After almost a decade of attacks on our members, denials of 98% of member grievances for contract violations, barring parents and the public from School Leadership Team meetings, and discontinuing and terminating countless innocent educators, the Director of Labor Relations of the New York City Department of Education has left… Continue reading
This morning I attempted to have another United Federation of Teachers meeting with the members that weathered the traffic conditions and made it in early at my school. Remember that for the entire time I have been UFT Chapter Leader, I have been in exile and therefore not allowed to… Continue reading
I have been pretty open in my criticism of the UFT leadership on this blog and other forums. There is no doubt that I have voiced my opinion that the largest local in the United States has been pulling punches when it comes to defending the rights of educators. I… Continue reading
Depending how long you have been following, you may have read that I actually received Hate Mail (email) from someone. Besides the name calling they also left comments (the only negative comments ever left on my blog) and spoke about my children. Well, it seems they struck again. You may… Continue reading
We seemed to have reached the halfway point of my termination hearing or 3020-a. Today is 674 days since they took aim to fire me. I’m still here. I hope this encourages others to speak up and spreads hope. Fear not. After twelve days, spanning three months, calling in over… Continue reading
BREAKING NEWS- Supreme Court Judge Confirms Portelos Arbitration Win A great win for the staff and students of Berta Dreyfus Intermediate School 49 AND All UFT Chapter Leaders! Thanks to NYSUT and UFT. As you may know, I am the duly elected UFT Chapter Leader for IS 49. I was… Continue reading
Here is a test. Open Google.com and search my principal’s Senior Field Counsel network attorney –Marisol Vaqzquez esq She is my principal’s attorney and has been advising her from day one. Great job Marisol! What comes upProtectPortelos.org Google Search –David Brodsky esq He is the Director of Labor Relations and… Continue reading
Why Would Being Recalled as a UFT Chapter Leader Be a Win For Me Before I answer that, first some brief history. As you may know, I’m the UFT Chapter Leader of a school I have not stepped foot in over 545 days. It was no coincidence that I was… Continue reading
I never really write two posts on the same day, but since this Rubber Room lawsuit story broke today, I had to jump in. I have received many texts and emails and have been tagged in some Tweets, so I grabbed my laptop and headed to the backyard. “Honey, can… Continue reading
Part 1 of the EducatorFightsBack.org’s SCI Series The Special Commissioner of Investigation’s Hand is in the Pocket of the Chancellor Relax…it’s a question, not a statement. Notice the “question mark” at the end Just a quick thank you to my public school teachers for teaching me proper punctuation and grammar.… Continue reading
On Monday I went to my attorney’s office in Manhattan to strategize and pick up this CD (above). The DOE Tweed building, where all the head brains are, was on my way. I stopped and took this quick photo just after I past two attorneys from the Administrative Trials Unit.… Continue reading
This upcoming Monday, June 24, 2013, students that I taught or tutored or coached in 6th and 7th grade will be graduating. Unfortunately I have lost out seeing them through 8th grade. My support comes from all different groups, but as a teacher the words from my former… Continue reading
JUNE 7 2013 – UPDATE ON THE BOTTOM IN RED As most of you may know, I have been strongly advocating for the students and staff at my community school, Berta Dreyfus IS 49, for quite some time now. A handful of NYC Department of Education employees have been trying… Continue reading
I added a new page on the top menu of my site. Exile Live Stream. Where I will be hosting the occasional live stream so taxpayers could see where their money is going and students can see where their teacher is exiled….a cubicle 20 miles away. educatorfightsback.org/live Also see… Continue reading
DOElemma: When a NYC Department of Education attorney, or official, has to decide between what’s right and violating a regulation, contract, law or policy. Usually their own. I lost count as to how many policies, regulations and laws the largest school system in the country has violated in an… Continue reading
See updated (10/10/13) information at the bottom “This conversation may be recorded for quality control purposes.” In this modern-day David vs Goliath, my smartphone is my sling and I wield it very well. A very vague and confusing SCI report came out on April 25, 2013. In case you have… Continue reading
“I have to call DOE Legal.” “I’ll let you know after I speak to Legal.” “Well…Legal isinvestigatingit.” “They said contact Legal if the teacher continues to resist” “Legal will know what to do” “Legal will send the form and we just have to put our letterhead on and sign.” … Continue reading
“We want the worst possible teachers in the classroom” – Said no one ever. What I attempted to do, while in educator exile, is learn. Learn about law, physics, earth science, read up on other cases, read up on labor law and union contracts etc. I had ZERO professional development… Continue reading
As of November 21, 2012, I have been removed from my position, as a classroom STEM teacher, for: 210 Calendar Days and 100 School Days (40 days past 60 day time limit agreed upon) …and I’m not the only one of the 220+ educators who past the time limit. Just… Continue reading
My newborn son, Anastasio Sebastian Portelos It’s bad enough that NYC Department of Education officials removed me from my community school after I alleged misconduct. They left countless students without the education they deserved. To make matters worse, they continued with a series of poor decisions when I continued to… Continue reading
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