SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Jethro's Plight

Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Jethro's Plight

I got off the phone about 20 minutes ago with a teacher that has been in the Rubber Room 18 months and is still awaiting their hearing which has been pushed back several times and probably won't be heard until at least after March 2021. 

This teacher, for anonymity sake will henceforth be known as Jethro, is beside themself with fear and anxiety. Jethro's biggest fear is, "How will I be believed?"

I explained to Jethro that the job of your lawyer is to build up your credibility and reduce the credibility of the witnesses. Yeah, it is a fine line. But any competent lawyer should be able to do this. And I get it, this can cause anxiety and fear. 

If you go through this blog there are many instances of teachers being accused for something they didn't say, didn't do, or something they said or did and it was taken out of context. And for whatever reason their accuser, DOE legal decided to take these teachers words and/or deeds and use them as a sword against these teachers. A vicious bloody sword. 

Heck, I can empathize with Jethro. I know what it was and still is at times, to have my words and deeds taken out of context. Do have words I never said and deeds I hadn't be used against me. 

Jethro feels helpless what Jethro was accused of. What Jethro did was taken out of context. Jethro's words and deeds were contorted. Some people choose fight or flight. Sometimes it just freaking easier for flight. Sometimes it is just worth it. 

Even before you get to that point, there is the dreaded discipline meeting with the principal. There your words and deeds are taken out of context. You are accused of doing something or saying something you hadn't done. I am sure this is how Jethro felt at first. Maybe Jethro wasn't debased or humiliated by their principal in a meeting but many have. I recall a teacher in which he was mocked by their principal for 10 minutes in denying something they were accused of but didn't do. In fact this principal had to continue the mocking 30 minutes later in a email. Or maybe it was a text. 

People wonder why teachers are leaving in droves.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Poor Jethro must be White. Tell him to get arrested with BLM and no one will bother him again or the UFT will go into ninja mode. ‘Bruce Lee’ Mulgrew will fight to the death for anyone who affiliates with any anti-White organization. The UFT is fucking great!!!

Sumba said...

I went through a 3020 hearing . All I have to say is that I hope my experience with a corrupt ,principal is used to help other teachers who may go through the same type of horrible experience. I spoke up for all those teachers who couldn't . I don't regret it because I wouldn't kiss any ones butt and throw another colleague under the bus in order to stay in the principal's graces. Ps/ms 25 is now free of this principle thank God.

Sumba said...

I remember the union rep(woodruff) telling uft members at a school meeting that they many of them had complained anonymously but they had to give their names in order for the uft to take action. I was one of three people who spoke up. I'm now retired with bad reduced pension and the other two teachers still feel the heat from Toledo.
Yes I'm willing to testify and swear to tell the truth under penalty of jail if I lie.

Anonymous said...

UFT automatically emails the school’s principal when a complaint is filed. This does several things; allows administration warning, allows teachers to be targeted, stops others from complaining, minimizes the potential workload and protects admin as per Mulgrew quiet agreement not to target fellow union brethren in the CSA.