pretty special because not only does she have a Bank Street degree, but in the 4 years she has been teaching has somehow made it to department chair. Wow, that is impressive. Seems that not only is Ariel a real go getter, but she is one of those dithering types that takes DOE regulations seriously.

So seriously, that she Tweets during school hours, as I posted here. But, there is something amiss. Yesterday on Accountable Talk blog I listed the dates as March 10, and March 27 2009. Ariel Sacks deleted those Tweets since yesterday. Ariel what are you hiding? I should have taken a screen capture, but failed to do so. Guess what Ariel? If anyone wanted to, the Tweets are still on the servers of the DOE and Twitter. Shame on you Ariel.

Sometimes its FUBAR!

Bloomberg Is a Plagiarist!!!

I am in shock. I am appalled. In tonight's mayoral debate, Mayor for Life Bloomberg blabbered in regards to Bill Thompson's tenure in the old BOE: “You don’t get a medal for rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and that’s exactly what he did,” the mayor said of his opponent’s tenure on the board.

I said to self, "Self, where have I heard that before?" So the research team here at SBSB dug deep into the blog archive and found what was being looked for.

September 27, 2008, 6: 42 PM in an article entitled; "The Deck Chairs on the Titanic," this was written: "All we have now is the captain of the Titanic rearranging the deck chairs while the ship be sinking."

OK, I know, not exactly plagiarism, more like paraphrasing, but the same meaning. You ripped me off Herr Bloomberg. For Shame! You are a scheister and a gonoff.

The Passing of Michelle Kahn

Michelle Kahn the former principal of MS 184 and PS 220 in The Bronx died late last night. The cause was brain cancer.

Michelle was as classy as they come. What set her apart from the dregs that are becoming principals now is that she had no ego. She cared about the entire school community, and not only talked the talk, but walked the walk.

These Leadership Academy "principals" come out thinking that their word is the one and only to be heard. Michelle treated teachers like human beings, knew that when pricked we would bleed, when tickled we would laugh, and this was motivation for teachers to do their best. Not fear, but just treating a teacher as a person.

RIP Michelle.

UFT Bargaining Goals

I swiped this from Gotham Schools. This is Mulgrew's manifesto, or his bargaining goals. Notice there is nothing about the ATR's or Extended Day.


UFT Bargaining Goals '09

What's The Difference?

Is anything different?

Between these two and..........









And this guy.......

And Łódź Ghetto Judenälteste Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski?

Ruining a Teacher's Life At PS 157, District 7

Everyone should read this very carefully. Especially our new UFT Reichsführer, Mike Mulgrew.

As was written on August 13, Francis Blake a teacher at PS 157 in the Bronx was found guilty of incompetence and suspended two months without pay. He was also fined five thousand dollars for dozing off for ninety seconds, but more on that in a bit.

But the rape of Francis Blake's career continues. Today Francis got an amended finding by arbitrator Alan Berg. Mr Berg rescinded the suspension and instead now is fining Francis two months pay for incompetency which comes to about $13, 497. This is in addition to the five thousand dollars Francis has been fined for the ninety second snooze.

One of the incompetence charges against Francis stems from a social studies lesson that he did with a kindergarten class in January 2007. Francis had a pre-observation meeting with Assistant Principal Beverly Andrews. The lesson was to be on police officers. Ms Andrews approved the book Francis was to read to the class, "A Day With Police Officers," by Jan Kottke.

Francis performed the lesson verbatim that Beverly Andrews approved. But Francis received an unsatisfactory rating for the lesson. One of the discrepancies Ms Andrews pointed out was the book was not appropriate for the lesson. WHAT? Yes, you are right. Ms Andrews already approved the book. How can this be? Ms Andrews cited that the print was too small.

Here is a page from that book:

Looks just fine to me. So what be the problem Ms Andrews?

Now as far as the snoozing. In September 2006 Francis was asked to go to a special ed. class to help with dismissal. The para for that class had been receiving special treatment in being allowed to leave school early by Principal Ramona Duran to get to her undergrad classes. Francis was in no way supervising the class, the teacher was already there, nor was he giving a lesson. Francis sat down in the rocking chair and dozed for ninety seconds. He was woken up by AP Beverly Andrews.

Now in no way is Francis' actions being condoned. Shit happens. The day before Francis injured his back. He had never done anything like this before or since. He apologized profusely the following day. Yet, Principal Ramona Duran chose to put a letter in his file when she could have very well have given him a counseling memo. She was out to nail him. Plain and simple.

Why did the arbitrator decide to come down so hard on Francis? He owned up to the dozing off. Others, and the arbitrator admitted it, have continually lied and offered false and perjured testimony. Is that not right Ramona Duran? It is not like Francis committed some lewd and lascivious act in an adult book store a la DR Mychael Willon. So what gives here?

Francis is out over $18,000 becuase of a vindictive, lying principal. He is out $18,000 because of some LIS who can't wait till he gets home to pleasure himself and has a false doctorate choosing to continue to show a lack of character and testify falsely against Francis.

He is out over $18,000 because the system and those that run it are out of control.

More Details on Mychael Willon

This just in to the SBSB newsroom. DR Mychael Willon was arrested on August 8. 1989. Not only was he charge with lewd and lascivious behavior, but also a charge of sexual battery. This per the September 30, 1989 issue of the Wichita Eagle newspaper.
Wichita Eagle, The (KS)

September 30, 1989 WILLON PLEADS NOT GUILTY
Author: From Eagle staff reports Edition: CITY EDITION
Section: CITY AND STATE
Page: 3D
Estimated printed pages: 1 Article Text:

Former McCollom Elementary School Principal Mychael Willon, who was arrested for lewd and lascivious behavior and sexual battery in an adult video store on Aug. 8, pleaded not guilty Friday in Wichita Municipal Court and an October trial date was set. Willon took a voluntary leave of absence from McCollom after his arrest.

Trailer Trash

That's what Klein thinks of teachers. Nothing more than Trailer Trash. I just got word today from several sources that the Bronx/Manhattan Rubber Room that was located on 181st St has been relocated to George Washington High School. But not in the school itself. In trailers.

What the f**k is going on? Is this the last indignity that teachers must endure? Being packed away like freaks inside of trailers? "You, go to Trailer 17, you there, you've been assigned to Trailer 16." "Sit in there all day and don't let anyone know you are there." Sounds more like a stalag.

The funny, I mean ironic thing is that since the DOE deems the teachers in the Rubber Room to be unsafe to have around students, the Rubber Room is now located at a high school.

Now yes, there are teachers that have been accused of improprieties with students, but the vast majority of these teachers in the Rubber Room are there for trumped up charges of insubordination, incompetence, improper farting, and anything else an incompetent, vengeful administrator can think of.

The sad part of this is the silence of the UFT and Mike Mulgrew. Where is the outrage?