SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: UFT Solidarity: The Beginning of the Self Destruction of Francesco Portelos?

Sunday, November 8, 2015

UFT Solidarity: The Beginning of the Self Destruction of Francesco Portelos?

We here at SBSB would like to publicly thank The Kinks Ray Davies for allowing us the use of lyrics from 1981's song Destroyer. Some lyrics didn't mesh with the subject matter.

Well, well, well, guess who is at it again sending unsolicited emails to principals? Anyone care to guess?

Yes, it is Francesco Portelos! Even after being outed on these pages for sending unsolicited emails he continues to do it, this time to the principal of Flushing High School (Click to enlarge).


Met a girl called Xena and I went to her FB page
Feelin' proud, feelin' strong, but I'm taking bogarting everywhere
Stop! Hold on. I'm in control


Yes, this was posted on the ATR Support Group FB page.What happened to the ATR Alliance? It is not more. The one who created, or claims, he created the Facebook page which was set up to give support to ATR's and soon politicized was cast out as an admin. Why? Let's find out.

Disclaimer: All what is used here is with permission. We here at SBSB believe in checking with those and getting the OK before we use their names or private information. 

Xena, I want you to take me back
But I'm really not as cool as I'd like to be


My concerns: Is this the behavior of a potential Union Leader?

2 days ago I questioned the possible repercussion of a letter that Francesco Portelos posted on this ATR Support page. It was a letter that Francesco Portelos sent to a principal on behalf of a teacher who was allegedly being harassed. In my response to his post, I raised my concern that the principal might get angry about the contents of the letter and retaliate by taking it out on that teacher or his/her staff. My concern is, who will be there for the teacher when and if this happens? Crickets… Mr. Portelos ignored my comment. 

Two days letter when Betsy Combier responded to my comment, rather than answer to the concerns that I raised about the teacher, Francesco Portelos went into “Attack Mode”. Francesco Portelos attacked Betsy Combier’s credibility as a Teacher Advocate and accused her of badmouthing him to others.

For those of you who commented throughout the exchange, I appreciate your concern in keeping this page peaceful and focused. It is and has always been my goal to maintain a safe place for ATRs (like myself) to vent, share, exchange and receive support, however, my own privacy and confidence was compromised yesterday when Francesco Portelos went on to publicly reveal information about my personal current status from a conversation that he and I previously discussed in PRIVATE: 

NO! It's deja vu all over again. Portelos putting his own wants and needs before a teacher's and him publicly outing something someone told him in confidence? NO! It can't be. But Xena the Warrior Princess does bring up some rather lucid, salient points. Come on, let's see how classy Portelos responded back to Xena. I betcha you are dying to know. 

Cause there's a red, under my bed
And there's a little yellow man in my head


Francesco Portelos: Xena Warrior Princess When you and I communicate, when I communicate or write with countless members via phone, email etc, when I am out handing out flyers or sending these "backfiring" emails, do you know what I am not doing? Being a father and a husband! Don't tell me about devoting time. You are safely out of the system. When were you in a classroom last? Had you been in one now and under attack I would have still helped you via any means necessary.

Oh boo-hoo. Only Portelos has sacrificed. Boo-hoo. Where the world's smallest violin? We all have to devote the same time the same way as Portelos. Yet, his devotion of time has gotten him 107 members and still has yet to figure out a way to get on the ballot.

As for besmirching Xena, well it's the Portelos modus operandi. 

Xena Continues;
Now I ask, Is this the kind of behavior that one would expect from a leader? (He has turned the attention back on himself while publicly sharing my private and personal status.)

I am hurt, insulted, appalled and shocked by Mr. Portelos behavior. How would you respond if you confided in someone and they used your trust as a weapon against you? As creator of this page, I have tried to remain neutral about publicly expressing my personal choice for Union Leadership so as not to influence anyone’s personal choices. With reservation, I admit that there was actually a period where I supported Solidarity and invited Francesco Portelos to admin this page. After strong input from members who implied to me that Francesco Portelos ‘hijacked’ this group and that it was becoming too strongly associated with Solidarity, his admin status was removed. Here is part of yesterday’s conversation:

Yes, Xena, how can someone who wishes to be the UFT leader behave like this? In fact what is scarier, why are his adherents so blind to this behavior and continue to enable it? 

Hey kids over at Solidarity, Xena figured it out, when will you all?

Portelos delusional, then he spoke feelin' kinda' weird
Xena looked at him and said, "ooh you look so weird."
She said, "man, there's really something wrong with you.


Xena: This letter to administrators concerns me because of the possible further abuse that may be inflicted on the teacher who it is intended to protect. Who will be accountable in case that happens? 

One day he's gonna' self-destruct.

Betsy Combier: I have been told that teachers are being targeted after their name is associated with DTOE or UFT Solidarity. Laurie's concern is valid. 

He's up, he's down down, he can't work it out
He get's a good thing goin' then he blows himself out."


Oh, oh, this can't be good. Teachers getting nailed for Portelos' ego?

Silly boy ya' self-destroyer. Silly boy ya' self-destroyer

Francesco Portelos: Betsy Combier that's not true. I'm sorry that our free advocacy work has hindered your money making advocacy work, but don't spread lies.  

Not true? Prove it. Show the world the thank you letters. Free advocacy from Solidarity? Oh it all comes with a price, Sadly, too many are finding out the price of association with Solidarity only now.

But as for Betsy? I have sent countless, countless people to her for advice and not one time did she turn these people away nor charge them. In August 2013 I and several others met with Betsy at a diner on 2nd Ave for several hours and not once did Betsy ask for a dime and even better, she paid for breakfast. Betsy does not give a rats behind about you. 

You're so insecure you self-destroyer

Francesco Portelos: Xena our emails help people. 

Again, prove it. 

Betsy Combier: I have given my advocacy work away for 12 years, Francesco. You conveniently forget.

Francesco Portelos: What I know Betsy is that people have been telling me that you have been badmouthing me. 

No clue if she is, but hey why not? 

Francesco Portelos: Keep my name out of your mouth please. 

Paranoia, the destroyer
(Here it goes again)
Paranoia, the destroyer


Francesco Portelos: Let's be honest...You do charge money for representation though. That is fine. However if we win and build a stronger union, I think you are afraid you will get less work and thus you are sabotaging us.

A round of applause please for a truly class act. One we can expect will out the members needs before his. Well, until his needs supersedes those of the members. 

I think the opposite is true. With Portelos as UFT President (I know, pigs will fly first) Betsy is truly scared of even more work coming her way.

(Mr. Portelos goes on to say that Ms. Combier’s comment was an attempt to scare people for her own personal gain.)

Doctor, Doctor help me please, I know you'll understand
There's a time device inside of me, I'm a self-destructin' man

And there's a little green man in my head
And he said, "you're not goin' crazy, you're just a bit sad
'Cause there's a man in ya, gnawin' ya, tearin' ya into two."


Francesco Portelos: Think about how this post is 4 days old and Betsy decided to just throw that comment out to scare people. Not coincidence. 

Yes, Betsy having read this four days earlier bide her time lurking in the shadows until exactly four days had passed for the best possible moment to strike on a private closed FB page with roughly 200 people to drum up business for herself. As if Portelos never did something like that. :P

Xena: Betsy was answering to my concern. Who are you to dictate who should and should not answer? 

Xena: Betsy Combier, please do not lower yourself to answering Francesco. The only one who is doing any badmouthing is you Francesco Portelos! This is a support page and my concerns are valid. Do you get permission from the teachers whom you are supposedly defending to write letters to their principals?

Again, no answer. Silence. Jimimy Crickets.

Xena brings up the last point quite well; 

My next question is, did the teacher in question ‘request’ that a letter be sent to his/her principal? Where in this conversation did Francesco Portelos respond with an appropriate answer to the original concern that I raised? Is it becoming of a potential leader to go into attack mode when a member raises a concern? Mr. Portelos quickly went into attack mode rather than answer to my concerns which are STILL concerns.

So why can't Portelos answer whether or not the teacher in question asked for his assistance? What is Portelos hiding? Is Portelos not, as he claims, a man of who won't back down?

If you are a supporter or member of UFT Solidarity and Portelios it is time you open your eyes. There is a pattern here. Think about it, if you dare to speak up, think independently, question his perceived wonderfulness, what would he do to you?

Worse, for Portelos to attack Xena, one of the nicest, sweetest people in DOE goes beyond the pale. I have known her story, both the somewhat public version, and just as importantly the private hell she has gone through for almost 6 years. 

Portelos, how dare you talk to her and about her the way you have. What Portelos has gone through does not compare for one second, one iota what Xena has gone through. Oh yes, we all know that only you have gone through the worse and done the most fighting. You remind everyone every chance you get.

How dare Portelos talk about workplace bullying when time after time, he is the one being the bully.

Portelos, you are a scared little man that for some reason can't function without the accolades and adulation of others.

Portelos, you are self destructing. 

Silly boy ya' self-destroyer.
Paranoia, the destroyer

Self-destroyer, wreck your health
Destroy friends, destroy yourself
The time device of self-destruction
Light the fuse and start eruption

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Peter, you mean this dreadlocked guy is alleged to have been harassing teachers?

https://twitter.com/chintyee

See the thirteenth photo down in the column at the left:

http://blacktiemagazine.com/society_march_2014/New_York_Mission_Society_Champions_for_Children_Gala.htm

I'm a bit confused by the references to "Xena Warrior Princess" in the running commentary.

Was this present in the original communications, or is it a pseudonym to protect someone's identity?

Does it relate to a song, or to the TV show where Lucy Lawless played the title character, or were you just kidding around?

www.imdb.com/title/tt0112230/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_41

There is obviously so much drama in your post.

Can you please explain what's been going on for the benefit of the people who are not familiar with the Facebook group that you referenced?

Anonymous said...

I was kicked off the ATR Facebook page once I disagree with Portelos thinking. I merely mentioned that some other candidates were viable for the position as UFT President. Next week I was blocked from the ATR page. How very sad.

Pete Zucker said...

To the first anon:

Harvey, what point are you attempting to make?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Pete Zucker said...

The above comment needed to be edited. After the edit it reads;
"Thought Portelos wasn't admin of ATR, so how did he boot you?"

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

from: Anon 1:41 A.M.

I'm not a member of the cited Facebook group, and I'm quite unknowledgeable as to all of the recent melodramatic happenings that have been taking place, both at Flushing HS and within that particular Facebook group.

Will you please explain what has been going on for the benefit of those who are not familiar with the facts and circumstances of the recent events?

And I'm definitely lost about all these "Xena Warrior Princess" references and what the connection is to the song.

I only channel surfed through two or three episodes max of the TV series in the 1990s.

Was someone posting on Facebook as Xena, or were you using a pseudonym to imply that someone on Facebook is like a fearless female warrior who fights to help those who are unable to defend themselves?

Do you happen to know any of the details of the alleged harassment that goes on at Flushing HS?

If you do, and if you are willing to share them, then I will express my own concerns in a polite letter or email to Tyee Chin.

I'm going to speculate, based on my knowledge of the "playbook," that one form of supervisory harassment is the observation of a perfectly adequate lesson, followed by a haranguing post-observation conference, and later, the issuance of an "ineffective" observation report.

Pete Zucker said...

To anon 1:11 PM

No. She's not.

Is Victor Jordan a lawyer? A dues paying member of the UFT?

Anonymous said...

I am the teacher who Mr. Portelos wrote the email for. He had my approval to do so. After reading this ridiculous blog I must say 2 simple things. #1 it was incredibly immature and full of drama. #2 For someone knocking Mr. Portelos about fact checking, you completely contradicted yourself by not finding the source and questioning the consent the teacher gave before positing this blog.

With all of that being said. Flushing High School is a horrible place to be with harassment running rampent through the building. Ineffectives are going around to everyone and anyone they feel like going after. Teachers have been told in PD that they will need to find alternative careers. Much worse has been said to mysel. As a non tenured teacher who got pulled out of the ATR to come back to this toxic workplace with zero union support I see no choice but to use alternative tactics. The chapter leader is also being rated ineffective who happens to be an excellent teacher and person that stands up for her colleagues.

Don't be the problem, be the solution. Put positive things on your blog and stop the negativity. We need to work together because in case you have forgotten, the DOE is the enemy.

Pete Zucker said...

Want to know what is so amazing about the Internet? Anyone can be anyone anytime,anywhere. So you say you are this teacher that Portelos decided to "help out." How do we know? You can be anyone. In fact you can be Portelos. How does anyone know? How do you know?

In fact if this story is true, why did Portelos not respond and allow crickets to when asked by Xena if he was given permission to send the email?

Also, Portelos had shown off the fact that the teacher knew in advance and was happy , then it would be something to be proud of but no......instead he hid that fact.

Portelos had no problem showing off on the FB page but left out the details that were requested after he showed off. He goes for the shock value and then when he gets the attention he implodes.

But as for my blog, it has actually accomplished a lot. Unlike others with severe physical shortcomings that only Freud can fix, I do not need to brag about what I, and other bloggers have accomplished. I will only say that I have been doing what I do way back when, when Portelos was so far up in his principal's ass that all you can see were his feet dangling out.

Anonymous said...

You don't know and frankly I don't care if you think I'm the teacher or not because when you are going through the hell I am then immature blogging of he said/she said is an after thought and no better then the high school kids I teach. Like I said, lets work together and not against each other. Portelos is not your enemy.

Anonymous said...

That link doesn't work and she is not a lawyer

Anonymous said...

He's a retiree, do your research or keep quiet

Anonymous said...

I agree. Portelos is not the enemy here, no more than is Jia Lee the enemy. Different strokes. The only enemies are the DOE and the UFT. Zucker, you of all people should know this.

We need to come together to fight corruption. We should not splinter apart even more.

Pete Zucker said...

Wow! The anonymous sycophants are out in force tonight!

To the person pretending to be the subject of Portelos' email, stop with the hyperbole of the hell you have been through. I can find dozens of teachers who have been through much worse.

to 10:18, again anonymous. He might be collecting a pension, he was vested, but not a due paying member. Big diff.

How is Jia Lee the enemy? Who has she harassed, stalked, shared private information with?

To all the sycophants, why join together? Portelos has already said he will win. Doesn't he have this in the bag?

But to show that I can be caring, FYI, the A&P on Central Ave in Scarsdale is closing. Everything must go. Prices are cut 30-60%. I guarantee you will be able to stock up on all flavors of Kool-Aid dirt cheap. I say get together, carpool or take Metro-North and stock up before it is too late!

Anonymous said...

Anyone can create the illusion of a grand public persona on paper, but until you've met the real Portelos, you don't know him at all.
Nobody works as hard as Portelos at burning the people who confide in him, trust him and guide him.
Portelos is only about Portelos.
Portelos is a scheming, evil, spiteful, nasty, disrespectful, and vengeful twit. He is a dirty fighter who will stop at nothing to feed his huge ego.
Francesco Portelos is a desperate little man who needs a real good slap in the face.

QueensTeacher said...

This forum is far too immature for me. Peter your sarcasm doesn't even make sense to those of us who are normal and don't spend time watching xena. You may not know me yet but I'll be the untenured teacher who changed this system. You'll know my indemnity soon enough. Grow up dude. This is coming from somone 30. How old are you 55? Your acting like a middle schooler. This is silly nonsense. The rest of us will have to stick together. Join us if you wantbut we aren't going to debate with you any further.

Pete Zucker said...

God, thank you so much for allowing me to start my morning with a good laugh.