Since September 3, 2013, I have been jailed at 4360 Broadway, Children's First Network 403 as my jailers. Today was the darkest day yet.
For two months I have been "stored" in the cafeteria on the 5th floor of 4360 Broadway. Yes, a cafeteria. Here is proof (over there on the left). See, it says cafeteria, but for some reason local custom (I am still studying these people) it is called a "conference room." But it does not look like any conference room I have ever seen (up above). In fact, this cafeteria/conference room is so special it has a copying machine that runs full throttle throughout the day and I get to suck in the fumes. But all is not that bad. It could be worse. For instance, I have an activity to do in the cafeteria/conference room. Count the dead ants on the sticky paper and count the ants going into the ant trap.
But the best part is I made two new friends today. They decided to pose for a photo (look to the left). The little fella who on his back with his legs sticking up I am going to name him George. I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him and pat him and pet him and rub him and caress him.I do not like it in the cafeteria/conference room. Aside from the filth, there is no real place to keep my device plugged in, people are coming and going. The HUGE conference room down the hall which hosts PD brings hordes of people into the cafeteria/conference room at lunch time. I have zero privacy and in the words of George Carlin, no place for my stuff. In fact, a book I was reading, Lincoln's Men was swiped from the cafeteria/conference room yesterday. Worse, is that I had about 30 pages to go.
So I really don't like it up there. I prefer the break room, (which I was told it is not even though that is where the vending machines are) on the 4th floor by the security desk and elevator. I have a bit more privacy and it is more comfortable. Their reasoning, "we have been told we must 'supervise' you." This directive coming from Tweed. Though others RR's on 4th floor allowed free reign. Supervise? What am I 12 years old? I am not supervised! No one EVER comes to see how I am doing or if I am breathing. If they cared so much about their supervisory duties then why am I allowed to be subject to copier fumes and ant and roach doody?
But they say that the cafeteria/conference room is the best they can do since they have no room for me and "nothing for you to do."
But people whine and complain. Boo-hoo. So word gets back to my jailers which brings me to today.
I thought today was going to be the end. I had no access to the outside world. My phone was on the fritz and when I asked one of my captors for permission to use the CFN 403 phone, I was told emphatically, "NO!"
I am not even allowed to use computers. I've been told that the times I have that when someone's else has gone on the computers are slow ROAD APPLES I say! IE is slow and people too stupid to realize it and use Chrome or Firefox.Me signing on to a computer in no way slows down a computer.
I've been harangued for walking into what I had thought a closet, which turned out to be another photocopier room looking for an outlet for my phone.
I have been told in no uncertain terms that I am not allowed to leave the cafeteria/conference room. I can't even eat lunch in the 4th floor break room (even though they say no one ever eats there I do see ¡mucho arroz con frijoles!).
I must ask permission to goo pee pee or doody. I must ask permission to use a vending machine.
This is being done to break me and not to infect others. Such as the way Portelos is isolated and Christine Rubino is isolated. We, and all the others, are political prisoners.
In my opinion, you should appeal these obviously unsatisfactory working conditions directly to Tino Hernandez, the Chair of the Panel for Educational Policy.
ReplyDeleteHis DOE email address is:
thernandez5@schools.nyc.gov
You can send a copy of the appeal to his outside email address, which is:
thernandez@samvill.org
If you are not satisfied with the response, or if there is no response, then you may file an appeal with the Commissioner of Education.
www.counsel.nysed.gov/appeals
www.counsel.nysed.gov/appeals/general.htm
Good luck!
If it is any help South Bronx, I will be thinking of you today as I attend my second day in a row of professional development. I am learning to ask questions so as to improve my ratings on St. Danielson's Rubric. Irononically, I have been told in my personal life that my questioning style is simIlar to cross examination. If and when I become proficient in questioning and feedback, I will notify the public.
ReplyDeleteHey, look at it this way: 1) You are not subject to the Danielson Lynch Mob. 2) You can not witness your colleagues suffer under oppressiveness of the testing nightmare that is going on right now. Anyway, fight the good fight!
ReplyDeleteThe Rubber Rooms were closed you liar! ;)
ReplyDeleteSee here: http://bit.ly/17ImdtQ
I want to cry and then scream and create biggest scene ever. No one should be treated like this.
ReplyDelete"The NYC DOE is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment that is free from harassment, intimidation and/or bullying and from discrimination based on actual or perceived race, color, citizen-ship/immigration status, religion, creed, national origin, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or weight."
ReplyDeleteThat was probably written by some rich kid who wants a career in Public Relations and not education, especially since he thinks there is a hyphen in citizenship. I noticed that they left out political beliefs. Schools should be bastions of freedom and free thought, not dark factories of despair where anyone is intimidated or persecuted.
While they may be violating your Ninth Amendment and other rights, the real tragedy is that the treatment of teachers like you poisons the system and makes it impossible to achieve any noble ideals like "Respect for All"
So Sorry this is happening to you. You are great guy and don't deserve this treatment. Perhaps if you sent the pictures and school history to our new Mayor maybe he might do something. Bill put your money where you mouth is.... I say! Keep the faith and stay strong!
ReplyDeleteIf I were not in Teacher Jail myself, observing the incredibly sadistic/arrogant/incompetent suits who are paid six figures to supervise us, I would think you just made this up for some perverse form of entertainment and to get some attention for a sick ego. As it is, I only hope the public WAKES UP before public schools are completely dismantled and the private sector locusts have absconded with the public treasury...it seems that Rupert Murdoch has identified public school funding as a $500 billion trough that every one of those bloodsuckers are rushing to in order to get their cut. I hope you can stay strong and remember it's not personal...sometimes somebody HAS to take a stand...you are a reluctant hero for standing up for the right of all children to a free, appropriate, public education, even if the rich and super-rich and some not-so-rich evil SOBs don't want to give an equal opportunity to the general public. Yours is a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. As Bob Marley said, "There's a natural mystic blowing in the air...many more will have to suffer, many more will have to die...don't ask me why...."
ReplyDeleteThrough all this mess, just remember that they plan and God plans...and God is the best of planners
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for the supervision that I apparently must be under. I can drop dead and no one will notice, in fact they'll just walk over my body.
ReplyDeleteThere is a conspiracy against educators, of which, I believe you are, for I myself am one. The West-coast, seems to treat us with more dignity, yet one must never for get that even if the cage is made of gold, nevertheless is a cage. This is proof to my theory that our very Democracy is under attacked and as it was done in France by "The Committee of Public Safety." This is being done to keep our children from learning Those essential things needed for survival in a Democratic nation. Instead teaching the communistic and socialist ideologies... Where unfounded, unproven allegations get you deposed... Tyrants yielding totalitarian control, like overlords over us Peons...
ReplyDeleteI have been thru this process and now find myself housed for six weeks in a, I call it compound, but actually was a morgue for a hospital in WWII, ironic most of us get terminated here. They have yet to tell me what a allegedly did, oh by the way I taught US History, Justice-N0, just us.
Hang in there Shout out from Southern Alta California, Super Chunt.
Nice analogy with the Committee for Public Safety. Is it safe to say such activists, E4E, Whitney Tilson, DFER, etc... can be compared to the Jacobins?
ReplyDelete