SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Is a Chimp Smarter Than Campbell Brown?

Friday, April 18, 2014

Is a Chimp Smarter Than Campbell Brown?

She's baaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!

The Bayou Schicksa otherwise known as Campbell Brown is back sharing what little grasp she has on reality with those she believes she lords over from her gilded perch.

Campbell, who converted to Judaism for her husband, Iraq War provocateur and mass murderer, Dan Senor, has now come out with a website known as Common Sense Contract hoping that she, and she alone, will be the voice of reason that all those negotiating will set eyes upon her words and say to themselves, "Hey, The Bayou Schicksa has some very good points." Sadly, but of course not surprisingly, only the New York Post feels that way.

What is it that drives Campbell to inject herself into the education debate? Is it that she has nothing to do at home all day whilst the children are out and about with their individual nanny's? There are so many self-righteous do good education deformers out there that her voice easily gets lost in the noise and if she did not have the name she has would never be given a second glance.

Perhaps Campbell can take time from her busy schedule of shopping to look into Iraq War war crimes and the lies that led to our involvement for over ten years in the quagmire of Iraq. I suggest that she disguise the bawdy talk that Dan Senor enjoys so much and ask him hard questions as to his involvement of the thousands that died for no reason.

But since she probably shan't let's go over her op-ed piece in yesterday's New York Post.

Due to the ease of just discrediting everything she spewed forth, we enlisted the services of Zippy the Brain Damaged Wonder Chimp to assist.

The Bayou Schicksa says; Teachers can be absent for up to 20 days without giving any notice or any reason and still face no penalty whatsoever. Teachers can’t be absent without notice unless there is an emergency. If they don’t show up without a reason for three straight days, they can be put on unpaid leave and reinstated only if they prove an emergency kept them from alerting the school.

Hmmmm. What does the contract say? 
  Teachers who are absent for 20 consecutive school days without notice shall be deemed to have resigned unless they have reasonable cause for failure to notify. The issue of the reasonableness of the cause and the penalty, if any, shall be subject to the grievance procedure, including binding arbitration, set forth in Article Twenty-Two
Seems reasonable. What happens if you are kidnapped, in an accident, lost, whatever. NO where does it say without a penalty. You need a pretty gosh darn good reason. But again, since there is that pesky thing known as due process, which even Zippy the Brain Damaged Chimp understands better than Campbell, well tough you know what.

Seriously, how often does this happen? Twenty days without notice, even three? And what is the emergency? Teachers, even teachers that are out legitimately for over three days call in and must have some time of proof, whether medical, psychological, or even for jury duty. Zippy wants to know why Campbell feels we must be treated as children. 

The typical parent-teacher conference often lasts two or three minutes.

It does? Says who? On the elementary level parent conferences are 10-15 minutes and there are two sessions, and evening and an afternoon.

Teachers aren’t required to talk with, e-mail or respond to parents outside the narrow hours of the school day.

No, neither are we required to make home visits. But teachers do, and I can speak as a parent, make time to respond to emails, make phone calls when needed and return phone calls as well. Yes, it can be difficult at times to get a response from a teacher, but unlike the Bayou Schicksa, teachers have families and lives to lead. 

Parents should be allowed to reach out to teachers by e-mail or phone and expect a timely response, and they should be promised at least 15 minutes per child in their teacher-parent conferences.

See above. But Zippy just brought up a very good point (This is why we pay him so well). Why is the onus on the teachers? What about those parents that never show for parent conferences, never return calls, never pick up the report cards, never inquire as to their child's education? What about those parents? Where is Campbell leading the way to encourage these parents to be involved?

And where was the Bayou Schicksa for the last 12 years as Bloomberg and pals systematically cut the parents voices out of their children's education? Zippy says she was nowhere. 

Taxpayers spend a staggering $144 million a year on teachers who no longer have jobs but draw their full salary anyway. Teachers who lose their jobs may no longer stay on paid leave for the rest of their careers at taxpayer expense. Instead, they get one year to find a new position or move to unpaid leave until they do.

They did not lose their jobs, they lose their positions through no fault of their own. Why would a principal hire a 20 year veteran teacher making $90k or thereabouts instead of an untenured, 24 year year old making about $46k?

Case in point. As mentioned on these pages my school, PS 154 went without a physical education teacher from October through February. I know personally of several ATR's with phys ed licenses. None of them were brought in, none of them were interviewed, none of them were considered. WHo got the job? A 24 year old rookie teacher. 

Teachers who sexually harass children can stay in the classroom if an unelected arbitrator sees no reason they should be fired.

So if it is an elected arbitrator it is OK? Remember Campbell, it takes 2 parties to sign a contract. But, if they return to the classroom does that not mean that the arbitrator found the charges lacking? 

But maybe Campbell has a point. Such cases, if misdemeanors, should be heard in NYC Criminal Court in which the judges are; 
appointed by the Mayor of New York City to a 10-year term.
Ooops! Well maybe all sex cases can be heard in New York State Supreme Court in which...
...According to statute, however, candidates for the supreme court (the major trial court) are chosen through a party convention system, in which primary voters elect convention delegates who choose candidates for the judgeships.
 NO! Wait!! Federal court. No. Those judges are appointed for life. Dang Campbell, what to do? Zippy says he has an idea. Why not appoint Campbell judge, prosecutor, and jury and she can decide. 

Zippy also suggests that since Campbell is such a protector of children that she can look into who is responsible for all the dead and maimed children in Iraq and bring her husband to trial for war crimes.

Tenured teachers facing substantiated charges of sexual misconduct should be suspended without pay. 

They're are. Two months without pay if there is probable cause. It is in the contract Campbell.

And the chancellor should have final say on firing the teacher after a hearing — not a local arbitrator who is not accountable to parents, voters or the mayor.

So, even though a teachers is found not to have committed what they are accused of doing they can still lose their job, their livelihood, at the whim of the chancellor? Does that not violate the 14th Amendment which your die in the wool Republican husband so feverishly believes?

But I see Campbell's point. Her husband Dan Senor is responsible, directly and indirectly, for thousands of deaths and atrocities in Iraq. One person, George W. felt that Dan was above it all.

The Bayou Schicksa has too much time on her hands. She is bogarting her way into this deform debate to keep herself relevant. Perhaps it is time she returns to CNN and do what she does best. Report of kitten fashion shows.

2 comments:

Francesco Portelos said...

This post inspired me to create a real site for contract talk..for members and by members. http://uftcontract.com

Pete Zucker said...

Glad I can be your muse.