http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2011/07/20/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher
History will be made this Tuesday night, July 19, at 9 PM EDT. Join us as we welcome Matthew's mom, Karen Sprowal as she takes us through the Kafkaesque hell she went through as she took on Harlem Success Academy 3 and Eva Moskowitz.
Karen's son Matthew was counseled out of Harlen Success Academy 3 after being sold a bag of goods by Eva Moskowitz
Ms Sprowal was featured in the New York Times last Monday, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/nyregion/charter-school-sends-message-thrive-or-transfer.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto and her odyssey through HSA hell was featured in my blog;
http://southbronxschool.blogspot.com/2011/07/true-eva-moskowitz.html
http://southbronxschool.blogspot.com/2011/07/eva-moskowitz-lusts-for-whitney-tilson.html
http://southbronxschool.blogspot.com/2011/07/breaking-news-eva-moskowitz-admits-to.html
Call in # 917 932 8721
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2011
BREAKING NEWS!!! EVA MOSKOWITZ ADMITS TO COUNSELING STUDENTS OUT!!!!
Eva has come clean! She admits it, or it was a Freudian slip, but still the truth is out there! In yesterday's New York Times, Eva, in a desperate move to spin the Matthew Sprowal incident, basically parroted what she wrote in her love letter to Whitney Tilson but added just one little teeny tiny wrinkle. Eva wrote;
But even while we here at SBSB are happy that Eva came clean, we are also saddened how yet again the children are caught in the middle of a megalomaniac's crusade to elevate herself to some lofty position as well as how it show not only the disparity and hypocrisy vis a vis charter schools and public schools. Oh before I go on, charter schools are not public schools. They are private school financed by public dollars.
The crack team decided to scour the Chancellor's Regulations with a fine tooth comb. The assignment was to find anything, something that gave principals of public schools the ability to "council out" students, or to paraphrase Eva, that a public school principal has an obligation to to find a better setting for the student.
This took many minutes, and we lost many a man, but alas, we did not find one single sentence, nor nary a word that gives a principal such authority. How could that be?
The crack team came to the conclusion that not only is it illegal, but it is immoral to tell a child's family that it might be better to find a better setting. See, the difference between a public school and a charter school is that from the day a students enters Kindergarten we have an obligation to give unconditional support to that student. We do not look at a students as a way to generate revenue, or to pay ourselves exorbitant salaries, or to have a chancellor so scared, so manipulated as to get what we want.
We at public schools have to take anybody and everybody that is zone for out school (I am talking about elementary). We ca not turn anyone away. We are like an ER. We are obligated to give education to all that ask for it.
Meanwhile, we have Eva sitting in her ivory charter office, looking down over Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn and she thinks she is. The great white Jewish savior of boys and girls of color as she, just like Caesar, gives the thumbs up or down on children whose parents somehow bought into her propaganda. All that matters, all the Eva cares about is Eva, about expanding the brand of Eva, to elevate Eva. To look at Eva and see how hip and caring she is because she moved to Harlem. Hey Eva, truly want to get down with reality? Give up all of Eric's money, mom and dad's money as well, and move into a tenement or the projects. Then you'll be down. To paraphrase Jan Brady, "Eva, Eva, Eva!!!"
But Eva, your euphemism is already at work. The Pope has decided that he will no longer excommunicate. The Pope will now just tell the person that it is obligated to help find another religion for that person.
Couple divorcing will no longer ask for a divorce. Rather, they will just say to one another that they are obligated to find a better marriage for one another.
Teachers will no longer be terminated, they will be directed to a better setting. This of course will save money on the 3020a process.
Puppies and kitten will no longer be abandoned. Rather, a better setting will be forthcoming they will be told.
Evil headmistresses of charter networks when the day comes that they are exposed will be told that a better setting, like McDonald's awaits them.
WHOA! We here at SBSB are blown away. Though we decry that students are treated as such, we do doff our collective SBSB hats towards Eva for finally admitting what has been know all along. Thank you Eva for being so forthright."It is our obligation to advise parents when there is a better setting for their children. This is not unique to charter schools."
But even while we here at SBSB are happy that Eva came clean, we are also saddened how yet again the children are caught in the middle of a megalomaniac's crusade to elevate herself to some lofty position as well as how it show not only the disparity and hypocrisy vis a vis charter schools and public schools. Oh before I go on, charter schools are not public schools. They are private school financed by public dollars.
The crack team decided to scour the Chancellor's Regulations with a fine tooth comb. The assignment was to find anything, something that gave principals of public schools the ability to "council out" students, or to paraphrase Eva, that a public school principal has an obligation to to find a better setting for the student.
This took many minutes, and we lost many a man, but alas, we did not find one single sentence, nor nary a word that gives a principal such authority. How could that be?
The crack team came to the conclusion that not only is it illegal, but it is immoral to tell a child's family that it might be better to find a better setting. See, the difference between a public school and a charter school is that from the day a students enters Kindergarten we have an obligation to give unconditional support to that student. We do not look at a students as a way to generate revenue, or to pay ourselves exorbitant salaries, or to have a chancellor so scared, so manipulated as to get what we want.
We at public schools have to take anybody and everybody that is zone for out school (I am talking about elementary). We ca not turn anyone away. We are like an ER. We are obligated to give education to all that ask for it.
Meanwhile, we have Eva sitting in her ivory charter office, looking down over Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn and she thinks she is. The great white Jewish savior of boys and girls of color as she, just like Caesar, gives the thumbs up or down on children whose parents somehow bought into her propaganda. All that matters, all the Eva cares about is Eva, about expanding the brand of Eva, to elevate Eva. To look at Eva and see how hip and caring she is because she moved to Harlem. Hey Eva, truly want to get down with reality? Give up all of Eric's money, mom and dad's money as well, and move into a tenement or the projects. Then you'll be down. To paraphrase Jan Brady, "Eva, Eva, Eva!!!"
But Eva, your euphemism is already at work. The Pope has decided that he will no longer excommunicate. The Pope will now just tell the person that it is obligated to help find another religion for that person.
Couple divorcing will no longer ask for a divorce. Rather, they will just say to one another that they are obligated to find a better marriage for one another.
Teachers will no longer be terminated, they will be directed to a better setting. This of course will save money on the 3020a process.
Puppies and kitten will no longer be abandoned. Rather, a better setting will be forthcoming they will be told.
Evil headmistresses of charter networks when the day comes that they are exposed will be told that a better setting, like McDonald's awaits them.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Eva Moskowitz Lusts For Whitney Tilson
Whitney Tilson is not only blessed, but he is special as well. We should all look at Whitney and see how much he cares. How much does he care. So much, that while on some weird vacation in Thailand, Whitney was blessed with being the sole human being on earth to receive Eva Moskowitz's retort to Michael Winerip's masterpiece of this past Monday.
So Eva blabbered to Whitney and Whitney like the dolt he is blabbered it back to humanity. But dare we examine what Eva Moskowitz blabbered? Yes, we dare. But before her words are examine, one very important thing is missing from her rant. Can you figure it out?
So Eva blabbers; The facts clearly show that Success Academies' educators are incredibly committed to serving children with special needs,
Wow, that is nice. Success Academy is great for being so dedicated to the children with special needs. Does Success have to go through the process of almost three months to determine whether or not a kid needs services? Does Success have a backlog of students who are required services, yet do not receive said services. Each and every special ed teacher I have come across in the PUBLIC SCHOOLS is dedicated. Has gone above and beyond.
We serve a high percentage, and do not push out children who don't "thrive."
So if a student never does work, consistently misbehaves, and the parents are not involved this child remains in Success no matter what?
Our ELL population is 9.6%, and when you factor in children who we have successfully taught English (and are no longer ELL), we clearly educate the same children.
Arthur Goldstein, the famed and preeminent ESL teacher from Francis Lewis High School called into my radio show the other night and said that it takes 2 years for a students to learn the language. Do you give these students two years? Or since you are Eva Moskowitz does it take less?
Winerip clearly indicates, no one pressured Ms. Sprowal to leave the school.
Yeah, but no one lifted a finger to keep Matthew. Or to do the right thing by Matthew. Or perhaps this statement by Matthew's mom over at NYC Public School Parents did not resonate with Eva;
Do you have irrefutable proof that the UFT coached Matthew's mom? If you do, I dare you to show it now. If not, I demand that you retract this statement. As far as a happy ending, please, Whitney will think it is time to go cruising the Interstate rest areas.
It is our obligation to advise a parent that there might be a better setting for their child.
Obligation or need? Your Freudian slip just showed. You just contradicted yourself Eva. The last I checked, a PUBLIC SCHOOL can't do this. But you can. Hmmmm.
Our schools are a work in progress, every day we try to do better for the largest number of children.
The largest number of children? Shouldn't that statement be all children? So students do fall through the cracks at Success?
While I don't believe that the school mishandled the situation, we are always working to improve how we serve children with all types of needs. For next year, we have added a 12:1:1 program at two of our schools and a Director of Special Education at the network-level who comes from the city's District 75.
Please. You have already contradicted yourself about moving kids out of your school. But, that is so nice of you to have now two 12:1:1 programs. And please share who this Special Education director is.
The theme is repeated in this story. 33% of 4th graders passed the state ELA test at PS 75, but public schools like PS 75 get more tough-to-serve children. (PS 75 does not, but schools like it do, he argues) When schools like ours have 86% of 4th graders passing the same test, it must be because we don't have the same kids, because schools can't possibly be expected to do that well.
No, you don't have the same kids. You don't teach the same way. You have students and families that have a commitment, that sign contracts. If they don't follow the rules they are met with punitive measures. Can a PUBLIC SCHOOL do this? No!
Winerip also makes the argument that schools like PS 75 care about children and thus have low test scores while schools like Harlem Success Academy don't care about children and thus have high test scores.
Schools like PS 75 do care, and all schools and teachers care. Students at PS 75 do not have the resources that you have been able to finagle out of men and rich backers.
You Eva, do not care about the students. You care about yourself, your image, your legacy. That is all that is important to you. You feel you are the savior for the boys and girls, and families of color. That only a Jewish White woman who lives on the border of Harlem can save the day.
I tell our principals, our true measure of success is whether children race through the door each morning and are disappointed to leave each day because school is just that compelling.
What a load of crap. BLECH!!!!!!
Now for what is missing. Have you noticed that Eva did not mention the corporal punishment inflicted on Matthew? No where, no how. She didn't even deny it! So obviously Matthew was made to walk the hallways in a punitive manner, and Eva condones this type of behavior to a 5 year old student.
What's worse Eva, is that you don't even have the capability to look inward at your own little reality and add in your missive that perhaps it was the teachers fault, I meant the new, white elitist teacher's fault. It does happen you know.
Start allowing children to be children. There is nothing wrong with having a strong hand, but when that hand has a black glove on it there is no benevolence.
The only thing you care about Eva is you, yourself and your legacy. You are an attention whore of the lowest proportion. You are a fraud, you are a charlatan, you a phony.
So Eva blabbers; The facts clearly show that Success Academies' educators are incredibly committed to serving children with special needs,
Wow, that is nice. Success Academy is great for being so dedicated to the children with special needs. Does Success have to go through the process of almost three months to determine whether or not a kid needs services? Does Success have a backlog of students who are required services, yet do not receive said services. Each and every special ed teacher I have come across in the PUBLIC SCHOOLS is dedicated. Has gone above and beyond.
We serve a high percentage, and do not push out children who don't "thrive."
So if a student never does work, consistently misbehaves, and the parents are not involved this child remains in Success no matter what?
Our ELL population is 9.6%, and when you factor in children who we have successfully taught English (and are no longer ELL), we clearly educate the same children.
Arthur Goldstein, the famed and preeminent ESL teacher from Francis Lewis High School called into my radio show the other night and said that it takes 2 years for a students to learn the language. Do you give these students two years? Or since you are Eva Moskowitz does it take less?
Winerip clearly indicates, no one pressured Ms. Sprowal to leave the school.
Yeah, but no one lifted a finger to keep Matthew. Or to do the right thing by Matthew. Or perhaps this statement by Matthew's mom over at NYC Public School Parents did not resonate with Eva;
"I outright refused to comply with the principal’s request for me to transfer my son to another school."Three years later, after coaching from the United Federation of Teachers, his mother is now unhappy. The UFT spent five years hovering over our schools to find hordes of students who were unfairly "pushed" out, and the best they could find was a single story with a happy ending.
Do you have irrefutable proof that the UFT coached Matthew's mom? If you do, I dare you to show it now. If not, I demand that you retract this statement. As far as a happy ending, please, Whitney will think it is time to go cruising the Interstate rest areas.
It is our obligation to advise a parent that there might be a better setting for their child.
Obligation or need? Your Freudian slip just showed. You just contradicted yourself Eva. The last I checked, a PUBLIC SCHOOL can't do this. But you can. Hmmmm.
Our schools are a work in progress, every day we try to do better for the largest number of children.
The largest number of children? Shouldn't that statement be all children? So students do fall through the cracks at Success?
While I don't believe that the school mishandled the situation, we are always working to improve how we serve children with all types of needs. For next year, we have added a 12:1:1 program at two of our schools and a Director of Special Education at the network-level who comes from the city's District 75.
Please. You have already contradicted yourself about moving kids out of your school. But, that is so nice of you to have now two 12:1:1 programs. And please share who this Special Education director is.
The theme is repeated in this story. 33% of 4th graders passed the state ELA test at PS 75, but public schools like PS 75 get more tough-to-serve children. (PS 75 does not, but schools like it do, he argues) When schools like ours have 86% of 4th graders passing the same test, it must be because we don't have the same kids, because schools can't possibly be expected to do that well.
No, you don't have the same kids. You don't teach the same way. You have students and families that have a commitment, that sign contracts. If they don't follow the rules they are met with punitive measures. Can a PUBLIC SCHOOL do this? No!
Winerip also makes the argument that schools like PS 75 care about children and thus have low test scores while schools like Harlem Success Academy don't care about children and thus have high test scores.
Schools like PS 75 do care, and all schools and teachers care. Students at PS 75 do not have the resources that you have been able to finagle out of men and rich backers.
You Eva, do not care about the students. You care about yourself, your image, your legacy. That is all that is important to you. You feel you are the savior for the boys and girls, and families of color. That only a Jewish White woman who lives on the border of Harlem can save the day.
I tell our principals, our true measure of success is whether children race through the door each morning and are disappointed to leave each day because school is just that compelling.
What a load of crap. BLECH!!!!!!
Now for what is missing. Have you noticed that Eva did not mention the corporal punishment inflicted on Matthew? No where, no how. She didn't even deny it! So obviously Matthew was made to walk the hallways in a punitive manner, and Eva condones this type of behavior to a 5 year old student.
What's worse Eva, is that you don't even have the capability to look inward at your own little reality and add in your missive that perhaps it was the teachers fault, I meant the new, white elitist teacher's fault. It does happen you know.
Start allowing children to be children. There is nothing wrong with having a strong hand, but when that hand has a black glove on it there is no benevolence.
The only thing you care about Eva is you, yourself and your legacy. You are an attention whore of the lowest proportion. You are a fraud, you are a charlatan, you a phony.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Next South Bronx School Internet Radio Cast
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bronx-teacher/2011/07/13/the-mind-of-a-bronx-teacher
http://howtolearn.com/
Dr Guffanti also has a program, "Rocket Phonics" that promises to take a child to a 5th grade reading level within two years.
http://www.rocketphonics.com/
Don't forget, tonight at 9 PM EDT. And call in! 917 932 8721
This coming Tuesday night, July 12 at 9 PM EDT we welcome the one, the only, the fantastic, the lovely, the affable Frustrated Teacher from The Frustrated Teaher blog; http://www.thefrustratedteacher.com/ He will square off against a mystery conservative guest that will be revealed Tuesday night. TFT will surely P3WN this guest with the greatest of ease. Fascinating radio it shall be!!!!
UPDATE!!!!!!
Tonight's mystery guest will be Dr. Stephen Guffanti MD who has never taught before and blames teachers for all the is wrong in education, believes in charter schools, home schools is children and believes that God is missing from Education.http://howtolearn.com/
Dr Guffanti also has a program, "Rocket Phonics" that promises to take a child to a 5th grade reading level within two years.
http://www.rocketphonics.com/
Don't forget, tonight at 9 PM EDT. And call in! 917 932 8721
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The True Eva Moskowitz
Editors note: After this story went to press the crack team here at SBSB learned that Leonie Haimson's blog, NYC Public School Parents has a first person account written by Matthew's mom, Katherine Sprowal. Click here to read it.
In the movie Airplane! right after Striker landed the plane, Rex Kramer said over the radio that there are people that, "want to shake his hand and buy him a drink." I think I can not only speak for myself, but a multitude of others out there who can and will say the same thing of Michael Winerip of the New York Times. Michael, and there are time I have disagreed with him, continues to pull back the sheath of idiocy and stupidity on the NYC DOE. Michael I offer you a glass or two of Slivowitz.
Why is Michael Winerip about to be blessed with Jewish schnapps? It is because of the article that is to appear in tomorrow's (July 11) New York Times. In this article Weinrip, rips (pardon the pun!) the sheath off of the world created by Success Academy and its leader Eva Moskowitz.
The sheath that Winerip exposed is all to common practice of charter schools, counseling students who do not conform to its values, its core beliefs, out of the school and washing their hands of them. Winerip writes about Matthew a kindergartner, and the hell that Harlem Success Academy 3 put him and his mother, Katherine Sprowal through in 2008. Ms Sprowal unfortunately was hoodwinked by the propaganda video produced by HSA, and soon enrolled young Matthew in the school and like every parent, beamed with pride as she was sending her little man into the world of education. Only it was not the world of education she sent him into, but rather a vast, evil corporate structured educational system that is run by a cold, nasty evil woman.
Winerips starts out writing; Matthew is bright but can be disruptive and easily distracted. It was not a natural fit for the Success charters, which are known for discipline and long school days.
OK, this can happen at first. New environment, new grade, a lot of newness. But, Matthew is a kid. By the looks of him in the photo he looks very bright and very inquisitive. What teacher, what school wouldn't want a kid like Matthew?
From Day 1 of kindergarten, Ms. Sprowal said, he was punished for acting out. “They kept him after school to practice walking in the hallway,” she said.
Wait. HSA kept a 5 year old after school and had him practice walking in the hallway? Is HSA the Marine Corps? Yeah, I know, after school at HSA is not the traditional after school. But still. This is a five year old boy! What kind of trauma must this kid be going through on his very first day of school??? Were any positive behavior modification tried before this drastic and perilously close to corporal punishment maneuver was tried?
What better why to suck out the love of learning this young man should have than to berate, bellitle, and shame him than to make him walk the halls from day one?
Several times, she was called to pick him up early, she said, and in his third week he was suspended three days for bothering other children.
Suspended for bothering students? Isn't HSA bound by Chancellor's Regulation A-443? Isn't HSA bound by the NYC DOE Discipline Code? Or is Eva allowed to circumvent these?
In Matthew’s three years of preschool, Ms. Sprowal said, he had never missed time for behavior problems. “After only 12 days in your school,” she wrote the principal, “you have assessed and concluded that our son is defective and will not meet your school criteria.”
You go Ms Sprowal!!! Want to know why Matthew never had issues in preschool? Because his preschool teachers knew what they were doing! I have seen these women from preschools in the neighborhood where I work. They are like sergeants. Sergeants like Tom Sizemore in Saving Private Ryan. Tough and they are in control, and shower the kids with love. This is their life's calling. They don't just stay for two years and apply to law school.
I have a feeling that Matthew's Kindergarten teacher was a white, young, new teacher that went to a very elite college.
Five days later, Ms. Sprowal got an e-mail from Ms. Moskowitz that she took as a veiled message to leave.
The crack team also is in receipt of this email, however we have it in its original German; "Bin nicht vertraut mit dem Thema. aber es ist extrem wichtig, dass Kinder erfolgreich und ein Neun-Stunden-Tag mit mehr als 23 Kinder (und das ist unsere kleine Klassen!), Wo sie ständig gefragt werden fühlen zu fokussieren und konzentrieren kann überfordern Kinder und ein schlechtes Umfeld. "
Basically Eva is claiming that a 9 hour day with 23 students can be tough. No sh** Sherlock!
The next week, the school psychologist evaluated Matthew and concluded he would be better suited elsewhere: “He may need a smaller classroom than his current school has available.”
Translated; Please, get him out of here.
But Eva's mouthpiece, Jenny Sedis said; “We helped place him in a school that would better suit his needs,” Ms. Sedlis wrote. “His success today confirms the correctness of his placement. I believe that 100 percent of the time we were acting in Matthew’s best interest and that the end result benefited him and benefited P.S. 75, which now has a child excelling.”
Ms. Sedlis denied that Matthew had been suspended, and said he was not disciplined when he was kept after school.
HA HA!
Sedis goes on to blabber; “Practicing walking through the halls is the opposite of a punishment,...Just as in math, when a child does not get a concept, we re-teach."
And reeducate well having the students watch films of students misbehaving while their eyes are kept open and drops are applied.
Oh please. Don't compare math and walking in the halls. You guys dropped the ball. Matthew's teacher dropped the ball. HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN!!! Try positive reinforcement!
Sedis blabbered on; ....that two Success board members were leaders of well-respected special-education schools, Donna Kennedy of Gillen Brewer and Scott Gaynor of the Stephen Gaynor School.
So what? My great-uncle was a Communist. What did Donna and Scotty say about this? Did they ever know? In fact, what would have been done at their schools?
Sedis also offered counterexamples, like Iris Ayala, whose 6-year-old son, Alexander, has an attention disorder and speech problem but has thrived at a Success school. Ms. Ayala said Alexander often acted up, running out of the classroom. But the school gave him special-education help, she said, and now he is reading above grade level. “I love the school,” Ms. Ayala said.
So why wasn't Matthew afforded this?
But here is something that Weinrip wrote at towards the end of the article; Ms. Moskowitz has enormous political clout, and without my asking, Laura Rodriguez, a deputy chancellor, sent an e-mail saying the Success charters were getting better about special education.
Why should they be getting better? Why? Shouldn't they be there already?
What happened to Matthew is appalling. This is a corporate mentality that allowed this to happen to him. His mother entrusted HSA 3 with her child and they dropped the ball. The fewer problems that Eva and her ilk have to deal with the better.
Hey Eva! If one of your flesh and blood children were treated like Matthew what would you do? What would you say?
Moskowitz is a fraud, a charlatan, a snake oil salesman. She is evil, and out for herself. Let's keep peeling away at Eva.
In the movie Airplane! right after Striker landed the plane, Rex Kramer said over the radio that there are people that, "want to shake his hand and buy him a drink." I think I can not only speak for myself, but a multitude of others out there who can and will say the same thing of Michael Winerip of the New York Times. Michael, and there are time I have disagreed with him, continues to pull back the sheath of idiocy and stupidity on the NYC DOE. Michael I offer you a glass or two of Slivowitz.
Why is Michael Winerip about to be blessed with Jewish schnapps? It is because of the article that is to appear in tomorrow's (July 11) New York Times. In this article Weinrip, rips (pardon the pun!) the sheath off of the world created by Success Academy and its leader Eva Moskowitz.The sheath that Winerip exposed is all to common practice of charter schools, counseling students who do not conform to its values, its core beliefs, out of the school and washing their hands of them. Winerip writes about Matthew a kindergartner, and the hell that Harlem Success Academy 3 put him and his mother, Katherine Sprowal through in 2008. Ms Sprowal unfortunately was hoodwinked by the propaganda video produced by HSA, and soon enrolled young Matthew in the school and like every parent, beamed with pride as she was sending her little man into the world of education. Only it was not the world of education she sent him into, but rather a vast, evil corporate structured educational system that is run by a cold, nasty evil woman.
Winerips starts out writing; Matthew is bright but can be disruptive and easily distracted. It was not a natural fit for the Success charters, which are known for discipline and long school days.
OK, this can happen at first. New environment, new grade, a lot of newness. But, Matthew is a kid. By the looks of him in the photo he looks very bright and very inquisitive. What teacher, what school wouldn't want a kid like Matthew?
From Day 1 of kindergarten, Ms. Sprowal said, he was punished for acting out. “They kept him after school to practice walking in the hallway,” she said.
Wait. HSA kept a 5 year old after school and had him practice walking in the hallway? Is HSA the Marine Corps? Yeah, I know, after school at HSA is not the traditional after school. But still. This is a five year old boy! What kind of trauma must this kid be going through on his very first day of school??? Were any positive behavior modification tried before this drastic and perilously close to corporal punishment maneuver was tried?
What better why to suck out the love of learning this young man should have than to berate, bellitle, and shame him than to make him walk the halls from day one?
Several times, she was called to pick him up early, she said, and in his third week he was suspended three days for bothering other children.
Suspended for bothering students? Isn't HSA bound by Chancellor's Regulation A-443? Isn't HSA bound by the NYC DOE Discipline Code? Or is Eva allowed to circumvent these?
In Matthew’s three years of preschool, Ms. Sprowal said, he had never missed time for behavior problems. “After only 12 days in your school,” she wrote the principal, “you have assessed and concluded that our son is defective and will not meet your school criteria.”
You go Ms Sprowal!!! Want to know why Matthew never had issues in preschool? Because his preschool teachers knew what they were doing! I have seen these women from preschools in the neighborhood where I work. They are like sergeants. Sergeants like Tom Sizemore in Saving Private Ryan. Tough and they are in control, and shower the kids with love. This is their life's calling. They don't just stay for two years and apply to law school.
I have a feeling that Matthew's Kindergarten teacher was a white, young, new teacher that went to a very elite college.
Five days later, Ms. Sprowal got an e-mail from Ms. Moskowitz that she took as a veiled message to leave.
The crack team also is in receipt of this email, however we have it in its original German; "Bin nicht vertraut mit dem Thema. aber es ist extrem wichtig, dass Kinder erfolgreich und ein Neun-Stunden-Tag mit mehr als 23 Kinder (und das ist unsere kleine Klassen!), Wo sie ständig gefragt werden fühlen zu fokussieren und konzentrieren kann überfordern Kinder und ein schlechtes Umfeld. "
Basically Eva is claiming that a 9 hour day with 23 students can be tough. No sh** Sherlock!
The next week, the school psychologist evaluated Matthew and concluded he would be better suited elsewhere: “He may need a smaller classroom than his current school has available.”
Translated; Please, get him out of here.
But Eva's mouthpiece, Jenny Sedis said; “We helped place him in a school that would better suit his needs,” Ms. Sedlis wrote. “His success today confirms the correctness of his placement. I believe that 100 percent of the time we were acting in Matthew’s best interest and that the end result benefited him and benefited P.S. 75, which now has a child excelling.”
Ms. Sedlis denied that Matthew had been suspended, and said he was not disciplined when he was kept after school.
HA HA!
Sedis goes on to blabber; “Practicing walking through the halls is the opposite of a punishment,...Just as in math, when a child does not get a concept, we re-teach."
And reeducate well having the students watch films of students misbehaving while their eyes are kept open and drops are applied.
Oh please. Don't compare math and walking in the halls. You guys dropped the ball. Matthew's teacher dropped the ball. HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN!!! Try positive reinforcement!
Sedis blabbered on; ....that two Success board members were leaders of well-respected special-education schools, Donna Kennedy of Gillen Brewer and Scott Gaynor of the Stephen Gaynor School.
So what? My great-uncle was a Communist. What did Donna and Scotty say about this? Did they ever know? In fact, what would have been done at their schools?
Sedis also offered counterexamples, like Iris Ayala, whose 6-year-old son, Alexander, has an attention disorder and speech problem but has thrived at a Success school. Ms. Ayala said Alexander often acted up, running out of the classroom. But the school gave him special-education help, she said, and now he is reading above grade level. “I love the school,” Ms. Ayala said.
So why wasn't Matthew afforded this?
But here is something that Weinrip wrote at towards the end of the article; Ms. Moskowitz has enormous political clout, and without my asking, Laura Rodriguez, a deputy chancellor, sent an e-mail saying the Success charters were getting better about special education.
Why should they be getting better? Why? Shouldn't they be there already?
What happened to Matthew is appalling. This is a corporate mentality that allowed this to happen to him. His mother entrusted HSA 3 with her child and they dropped the ball. The fewer problems that Eva and her ilk have to deal with the better.
Hey Eva! If one of your flesh and blood children were treated like Matthew what would you do? What would you say?
Moskowitz is a fraud, a charlatan, a snake oil salesman. She is evil, and out for herself. Let's keep peeling away at Eva.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Is Th-Th-Th-That All Ruben?
The official Blog Monkey™ of Educators4Excellence, and also Gotham Schools, Ruben Brosbe, has written a convoluted, look at me article, which some have interpreted, as to be his goodbye. Yes, we don't have confirmation, yet there are several signs that are pointing to this conclusion. Let's have a looksee.
Yesterday, one of my blogging brethren, Accountable Talk, wrote yet another asshat article on his blog. A commenter, who billed themself as AsshatForTenureDenial left this comment; "For those who really want to know about Ruben Brosbe, his tenure was also denied. This I can assure you." That is clue #1
The second clue actually is a series of me having asked Ruben in Gotham and by leaving, or attempting to leave, comments on his blog whether or not he has ever been denied or extended tenure. These questions have been met with either silence or blogger moderation.
The third clue is again leaving him a comment on his blog on his most recent piece as to whether or not he has been denied tenure and/or been discontinued. Again, silence. Yes, I know I am a major nudge, but I have allowed comments that have been clear cuts attacks here on SBSB. Why won't Ruben allow dissenting views on his blog?
But the fourth clue is what makes one raise an eyebrow much as Mr Spock once did. If you read Ruben's piece there is the typical kvecthing and whining, but nowhere does he write about looking forward to next year, how he might incorporate what he has learned this year into next, how he might better himself next year, etc... The crack team looked at this quizzically and again over Chinese take out from Tung Sing on Central Ave decided to have a look at Ruben's previous end of the year posts.
At the end of Ruben's first year of teaching in 2008 he wrote this. The clue,
If this is true, why was he denied or extended tenure now a possible second year in a row? His it his blog? Doubt it. It is not controversial, but he does come across like a sniveling, whiny, Nancy all the time. His teaching? I can't comment on this truly without seeing the scores of his students, seeing him teach. I don't think he is as good as he fancies himself, but I don't think he is that bad a teacher. In fact, if he was caught up in this whole denying imbroglio that is infecting the DOE I have no choice but to support him.
So what is it? I'll tell you what it is. It's karma, baby. Just like the schmuck last week who was killed whilst riding his motorcycle without a helmet in protest of helmet laws, Ruben ran face first into karma. To paraphrase Dick Martin, Ruben is this years winner of the Fickle Finger of Fate award.
How ironic it is that Ruben is doing everything he can to fu** over veteran teachers that had gone out of their way to mentor him, to assist him, to guide him. How ironic it is that Ruben advocates fu**ing over teachers with mortgages, children, car payments, lives so he can be part of group, to feel accepted, to get some type of validation as a human being that he never received as a child.
Ruben Brosbe is one of the worst type, and I use this term loosely, human beings. He is lower than a used car salesman. Ruben will do whatever he can do fu** someone over, especially a veteran teacher. And worse! Worse is that Ruben sees teaching as all about him. All about how he can look good, how he can use educator on his resume to advance his career. How the students should show him constant adulation and reverence because the rich white boy his there to save all the little boys and girls of color.
If Ruben was denied tenure will he go crying to the UFT for help? I doubt it. He will do what rich little white boys of privilege do. Have daddy pay to retain an attorney. Will he go running to his little friends, or rather associates at E4E? No, and besides they probably are looking for a chance to drop him like a hot potato. Opportunists, like those at E4E, despise opportunists and joiners like Ruben.
As an old teaching colleague once told me, "don't ever come between me and my direct deposit," Ruben did all he can to come between the direct deposit of 78,000 NYC teachers.
Of course if Ruben wishes to grow a set and refute any of what I have written he is more than welcome to leave comments. His comments will not be moderated nor edited. But he shant. He is a balless wonder.
Yesterday, one of my blogging brethren, Accountable Talk, wrote yet another asshat article on his blog. A commenter, who billed themself as AsshatForTenureDenial left this comment; "For those who really want to know about Ruben Brosbe, his tenure was also denied. This I can assure you." That is clue #1The second clue actually is a series of me having asked Ruben in Gotham and by leaving, or attempting to leave, comments on his blog whether or not he has ever been denied or extended tenure. These questions have been met with either silence or blogger moderation.
The third clue is again leaving him a comment on his blog on his most recent piece as to whether or not he has been denied tenure and/or been discontinued. Again, silence. Yes, I know I am a major nudge, but I have allowed comments that have been clear cuts attacks here on SBSB. Why won't Ruben allow dissenting views on his blog?
But the fourth clue is what makes one raise an eyebrow much as Mr Spock once did. If you read Ruben's piece there is the typical kvecthing and whining, but nowhere does he write about looking forward to next year, how he might incorporate what he has learned this year into next, how he might better himself next year, etc... The crack team looked at this quizzically and again over Chinese take out from Tung Sing on Central Ave decided to have a look at Ruben's previous end of the year posts.
At the end of Ruben's first year of teaching in 2008 he wrote this. The clue,
"and after looking forward to next year as a chance to do the grade right, it's looking like I won't get that chance."In June 2009, he blabbered;
"...that I'm actually finishing my second year of teaching (the end of my commitment to Teaching Fellows) or that I'm actually going to fight to teach for a third year"In June 2010 he spewed,
"What's surprised me most lately is how ready I am to go back in the fall."But here we are, July of 2011 and not once has Ruben mentioned next year. Not once in any single posting in June 2011, and not once in what appears to be his farewell. How quaintly curious.
If this is true, why was he denied or extended tenure now a possible second year in a row? His it his blog? Doubt it. It is not controversial, but he does come across like a sniveling, whiny, Nancy all the time. His teaching? I can't comment on this truly without seeing the scores of his students, seeing him teach. I don't think he is as good as he fancies himself, but I don't think he is that bad a teacher. In fact, if he was caught up in this whole denying imbroglio that is infecting the DOE I have no choice but to support him.
So what is it? I'll tell you what it is. It's karma, baby. Just like the schmuck last week who was killed whilst riding his motorcycle without a helmet in protest of helmet laws, Ruben ran face first into karma. To paraphrase Dick Martin, Ruben is this years winner of the Fickle Finger of Fate award.
How ironic it is that Ruben is doing everything he can to fu** over veteran teachers that had gone out of their way to mentor him, to assist him, to guide him. How ironic it is that Ruben advocates fu**ing over teachers with mortgages, children, car payments, lives so he can be part of group, to feel accepted, to get some type of validation as a human being that he never received as a child.
Ruben Brosbe is one of the worst type, and I use this term loosely, human beings. He is lower than a used car salesman. Ruben will do whatever he can do fu** someone over, especially a veteran teacher. And worse! Worse is that Ruben sees teaching as all about him. All about how he can look good, how he can use educator on his resume to advance his career. How the students should show him constant adulation and reverence because the rich white boy his there to save all the little boys and girls of color.
If Ruben was denied tenure will he go crying to the UFT for help? I doubt it. He will do what rich little white boys of privilege do. Have daddy pay to retain an attorney. Will he go running to his little friends, or rather associates at E4E? No, and besides they probably are looking for a chance to drop him like a hot potato. Opportunists, like those at E4E, despise opportunists and joiners like Ruben.
As an old teaching colleague once told me, "don't ever come between me and my direct deposit," Ruben did all he can to come between the direct deposit of 78,000 NYC teachers.
Of course if Ruben wishes to grow a set and refute any of what I have written he is more than welcome to leave comments. His comments will not be moderated nor edited. But he shant. He is a balless wonder.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Depression And PTSD At The NYC DOE
You thought I forgot about the blog. I have been busy. It's been over a week since I have shared the deep recesses of my mind. Nothing really has really grabbed my attention. Until just the other day.
I rarely buy the official newspaper of Uncle Mike Bloomberg, The New York Post. Firstly, it is too expensive for a crappy newspaper, and lastly, it is crap. We get it free at school, I can read it online for free, and as far as I am concerned only Phil Mushnick andWonderword make it worthwhile.
But I came across the following story about a teacher that it has taken the DOE 8 years to fire quite by accident. I think it was in the official mouthpiece of the Department of Education, Gotham Schools. But anyway, it was printed this past Sunday, July 3 and being that I was in the wilds of Columbia County Sunday, I completely missed it. I know, I know. I am digressing yet again.
Susan Edelman wrote that Murry Bergtraum HS Spanish teacher Yvonne Chalom was convicted on 32 count of aggravated harassment, yet the DOE did not feel it had enough to fire her. So it found grounds, it accused her of taking photos of a school clock without permission, throwing a temper tantrum in a room-assignment mixup, and calling an assistant principal a “bitch.” OK. The old David Pakter ploy.
But Edelman whined on how Ms Chalom received her salary, how it cost the DOE $1 million dollars, how her 3020a hearings took two years and two years to get a ruling, how she sat in the rubber room and did nothing, and how arbitrator James Cashen charged the DOE $900 a day, and gave the lawyers a year to submit closing arguments.
But Ms Chalom is not the problem here. Yet, the Post decided to make her an example and the Post decided to use her photo. She is not the problem. And mind you, I am not getting into her guilt on innocence here. She has every right to expect due process. She has every right to use due process. Hell, look at the Casey Anthony situation. It took three years almost to bring her to trial.
But there are two issues here that need to be addressed and neither concern Ms Chalom. The problems are the system.
The first problem is James Cashen. Mr Cashen charges $900 a day to come to New York and arbitrate 3020a hearings. Mr Cashen also lives in Hudson, NY. Ever been to Hudson? It is a two and a half hour drive from New York. Who pays for Mr Cashen's accommodations? Mr Cashen out of the $900? Mr Cashen has a vested interest to late this case drag on as long as possible. Remember the OJ trial? The prosecution did not screw it up. It was Judge Ito. Cashen let this go on as long as possible, Cashen was in control. He could have moved things along quickly, but he didn't. Why wasn't he made the subject of the Post article? Why wasn't his photo pasted in the paper?
Now onto the other issue. In the Post article, Edelman writes that, "Ms Chalom,who lives near Ground Zero, claimed she suffered from post-traumatic stress after 9/11." Let's give Ms Chalom the benefit of the doubt here. The crack team here at SBSB has delved into the innards of the DOE and the UFT to list programs that are offered to teachers that are in distress. The list is as follows:
Yep, there ain't anything to list. Nothing. Nada. Bupkus. Where can a teacher turn to that is suffering from depression? From PTSD? From alcoholism? Drug abuse? From physical abuse? Think about this. As a teacher, when 8 30 hits, you are on, and you have to keep that smile, that happy face on until 2 50. You have no choice. And if you dare to show weakness, dare to bring your troubles to school, dare to open up to the wrong colleague, or open up to the wrong administrator you are screwed, blued and tattooed.
NYPD has offerings and help for cops who battle alcohol. And these are people who carry guns. NYPD has help for cops who are involved in spousal abuse. Why isn't the DOE and UFT at the forefront of setting up programs for teachers who are fighting mental duress? What harm would it do to help that teacher who is fighting depression? Or alcoholism? Wouldn't it make the teachers more productive, less prone to taking sick days? Teachers are people too. If we are pricked we bleed, if we are tickled we laugh, if we are wronged we fight back.
There are one too many teachers working without a net. One too many teachers that need help and have no where to go. One too many teachers who know if they ask for help, their career will be over. It is time for the DOE and the UFT to do the right thing and have a support system in place for these teachers.
But I came across the following story about a teacher that it has taken the DOE 8 years to fire quite by accident. I think it was in the official mouthpiece of the Department of Education, Gotham Schools. But anyway, it was printed this past Sunday, July 3 and being that I was in the wilds of Columbia County Sunday, I completely missed it. I know, I know. I am digressing yet again.
Susan Edelman wrote that Murry Bergtraum HS Spanish teacher Yvonne Chalom was convicted on 32 count of aggravated harassment, yet the DOE did not feel it had enough to fire her. So it found grounds, it accused her of taking photos of a school clock without permission, throwing a temper tantrum in a room-assignment mixup, and calling an assistant principal a “bitch.” OK. The old David Pakter ploy.
But Edelman whined on how Ms Chalom received her salary, how it cost the DOE $1 million dollars, how her 3020a hearings took two years and two years to get a ruling, how she sat in the rubber room and did nothing, and how arbitrator James Cashen charged the DOE $900 a day, and gave the lawyers a year to submit closing arguments.
But Ms Chalom is not the problem here. Yet, the Post decided to make her an example and the Post decided to use her photo. She is not the problem. And mind you, I am not getting into her guilt on innocence here. She has every right to expect due process. She has every right to use due process. Hell, look at the Casey Anthony situation. It took three years almost to bring her to trial.
But there are two issues here that need to be addressed and neither concern Ms Chalom. The problems are the system.
The first problem is James Cashen. Mr Cashen charges $900 a day to come to New York and arbitrate 3020a hearings. Mr Cashen also lives in Hudson, NY. Ever been to Hudson? It is a two and a half hour drive from New York. Who pays for Mr Cashen's accommodations? Mr Cashen out of the $900? Mr Cashen has a vested interest to late this case drag on as long as possible. Remember the OJ trial? The prosecution did not screw it up. It was Judge Ito. Cashen let this go on as long as possible, Cashen was in control. He could have moved things along quickly, but he didn't. Why wasn't he made the subject of the Post article? Why wasn't his photo pasted in the paper?
Now onto the other issue. In the Post article, Edelman writes that, "Ms Chalom,who lives near Ground Zero, claimed she suffered from post-traumatic stress after 9/11." Let's give Ms Chalom the benefit of the doubt here. The crack team here at SBSB has delved into the innards of the DOE and the UFT to list programs that are offered to teachers that are in distress. The list is as follows:
Yep, there ain't anything to list. Nothing. Nada. Bupkus. Where can a teacher turn to that is suffering from depression? From PTSD? From alcoholism? Drug abuse? From physical abuse? Think about this. As a teacher, when 8 30 hits, you are on, and you have to keep that smile, that happy face on until 2 50. You have no choice. And if you dare to show weakness, dare to bring your troubles to school, dare to open up to the wrong colleague, or open up to the wrong administrator you are screwed, blued and tattooed.
NYPD has offerings and help for cops who battle alcohol. And these are people who carry guns. NYPD has help for cops who are involved in spousal abuse. Why isn't the DOE and UFT at the forefront of setting up programs for teachers who are fighting mental duress? What harm would it do to help that teacher who is fighting depression? Or alcoholism? Wouldn't it make the teachers more productive, less prone to taking sick days? Teachers are people too. If we are pricked we bleed, if we are tickled we laugh, if we are wronged we fight back.
There are one too many teachers working without a net. One too many teachers that need help and have no where to go. One too many teachers who know if they ask for help, their career will be over. It is time for the DOE and the UFT to do the right thing and have a support system in place for these teachers.
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