Some interesting news came across the SBSB news desk today.A teacher, let's call him, Rudy Baylor, was teaching a class one day and reached from behind to hand a 7th grade female student a piece of paper. The student was sitting with several of her female friends. It seemed all pretty routine, huh?
The next thing Rudy knows is that he is being accused of improperly touching this girl. How? The young lady claimed that when Rudy bent down ever so slightly to hand her the paper his dingy touched the back of her shoulder.
The girl immediately reported this, not to the principal, but rather to school safety. School safety had no other choice but to call in NYPD. Thank God that the officers that responded were well trained and able to think independently, Rudy was not charged.
This was in March; Rudy was immediately sent to the Rubber Room, he got cleared today. Six months later.
This could not have been cleared up within a week? Two weeks? Who suffered here? The students did. The students were without their teacher for the last 3 months of last year and so far 2 weeks off this year.
Yet, the Three Stooges of education reform in New York State, Campbell Brown, Mona Davids, and Sam Pirozzolo would lead you to believe that the long investigative process is the fault of the teachers and the union that "protects teachers."
Without that union that "protects teachers" Rudy Baylor would have been out on his buttocks no questions, no nothing asked nor rights protected. Rudy is a single father, without the protections put in place by the collective bargaining agreement and state law, Rudy would have had to go collecting cans so his son could eat.
But according to the Stooge like troika, Rudy even though he has been cleared can still be in jeopardy. The Stooges, if they have their way, would force any decision if a teacher is cleared of sexual misconduct to be given a thumbs or or thumbs down decision made by the chancellor.
On what facts would a chancellor bases such a life altering decision? Would certain teachers be in or out of favor? Would there be some type of checks and balances? Can decisions made by the chancellor be appealed (Other than Article 78)?
The truth was seen in Rudy's case not because the union protects bad teachers. But rather the union is there to make sure and enforce that all teachers are afforded their contractual rights, state rights, and due process as spelled out in the United States Constitution.
It seems this girl had an agenda and didn't want Rudy Baylor around anymore. Kids are smart. They know how to manipulate the system and know how to make a teacher's life miserable.
If the chancellor has a final say on all sexual misconduct accusations it will be ripe for abuse. It'll be like yelling, "fire!" in a crowded theater.
A. The union doesn't really protect teachers like this - a clearly bogus charge even the cops recognized - he should not have had to spend 6 months in a rubber room. At most a few days while investigation takes place. Union says and does nothing - assumes guilty.
ReplyDeleteB. Thank God that the officers that responded were well trained and able to think independently, Rudy was not charged.--- yes thank god -- but too many cases where they don't think independently - and that is where Patrick Lynch and the PBA should come in - tell their members to give teachers a break. His silence on this all this time? He did not earn our support.