Hot Sexy Teacher Sex

We here at SBSB were saddened by the news in yesterday's New York Post and today's Daily News of alleged sexual trysts female teachers had with their male students. Though these students were above the legal age of consent, we feel that if the charges are proven against these teachers that they both must suffer the consequences.

Of course we all know that sex sells papers, and that teacher sex sells even more papers, especially when the Post of the News is involved. But what really sells papers is the humiliation of women on the front pages of both papers. What is more titillating than reading about a female teacher involved in some type of improper sexual conduct with a male student.? Many years ago when I was in college, my Western Sexuality professor at SUNY-Purchase lamented that men, especially those in a position of power, still wish to control a woman's sexuality and what better way to do it than to humiliate any woman involved in something as we witnessed on the front pages of both papers. Hell, there would have been no front page story to talk of if the sexes were reversed. Mind you, we are not condoning the actions of the teachers, we are just stating an opinion on sexuality in our culture.

This permeates all to this unhealthy infatuation of sex by the powers that are. We hedge to bet that the editors of the Post and the News, one Australian, the other English, (which means they come from the two countries with the lowest forms of journalism) do have serious hangups about sex and by humiliating these teachers feel that this is not only making them feel bigger about their Freudian physical shortcoming, but we are sure they both had a good wank. Never mind that New York Post editor in chief Col Allan has been linked to the "Millionaire Madam."

But there are two disturbing aspects to this mess. We find it to be too much of a coincidence that on Tuesday, the day before the front page story of the Post reached out to slap us, Uncle Mike, through Sock Puppet Walcott decreed that there should be a state law that all teachers are subject to the whims of the chancellor, not arbitrators in any sexual misconduct cases. Asa like when the zaftig Caesar gave a thumbs down to stand up philosopher Comicus, Walcott will sit in judgement of all who comes (pardon the pun) before him. But it gets more disturbing.

Yes, it was a set up Walcott's decree on Tuesday and yesterday's and today's news stories. The Post is all too eager, as well as the News to do the bidding of Uncle Mike. Not only was this a double team (pardon the pun) by the press and the DOE, but how did the Post get the name of this student involved? Of course, in our opinion, it came from whomever at the DOE continuously feeds the "journalists" at the Post teaching hating stories, and this person must be involved with the DOE.

Ergo, this person violated Chancellor's regulation A-820; Confidentiality and Release of Student Records; Records Retention. So not only does the DOE give the student's name for all the world to see, but it shares the school at which this student is enrolled as well as where the student lives.

However, Harris Lirtzman goes to OSI with report to OSI to report that special education students are not getting the services that are required to them by law and brings copies of their IEP's to show proof and what happens? He gets nailed for violating A-820. Can this world of which we are involved in get any more fucked up?

The hypocrisy and the double standard consistently shown by the DOE is just mind numbing at times. How much longer are the vast, vast majority of our colleagues going to just sit around and hide their heads in the sands. The DOE is like an abusive spouse and we as teachers just let the abuse happen. It is time to deal with that abusive spouse, time to not run away, but to take ownership of our careers, of our students education, and to say enough is enough.

Why Does Whitney Tilson Associate With A Known Convicted Criminal?

Every now and then we here at SBSB get an email throwing someone under the bus. Lately, we have a source that is giving away the farm on the machinations of Whitney Tilson. We here at SBSB wish to thank this brave source.

In the latest email from our source, we were told to goggle the phrase; "paragon of integrity Whitney Tilson gets laryngitis" It sure did wet our collective whistles here at SBSB to read such a cryptic phrase. However, like Curious George we just needed to find out what this was all about and where, once we found what we were directed to google, what would it mean?

So we found what it is. A blog article over at Deepcapture entitled; "Paragon of Integrity Whitney Tilson Gets Laryngitis" written by Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne,  who happens to be leading the charge against naked short selling, back in April of 2011. Hmm, we must read this cracked the Crack Team. And we all did.

It seems that Whitney invited Patrick Byrne to speak to the 2nd Annual New York Value Investing Congress back in November of 2006. At the last minute, hedge funders Jim Chanos and David Einhorn (yes, that David Einhorn Mets fans!), that Byrne not be allowed to appear and naturally Whitney "caved and disinvited" Byrne. But why one might ask.

Now bear with me for a moment. Back in 2008, Whitney slammed Byrne, while defending Einhorn. But, Byrne and Deepcapture kept on chugging along. They soon began writing about Sam Antar, the former Crzay Eddie CFO and Barry Minkow, both "hardcore felons." But soon it became evident to Deepcapture that convicted felon Barry Minkow was working for Whitney Tilson, claiming to be doing Whitney's research.

As noted by Florida Judge Gill Freeman;

Fact No. 29: Minkow withheld documents he perceived to be harmful to his case. Among other things, the concealed documents demonstrate:

• that Minkow’s investigators questioned the accuracy of statements of fact he included in his report on Lennar;

• the perfunctory nature of Minkow research and investigation before he accused Lennar and its executives of operating like a ponzi scheme, giving its COO a disguised kickback, being a financial crime in progress, and other statements;”

Deepcapture soon learned that Whitney Tilson had paid $40,000. But as Deepcapture and Byrne asked, "to do what?" And, "What was Whitney paying Minkow for?" In March, 2011 Barry Minkow was arrested, and last week plea bargained his way down to another five years of jailhouse stew.

On March 17, 2011 Patrick Byrne wrote this on Deepcapture; 

Barry Minkow spent last week in plea negotiations regarding a federal indictment on which he is hoping to receive only 5 years, says his lawyer. (LA Weekly: Barry Minkow to plead guilty to insider trading).  In December, 2010, a Florida judge threw her proverbial book at Barry Minkow, and it glanced off Sam Antar, who had been paid Barry’s paymaster to the tune of $250,000, Barry had testified. In addition, the judge found as a matter of fact that Sam Antar destroyed documents necessary for her trial. Minkow also gave sown testimony that well-known New York hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson paid him $40,000: more on this below.

Sam Antar, generally not short of opinion, has suddenly developed laryngitis.

Barry Minkow and Sam Antar are two of the most remarkable swindlers in recent American history, each guilty of frauds measured in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Two decades ago their names gave off the same foul stench that Bernie Madoff’s does today.

Whitney Tilson is invited to explain to DeepCapture’s audience why he would join legendarily convicted financial criminal Sam Antar in making payments to also-legendarily convicted financial criminal  Barry Minkow, who now is pleading guilty to his 58th financial felony. (You know how to reach me, Whitney. DeepCapture will give you 250 words, with no editing. But we may provide commentary.   )

 Then on March20, 2011 Byrne emailed Whitney;

From: Patrick Byrne
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 7:32 PM
To: ‘WTilson@T2PartnersLLC.com’
Cc: ‘feedback@tilsonfunds.com’
Subject: RE: Request for comment on news story

Dear Whitney,

While I am at it, I have two other questions:

1.       You wrote a story ( http://seekingalpha.com/article/80997-nyt-smears-david-einhorn-again ) in which you said:

L) All this is a bit unsatisfying for those who would want to regulate short sellers. But unfortunately, bad news is part of any financial system.

Davidoff is becoming more and more incoherent as he tries to wrap up this hatchet job of a post. He appears to be saying that because the market sometimes (he asserts) is a sucker for media hype (by, I assume, market manipulating short sellers?), there are people who want to regulate short sellers and prevent them from ever saying anything negative about any company. Other than Patrick Byrne, who are these people?

When you wrote this, did you really believe that I “want to regulate short sellers and prevent them from ever saying anything negative about any company.”

a.       If so, on what basis did you ascribe that belief to me?

b.      If not, why did you ascribe the belief to me?

2.       Do you consider Barry Minkow’s plea bargaining to a 5 federal-year prison term (per his lawyer: see Minkow in Plea Talks With U.S. Prosecutors Over Fraud Case, Lawyer Says) an  inappropriate attempt by the federal government to “regulate short sellers and prevent them from ever saying anything negative about a company”?

I look forward to the courtesy of your response. I trust 72 hours will be sufficient.

If you choose to respond on your own blog, I predict you will be so unconfident of your response that you will find a circumlocution to avoid mention of “DeepCapture” (just wanted to get that on the record now).

Very respectfully,

Patrick Byrne

Journalist, DeepCapture.com

Whitney has yet to answer, and as far as we know Whitney will not answer.  Why would Whitney Tilson be associating with people like Barry Manikow ?  Surely Whitney will be the first one calling for a teacher's head if that teacher so much was accused of passing gas in the incorrect manner, so why does Whitney get a free pass.

The Crack Team passed a resolution calling upon Whitney Tilson to explain himself to those of the United States of America and in particular to all those who have lost money due to Whitney alleged mismanagement. We also call upon the SEC, the FBI, and any and all law enforcement agencies to look into Whitney's dealings. Justice must be served. Not tomorrow, not next month, not next year, but now.

Oh, unlike Whitney we hear at SBSB are a bunch of teachers who leave financial stuff to the experts. If anyone would care to expand on the implications and ramifications of Whitney foibles reported here please do not hesitate to email.

Joy Hochstadt Goes Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah

As part of being an ethical blogger, I have decided to allow "Lawyer" Joy Hochstadt's email response in regards to the blog post of May 22, 2012 to be shared amongst the readers of this blog. My comments have been added in red which are purely my opinion and those of the Crack Team.

I did not recognize the name of the guy who so maligned me. Then in his piece, he explained that he met me for 10 minutes.  Indeed when I came back from lunch with Ted Smith (probably with some of the local fare on my lapel), Does Joy not believe in napkins? about three years ago, there was someone that several colleagues wanted me to meet.  Probably because he was arguing with them and they thought I could I tell him like it was No, like you believed it was and would ever be. Your sense of reality. and prevail as I had done again and again at "333" (Seventh Avenue Rubber Room).  I remember it was not pleasant but I do not remember the issue in contention.  I invite him to my spacious and well appointed office (not my car), the address of which is below, to continue whatever debate he was not satisfied having with me. How about my radio show which will be returning in the summer?  I guess that must have been why my colleagues asked me to meet him--because he was used to getting the better of the arguments with them.  I do not remember where we were at is the discussion, when he broke it off --but if he was prevailing he would have enjoyed it and not walked away. Are you talking about me here and the invitation as well? Ms Hochstadt, are you trying to seduce me? 

Can he explain why the largest Teachers' local and supposedly the strongest Teachers union gave away every tenure protection over the past 12.5 years, when little districts all over the state were able to keep them. Yes I can, because their schmucks.  Both Randi first for her own privacy Oh pooh!! and then Randi for covering up for Mulgrew and finally Mulgrew himself were vulnerable; NO! They are in power, wish to keep power, and we are the ones responsible because we keep voting these nimrods in! the suit explained all three vulnerabilities, but the Tabloids ignored the first one, or maybe they just didn't give a rats patootie? surely 15 years later on the weekend of Christine Quinn's wedding that every city luminary attended, Dang, I must get her a gift. Where is she registered? Weingarten's privacy long ago, self-disclosed in 2007 was not News.  Blame the tabloids not me--the suit is not about the vulnerabilities per se but only as an explanation that must be explored during the Discovery process. Oh, only something that must be explored. So explore it. Who leaked it to the Post? The accusation was against the city for criminally extorting the UFT leadership, you have no proof!!!! and destroying all rights of tenure so completely that Ostrowsky cannot even grieve his first unfair observation in eleven years and his one unfair letter to file in 11 years but is forced to go the Court. So Ostrowsky can go to court, but I pray and hope he gets a competent attorney. Have him email me, I know of many. But this line of action, conspiracy, Mulgrew and his wood, er I meant, wood shop is just nothing more than showing our meshuga side.
 

As for as the Pakter case (funny that is who recommended me to Ostrowsky and because of that I was the first and only attorney Ostrowsky approached). Maybe Pakter felt sorry for you or maybe Pakter knew that like Paul Newman in The Verdict you would take anything.  It was very simple and totally wrong, but the Judge said that the most serious acts to Pakter occurred more than three years before he came to me to sue and could not be litigated; I claimed that it was a continuous ongoing wrong that began five years earlier and was perpetrated each day and was still going on.  The city argued that each allegation (about 50 of more different events of DOE wrongdoing) was a discrete act. Maybe if Pakter had a competent lawyer he would have won that decision. Perhaps Pakter if he had a competent attorney a better brief would have been written?  I appealed it, but Pakter had had it with the abuse from the DOE unrelenting for 7 years and retired (at a higher pay ~$104,000, than his $100,049 salary that they had totally withheld for him for 9 months at the time he retired) and discontinued the appeal shortly after it was filed.  He has kept his name on a class action only under the condition that he does not even have to hear about it). I really want to hear from him about this. Anyway, I thought it was he won a ruling in his 3020a which he saw as a victory which in turn he felt it was time to retire. By the way, what is Chris Callagy's opinion of your legal work? Would Chris at anytime want you as second chair? 
 

The sad tale is that every summer all Judges go to "Judge School" (Judiciary Conferences) where are they are taught "how to get rid of Title VII cases." Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah! You know we have had more success through the courts, stop being specious. Its just like the DOE teaching Principals "how to get rid of tenured teachers." Yes, that is true. Principals are not judges.  To date all the cases against the DOE that are not settled are lost.  Ted Smith who had several lawyers lost, Ted will win. Dan Smith who hired Lenny Leeds who had won for a Baldwin Sch. District client a $4,900,000.00 verdict --but no one has gotten a cent 5 years later as there have been numerous appeals--and Dan paid Leeds ~$60,000.00 lost), Is this the attorney Dan appeared with on TV? Show us proof. I could go on and on. Please, please don't. Most people come to me after they fire another attorney no, most people come to you because you are cheap and you sell them a bill of goods. A ethical lawyer NEVER makes a promise that they will win a case for their client. and I take very few cases, I have too many already, all very worthy. ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!  I never lost a case (all kinds of civil cases) Again, ROTFLMFAO!!!!!! until I started representing teachers against the DOE.  Already a day after the case was entered the DOE lawyer knew whom the UFT (and Employment parter from Stroock) had hired and when I called him to find out how he learned he said "I'm not an information service."  They are already trying to move the case back to Brooklyn because this judge does not "stay" discovery for motions to dismiss (which is the way the city has delayed every case so I never learn anything.about DOE operations. Come again? Seriously, reading that just hurt my brain and burned out my eyes.
 

Embarassing Mulgrew or the UFT was not my intention, BULLSHIT!!!! stopping the extortion-driven give-aways by the UFT so that a good teacher can no longer even grieve being set-up for a U rating by by a vindictive AP. Yes, but you are going about it so backwards and wrong. The case has 4 words indicating Mulgrew's "scandal," But in big bold black words on the front page of the Post it had an imapct in which WE look horrible! it has 12,311 words about the stepwise dismantling of teacher rights in NYC alone while retaining them in the other 57 counties of the State. I saw a friend tonight who teaches in Tuckahoe. His union sucks as well. The tabloids picked up the 4 words--the Daliy News did not contact me until after they published what they copied from the NYPost. Duh, really?  THe NYPost had the story ready for years, just waiting for someone else to quote so they would not be sued. Yeah, they were tipped off by someone. Wonder who?
 

I understand and share the writer's disappointment that even David Pakter, a truly great teacher, could not find a remedy in the Courts and it is easy to blame the lawyer Nope not easy. Just a fact, jack. when his case really was so strong; David correctly blamed the judge, but wanted to go on with his life and withdrew the appeal rather than extend his misery for another two years.  

Joy Hochstadt, Ph.D., J.D. HAHAHAHAHA!!

I am suing Andrew Cuomo. In the mid-80's There were stories about late night romps at the Governor's mansion that included Matilda Cuomo, students of UAlbany and a pool table. Perhaps because of his sister's foibles is why he turned out to be such a nimrod. I have no proof, but of course anyone can sue. I just wonder if the Post will flash this on its front page?

Little Evan Stone Meet Whitney Tilson of T2 Partners LLC. Or Have You Two Met?

Not too long ago, in fact earlier this month, Whitney Tilson was involved in some sort of funny business with Barnes and Noble stock. We here at SBSB reported on it and called for an SEC investigation.

Today the Crack Team here at SBSB has learned through sources that Whitney Tilson is under federal investigation. We do not know if it is because of his imbroglio with Barnes and Noble, or his other famously inept Netflix issues, but the sources have confirmed that Whitney is being investigated.

Yes, it can be anything, it can be standard operating practices, and the Crack Team is working 24/7 to get more information. Perhaps the information we wish for will be revealed in 6 months? However, we here at SBSB can put 1 and 1 together and the pieces of the puzzle do seem to fit. We look forward to the day that Whitney Tilson is hauled off in handcuffs and being passed gen pop around for a pack of Newports.

But something else piqued the interest of the Crack Team. As reported back in October, Little Evan Stone shared with a mole sent in by the Crack Team at one of E4E's parties that;

funding from the Gates Foundation, Little Evan told the mole that funding comes from The Robing Hood Foundation and Carnagie.

Ah, but there is more, more that Little Evan did not share. A certain hedge fund has laid a lot of money on those self anointed defenders of education. Care to guess? Yes, none other than T2 Partners LLC. Oh yes it be Whitney Tilson.

Curious, why neither Whitney, Little Evan, or Princess Sydney have ever shared this info. But it does lead one to wonder if Whitney Tilson and his partner over at T2, Glenn Tongue (any wonder that Whitney chooses a tongue?) have been doing some funny things with insider trading, then it would make sense that any monies they derived are not only tainted, but the same goes with any donations they might make to a "grass roots" education organization.

The Crack Team calls on the federal authorities to quickly and forthrightly investigate any dealings between T2, Whitney Tilson, and the children of Educators 4 Excellence. Only once a full investigation is completed can justice be truly served.

For those that wish to know, the Crack Team will be doing all it can in the upcoming summer months to find learn how much monies T2 and Whitney have donated to E4E. The public wishes to know.

Shame on Joy Hochstadt and Andrew Ostrowksy

I never buy the Post, let alone on Sundays. I read it online, and if I buy it it is only to read Phil Mushnick. But this past Sunday I felt compelled to add it to my Sunday reading along with the Daily News as I sit in my car, sipping my coffee and eating my Egg McMuffin as I wait for my son while he is in Hebrew school.

The big headline from the Post stared at me. Sadly, it stared at my son as he was in the car when I had bought it. Fortunately, he seemed more interested in the back page of the Post and skimmed through its sports section.

It was a face palm moment, and I was not shy about sharing some humor about the situation on Twitter, as I am sure most were. But jokes like this can be juvenile and demeaning. It is time to stop the jokes and look at this for what it is.

I have no love lost for Mulgrew and the leadership of the UFT. I hope to God Mulgrew gets voted out next year and I am fed up with the acquiescing to Bloomberg done by those at 52 Broadway to the detriment of the rank and file. But, there is no proof whatsoever that Mulgrew engaged in this behavior and with that being said, it is over as far as I am concerned until, and if, we learn more. But something bothers me even more.

In The Godfather when Michael visits Fredo in Vegas, Fredo is enamored with Moe Green and defends him. Michale looks at Fredo and says, "Don't ever take sides with anyone against the Family again. Ever." That's how I feel. We can fight and bicker over the leadership and direction of the UFT all we want, but it must come from within and not from without. Any outside forces that direct their wrath at the UFT must be met with complete unity and swift and timely retorts (And reprisals). Any dirty laundry must be dealt with from within, not from without. I mean, that is why E4E, Little Evan Stone, Princess Sydney Morris, and it's official Blog Monkey™ Ruben Brosbe have so much wrath directed towards them.

So for a nebbish like Andrew Ostrowsky to not only determine that the allegation of Mulgrew performing a sexual act in the wood shop and this is the reason that Randy Andy is now in a heap of trouble because he "claims in the suit he’s being “targeted” for termination because an assistant principal gave him his first “unsatisfactory” rating last December. Supervisors also ordered him to undergo a DOE medical/psychological exam," due to Mulgrew being blackmailed and as a result got a crappy contract in 2005 is just downright botarded. As Norm over at Ednotes points out this supposed tryst predates Mulgrew's ascendency to the throne of the UFT.

But I am sure Randy Andy went to many a lawyer hoping that he could find someone, anyone to take this case. But he couldn't. Not until he lifted up a rock and found Joy Hochstadt, who in my opinion, will take anything and then eventually fuck it up. As my father once said, "anybody can sue anybody, anytime." As we see with this case, it is true.

I met Joy once. When I was in the Rubber Room I met with her in her office, I mean, her car on 181st St. I found her (in my opinion of course) to be a disheveled person, a scheister, and a con artist. But even more, desperate to take on any case she could. After about 10 minutes of listening to her blabber on I left her "office" and put her on the list of people to give a wide berth to.

I won't say who, but she represented a very famous teacher in the annals of the teacher discipline cases and fucked up his case royally. If Randy Andy did some due diligence he would have known this.

But the worst part is when Joy said herself that she had "no concrete proof of the alleged sexual tryst." So you have no concrete proof so what the hell is she suing for, and what judge will allow this even after the custodian named as the witness said he never saw anything? Whatever judge gets this will dismiss this case as soon as he gets off the floor from laughing so hard.

In my opinion, Joy leaked this to the Daily News. She knew damage and embarrassment can be done through only the Post. I also look at Ostrowksy as a rat, as a turncoat, and someone not to be trusted for a second.

We as teachers and UFT members in this time of constant change and attack from the outside must not let our petty little shit to get out, especially in the New York Post. The only method to remove Mulgrew and his ilk are to educate the teachers on how we can affect change from within and take ownership of the power many of us yet to realize we have.

BREAKING NEWS AT PS 154 THE BRONX!!!

Has it been two weeks since I last sat down and blogged? Apparently so. Too those who have missed my unique take on the happenings of education, I apologize for being away for so long. For those that hate my writings and were glad to see the gap in my blogging, too bad.

The last two weeks have been hectic. I was doing the Math scoring, was house hunting, was driving my son to and fro to baseball games and practice, and plotting my campaign to run for chapter chair. Was coming home exhausted or too late to do anything but to crawl into bed and just vegetate. But to paraphrase Carol Anne, "I'm baaaack!"

And boy am I back with some interesting news which happened a week before my last blog post. Now sit down and get a drink before I share it with you. I'll wait until you do. OK, ready?

April 29, 2012 was just a regular day at PS 154. It was the first day of not worrying about testing and for the first time in months actual learning was happening. The flowers were in bloom, the sky was blue, and all seemed peaceful. That is until our principal went over the PA at 1:15 PM and announced an emergency meeting at the end of the day for all staff in the auditorium. Immediately I knew what it was about, but if I share it now, there would be no further reason for me to blog.

At 4 PM (extended day) we gathered in the auditorium to hear our principal tell us that she had gotten a phone call from the superintendent that morning that that day was to be her last as principal. Now mind you, this was the principal that had replaced the infamous John Deacon (Linda Amil-Irizarry) in May of 2009. Why did this happen? We have no idea and no one is sharing. Should it have happened? I won't say. But I have issues with the way it happened.

Once again, the NYC DOE show how it just does not care about the schools, the communities, the parents, or even, yes I am going to say it, the students. Does the DOE have the right to change principals? Yes it does. Does the DOE ever do it right? No it doesn't, especially when it comes to principals that wish to have sexual intercourse with inanimate objects, cheat on tests, cheat on teacher observations, etc...

What the powers that be failed to do was take into account the parents or the community in this decision. I do not mean asking the parents for their input, but having the decency to contact and share with the PA and to be in the school at dismissal to discuss this with the parents. Also, a letter should have gone home with the students that day sharing the removal of the principal. This would have happened in Scarsdale, Bronxville, or even Riverdale or Forest Hills. But not on 135th St in The Bronx. Why? Because those that are do not give one iota of thought to those that they feel aren't.

I spoke up in the auditorium. I had too. I was not supporting the outgoing or the incoming principal. I only spoke up in support of the great school community and the students. I feel that PS 154 has and is being set up to fail. Three years in a row, the budget has gone down. Two years in a row, we have received C's. We have failed to meet our AYP in ELA last year, and failed AYP in Math for Spec. Ed. and ELL last year. This is not the staff's fault at all! How can a teacher teacher with over 30 kids in their class and several serious behavioral problems? This is not an excuse, this is an explanation and a fact. How can we go forward when students are leaving the school with no education because the only instruction students are receiving are to the tests?

I am not in any way besmirching past or present administration. The fault clearly and will always lie with the nattering nimrods on Chambers St. For Uncle Mike, his sock puppet Dennis Walcott and all those brainless law school educated consultants do not give one shit about the communities and the students. They see only $$$$. They care for only $$$$. And they certainly do not care for the underclass of the city, whatever their skin color is. For Tweed and Uncle Mike feel that it is only the well educated, well developed, well connected, white person that can save little boys and girls of color.

It's time for the parents to rise up now. It is time for the parents to not feel afraid, anxious or scared and take control of their children's schools and their education. They need to say NO to the deformers and YES to education. Only with the parents finally having enough and finally putting a stop to those in power will we as teachers begin to have that voice again as decision makers when it comes to education.

THE TIME IS NOW AGAIN!

Deep Inside Whitney Tilson and His Future Issues With the SEC

Sometimes you create your own luck, sometimes it just falls right on your lap. Today, it fell on our lap. A person deep inside Whitney Tilson's organization contacted the SBSB newsroom to share some of of what Whitney Tilson truly is. We here at SBSB wish to applaud this deep background source on his feeling the need to expose Whitney for what he truly is.

We vetted this person and all checks out that he is quite familiar with Whitney and his antics. In fact, the source's first words to us here at SBSB were,

"Whitney is such a blow hard, and always felt he was so full of shit, elitist, and a self proclaimed expert on everything" 

Hey, who can argue with this?

Our source seems like a stand up person. He had no issue with sending his children to NYC public schools, whilst on the other hand Whitney sends his children to one of the most exclusive private schools on the Upper East Side. This has been well known throughout the blogosphere for sometime, but one might to ask oneself if Whitney would stand for his children having 30 kids in the classes of his children? Would he subject his children to test prep in favor of instruction? Of course not. It is only right for boys and girls of color to be subject to such horrors. For this is the liberal white man showing what he thinks what is best. According to our deep source Whitney;

"claims to be an expert in education and the extreme hubris he has by claiming he is going to reform the educational system in this country is galling."

Our deep source is irked that not only

"If KIPP is so amazing he should send his kids there , so many things wrong with this guy,  I cant even believe there are people who are listening to this fool."

That is a good question. Why doesn't  Whitney send his children to KIPP? At least Whitney's BFF Gideon Stein has the ability to put his money where is mouth is and send his children to Success Academy, though not in Harlem where is just might be too dark for Gideon's tastes, but at least he does. And it shan't be mentioned how Gideon can afford a private school a thousand times over for his children yet decides to take a seat away from a child of color.

Before we get to the juicy stuff, we here at SBSB wish to address that we had opined that Whitney is an anti-Semite. Gideon Stein, Whitney's BFF was appalled and shared that he is in fact married to a Jew. We here at SBSB upon learning this took steps to renounce our Judaism, but did point out that Thomas Jefferson though a racist in owning slaves did find the time to shag Sally Hemmings. But that is neither here nor there. What we do find interesting is how this child of two teachers became so rich. Apparently, our deep source shared that Whitney;

"married into a rich family who basically gave him money to start his fund.

Dang, always good to marry a Jew. But bad for us, for we have to accept people like Whitney into our synagogues. Oy vey.

But our deep source saved the best for last. We were pointed to last Tuesday's New York Post in which it was announced that in a deal that Microsft made with Barnes and Noble's nook, Whithey Tilson;

"appears to have reaped a single-day bonanza of more than $20 million on a stake he acquired just last week."

Now according to our deep source;

"He made a move last week that will no doubt be investigated by the SEC." 

Interesting, the same man according to our deep source that

 "Can't even manage his own fund, i.e he was down 24.5 % in 2011, he is known for famously shorting Netflix and telling everyone to do the same." 

Hmm, something seems amiss here. Bill Gates and Whitney Tilson run in the same circles. Whitney Tilson is desperate for cash infusion for himself and his fund. Whitney Tilson is a self absorbed attention whore. Hey, why not? It's karma, baby!

We here at SBSB call for a full SEC investigation into this matter between Whitney Tilson and Barnes and Noble. We also pledge to the federal authorities and regulators that we will be cooperative in any information needed to help get to the truth of what went on between Whitney Tilson, Bill Gates, and Barnes and Noble.

Could Whitney be the first domino to fall? Could Whitney wind up in prison being passed around for a pack, or even a loosie, of Newports? One can only hope.

If I Were Chapter Leader I Would Choose Freewill

With the chapter leader elections coming up next month I have been pondering what I would stand for and do if I were chapter leader. It's been going back and forth through my head for quite a while and I think I have some pretty solid idea on how I would lead my chapter and what I would like my chapter to be. So in no particular order I present what has been going on through the dark recesses of my mind as I ponder life as a chapter leader.

Oh, and please check out the upper right hand corner of Chaz's blog for what a a union should be. 

1. True independence

Yep, no affiliation with Unity Caucus, The Bronx UFT, the district rep, nor the big boys at 52 Broadway. What is best for the school and the staff will be priority #1 and if it aligns with the wishes of UFT so be it. If it doesn't, then too bad. Again in no particular order, the priorities are the school, the teachers and the students is first and foremost. 

Also, I will never check with the district rep whether or not I can do something such as file a grievance, or  stick up for a teacher. This would be true independence on my part.

2. Stand By The Teacher

I will stand behind that teacher in any disciplinary meeting with a supervisor. There will be no silence. I would see myself as a defense attorney is  in a trial or a hearing. Questions should be asked of the supervisor. The supervisor should clarify what the charges are, what they entail and to show some modicum of evidence in the accusations. The onus should be on the supervisor.


3. Negotiate

Why can't a chapter leader meet with the supervisor after a disciplinary meeting and discuss the possibilities of whether or not a letter to file or a counseling memo is warranted? Why can't the chapter leader work with the supervisor in a cooperative manner in the wording of the disciplinary letter and/or counseling memo? Would not something like this be beneficial to both sides? Think of how much money the DOE could have saved in monies invested into investigations, hearings, etc... if only both sides came together and sat down and talked things out? Of course if I were chapter leader I would do my utmost to not only protect the staff member but to do all I can to protect the dignity of the staff member.

4. True Collaboration


There must be true collaboration between the chapter leader and the principal. Only in such a setting can all sides win, including the students and the community. Once true collaboration is the rule of the school this will bring morale up and teacher effectiveness will rise.

5. Respect

If I were chapter leader I will not settle for anything less than complete respect to the staff. At no time should staff members be belittled, harassed, embarrassed, humiliated by a supervisor. This also goes for students who do the same and students that will bring injury upon the staff member.


I would insist on a meeting with the supervisor and all involved if a staff member is treated this way and I would insist that a student who does the same to staff members and physical attacks a staff member be properly and quickly disciplined. 

6. Fight For The School

I would do whatever I can, contact whomever I can, meet with whomever I can to get the monies the school deserves into the schools wallet. I will allow no stone to remain unturned. I know I have the contacts to help my school facilitate and advocate locating monies. Silence can be a death knell for a school.


7. Keep The Staff Informed


Not only will there be monthly chapter meetings but a newsletter will go out at least once a week touching on what is happening in the school and, just as importantly, what is happening in the world of education and the deformy movement. It is time teachers be educated in what is going on around us.


Also, there never would be any secrets if I were chapter leader. When I hear or know of something, the entire staff will know. Even if it is a rumor. The staff has a right to know all. 

8. Camaraderie

We are all in this together. There should be more get togethers outside of the school setting. There should be a sense that we are all in this together and that we all must seek out those who need our assistance and be there for that staff member. The backbiting, the gossip only goes to hurt the staff in the long run. Problems between staff members should settled with the chapter leader, not administration.


9. The UFT Contract


Not only does it benefit the staff if the contract is adhered to, but the students and the school community as well. The contract is an agreement, not something to be ignored. Also, instead of passing out the little UFT memo book at the beginning of the year, each teacher will receive a copy of the contract to keep at home.

10. One Last Thing


If I were chapter leader and if the time ever comes that we get on Uncle Mike's spite list, I will do whatever I can to keep the school from either getting a co-location or closed.  It will not happen on my watch. The community deserves this.

So there it is, what I would do if I were chapter leader.

A New Teacher Bullied By Inept Administrators in a Bloomberg Created School

The story below came across the desk of the SBSB newsroom late this afternoon. Our collective SBSB jaws dropped while reading of not only a school in disarray, but of a young teacher being tormented, and the lack of support, by the administration of this school.

We here at SBSB did find some irony that the author share, "seven years my small school has served our city." Apparently it seems to walk, talk, and quack like a school that Uncle Mike had opened so it must be.

Another bit of irony, the author shares that  she has had one formal observation and no feedback concerning her teaching. One might think that this shows that the new evaluation system and E4E's evaluation suggestions are what are needed to properly evaluate teachers. I say the opposite. That it is up to the administrators to do their jobs and to do their observations on teachers, to collaborate and share with teacher show to improve and not to use observations to play "gotcha!"

Enough of my 2 cents. Sit back and read what this poor teacher is going through.

Oh, I forgot. The principal at this school has a miniscule background in education. Background in the corporate world, a few years teaching then got administrative license. And we wonder why.........

As the Obama administration continues its push for “anti-bullying” and teacher evaluation systems in schools, I cannot help but hide my wry smile. I am an untenured teacher in a high-needs mess of a NYC school and have seen these policies in put into action. My school’s informal goal for the year was to reduce bullying, and one of the principal’s formal goals was to implement the Charlotte Danielson rubric for evaluating teachers.

How is that going? Well, students still bully, fight, drink, and we have even had a middle school student wave a gun around. As a teacher, though, I cannot blame them. They have the epitome of bullies to look up to and admire: our principal and assistant principal.

I was warned within minutes of meeting other teachers in my school, that I had to be prepared to be harassed and full of anxiety—not due to our rough population of students, but due to a bipolar,
foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, alcoholic principal, and an assistant principal best known in the NYC metro for her rage problems.

Our school has had a 20% retention rate. In the seven years my small school has served our city, approximately fifty-five teachers have left, and that is only if they finished the year. The abuse by our administrators reduced me to tears within a week of my being at the school. The assistant principal had come into my room on the third day, ripped down my bulletin boards and charts, and verbally abused me at a loud volume in front of my students. This was ended with an ominous “meet me during your next prep, I’m so mad at you, I can’t believe you.” As a teacher inching into their career, I was terrified, humiliated, and mostly confused by what had just happened. I met with the assistant principal and principal, and they verbally bullied me for the entire period. This routine became, well, routine quickly. In the course of the year, I have had them wander into my room to yell for some reason twenty-five times, been cornered into “important” meetings alone with the two of them eleven times, been verbally abused by them in front of children seventy-one times. It has become known by my population of students that they know they can act out, because, “you know we won’t get yelled at, Miss, but you will.”

It is May and I have had only one formal evaluation and absolutely no real feedback about my pedagogy, but countless hours have been spent degrading me. I have reached out to the UFT (my chapter UFT has yet to have a meeting, the representative is up for tenure, and is a pawn), but have been alternatively told that I am “making it all up” or that nothing can be done because I am untenured. This is simply unacceptable. I, and the rest of my staff, go to school with anxious knots in our stomachs daily, not wondering what the students will do or worrying if the lesson will be successful, but instead wondering what our unorganized, childish, bully administrators will push us to that day.

Nowhere is there a focus on administrators in the current Obama legislation, or in the reform agenda. These people are the ones giving me a portion of my evaluation grade, and the ones enforcing the anti-bullying legislation. I am calling for the removal of my current administrators, and ones like them, in order to ensure any policies are effective.  I do not know where to turn to get help with this, please spread my story and send ideas if you don’t want to continue to push out potentially effective educators and hurt the students in the process.