Calling Home Can Be Career Ending

 On or about June 13, 2022, I received a 48 hour notice to meet with my principal concerning..."VERBAL ABUSE." For several days I wrecked my brain trying to figure out what I could have said. My erstwhile chapter leader assured me not to worry. That if this were real verbal abuse OSI would be taking the lead. 

So we finally meet and I find out what I am being accused of. Before I continue be sure you are sitting down and/or holding onto a loved one. This will be quite shocking to the system. 

I was accused of telling the student that I will call her mother. This shit cannot be made up. 

I told the student I would call the student's mother. Oh the humanity.

All this happened on May 5, 2022. It was a sixth grade class. The students were doing independent work, and I was doing what any teacher would do. I was walking around helping and supporting students. However, this one particular student was not doing the work assigned and instead using the class time as a social gathering with students sitting nearby. 

I decided that since I am the educator and the adult I would do what I learned many years ago. Non-verbal communication. I just walked over and stood behind the student to facilitate the student getting back to work and to end the socializing. 

Immediately the student talked to me as if I were the child. "Move away from me," "I don't want you behind me." For some dumb reason I assumed I am the teacher and the student is a student. I decided not to move due to the belief that once I walked away the student would revert to using the time for socializing instead of classwork. 

The attitude continued. I said if this continues I will call home. Something I have heard and seen in the school all year. Even by the favored gentry. Even the Heavyweight Champion of the school. 

So the meeting was on a Thursday. I wrote this piece on June 19, 2022. Two days later, June 21, 2022 as I was leaving at 2:40 PM EDT I was asked by a secretary (who felt horrible) to sign a letter to my file. I said that I have to get to my per session position and wished to go over the letter with my chapter leader (She was not in that day). I also mentioned I have 24 hours (I could be wrong) and will take care of this matter the following day. 

The very next morning I get called in to meet with Numero Uno. Numero Uno admonishes me for refusing to sign. I never refused to sign I told Numero Uno. I just wished for time to digest and take in the letter (I did make a photo copy). I did bring up that in the letter Numero Uno wrote that I was trying to "intimidate" the student. SMFH!

Have you ever read Chancellor's Regulation A-421? It is so vaguely written that anything can be considered verbal abuse. 

A. Verbal abuse1 is defined as language (written2 or oral) about or directed toward students, that: 

1. Belittles, embarrasses or subjects students to ridicule; or 

2. Has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s educational performance or ability to participate in or benefit from an educational program, school-sponsored activity or any other aspect of a student’s education; or 

3. Has or would have the effect of unreasonably and substantially interfering with a student’s mental, emotional, or physical well-being; or 

4.Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause a student to fear for his/her physical safety; or

5. Reasonably causes or would reasonably be expected to cause physical injury or emotional harm to a student.

Where is the line drawn? What happens if I'm talking to a student about baseball? The student tells me they are a Mets fan and I say I am a Yankees fan? Or that the Yankees have owned the Mets for years in New York. Could I be written up?

Can a teacher be written up for telling one student that he or she needs to improve? Or by telling a student that their behavior will keep them in at gym?

What of using ClassDojo? What of any in class behavior chart? 

Funny how Numero Uno decided to write me up while my return to the school was up in the air. 

Meet the New District 7 Overlord and Superintendent

Change is in the air. A new superintendent is coming to District 7. Gone is Robert Alvarez as he moves to take the reins in District 15. I had not had much contact with him but the time that I did he came across as an honorable and respectful gentleman. I know of one former SBSB groupie that will miss him. This former groupie as no patron left. 

Who is replacing him? One would say someone with an impeccable record. One who has no baggage, no proclivities towards lascivious behavior. Remember. This is the district that in the nineties went on educational trips to Honolulu and Las Vegas. 

The pick for Superintendent is Roberto Padilla, formerly superintendent of the Newburgh City Schools. Padilla though has some issues. He has been accused of inappropriate touching of several female staff members on an excursion in San Diego in August of 2021. 

According to the Albany Times Union, Padilla was suspended on August 20 of that year and eventually resigned on December 23, 2021.Padilla stayed on payroll with benefits for two years. 

What is Padilla accused of? As reported by Chalkbeat, two Newburgh City school employees claim that Padilla; 

Padilla greeted one female staffer with an extended hug, wrapping his arms tightly around her body, the lawsuit said. 

Later that evening, he sat next to her, put his arms around her, and rubbed his knees against hers. According to the lawsuit, he then started describing a couple sitting across from them who were showing public displays of affection. 

Padilla made sexually explicit noises, the suit said, and he hypothesized whether or not the man would “get lucky” that night. 

“Padilla commented that he and Walsh were ‘cock blocking’ the couple, meaning their presence was preventing the couple from engaging in sexual activity,” the lawsuit stated.

 Later that evening, when a co-worker mentioned a staffer's bird tattoo, “[Padilla] touched her back, slowly touching his finger over the image of a bird that is part of the tattoo, commenting on the bird’s “big red ass.” The bird is dark gray, not red. The staffer was wearing a red dress, the lawsuit stated. 

At another point during the same evening, Padilla sat across from one of the women and started to run his foot across the woman's foot, the lawsuit said. When she moved away, Padilla smiled. 

Soon after that, Padilla was at the bar while the woman was heading to the bathroom when he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her close to him, making their bodies touch. When the woman was about to leave the bar, Padilla said to her “you can’t leave without giving me a hug.” 

On their walk back to the hotel, Padilla insisted the woman ride a Lyft scooter with him. Imagine a teacher doing this during a conference, or even a round of drinks after work? There would be an epic shit storm. 

But wait! There is more! 

Independent investigator Louis Patack found that Padilla sexually harassed one of the women in violation of New York law, according to court documents. A second investigator, Melinda Gordon, was hired to investigate the other woman's complaint, and she found that Padilla appeared to violate federal Title IX law. The findings by the investigators were never publicly released, but the lawyers representing the women obtained heavily redacted copies after filing public records requests, according to their attorney Alex Berke. 

And that is not all. Seems that Padilla is a little shaky as has been under investigation in the past, not too soon after he won Superintendent of the Year... 

...in spite of a 2019 Orange County grand jury investigation that looked into student attendance, athletics eligibility and the credit-recovery APEX program used by the Newburgh district. The grand jury found "systemic" failure in school district policies that included grade changing, manipulation of attendance records, and allowing student-athletes to participate in sports though their absences made them ineligible. 

Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said at the time it represented a failure districtwide, "from the top down." No charges were brought against the district or any school officials as a result of the probe.

Seems a perfect fit, what with the grade changing, manipulation of attendance, etc..

This is the best Chancellor Banks can come up with? There were no other worthy applicants?Why does District 7 which is part of the poorest congressional district in the country get the worst of the worst? What example does Roberto Padilla set for the community, the teachers, and most importantly, the students of District 7? Is Padilla someone that we would want the children that we serve day in and day out to look up to? Of course not.

What is just as bad if not worse is the silence coming from 52 Broadway. Where again is Mile Mulgrew at being proactive and fighting for the community and UFT members of District 7? How is this acceptable? Yes, I know Mulgrew does not represent the community, but in a de facto sort of way he does. He is missing a chance to put the UFT and its overworked members in a positive light by defending the students. He is yet again showing that he never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity. 

Let's just say that maybe Padilla didn't do any of this stuff or that there is a gray area somewhere. (I'm not saying there is) He just has shown poor judgement by being in a place with underlings where alcohol is being served.