It comes down to this… salary matters. Experience not so much. Or at least the DOE’s budgeting system discourages the hiring of higher salaried and more experienced staff. Continue reading
Allegations are made to the NYC Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI), or to the DOE’s internal Office of Special Investigations (OSI), but are their findings final and set in stone? We already know, through several cases, that SCI has actually reinvestigated and overturned OSI findings of misconduct. However, can someone… Continue reading
In sum and substance, an administrative law judge can hold a small trial to see if you were retaliated against for engaging in union activities. If so, then the employer probably violated Section § 209-a of the Taylor Law. Continue reading
There are many common themes and tools used when an educator is targeted. This post specifically looks to help derail and stop the subjective observation freight train. Continue reading
Dress them up or cover them in post-its What’s the bulletin board policy in your school Continue reading
In case you haven’t heard by now, my federal lawsuit did not end the way we wanted it to. By “we” I do not mean just me, my lawyers and family, but rather “we” as also a countless group of educators, across the country, who needed a win against corruption and harassment in our public schools. Continue reading
Four years ago today was the last time I taught at IS 49. I was exiled for exposing corruption. Here I am, four years later, running for UFT President and running a conference on corruption in our schools. When it came to fight or flight, I chose FIGHT! Continue reading
The Executive Board by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its members present shall have the power to expel, or to suspend for a term not exceeding one year, Continue reading
Last Friday I finished my “temporary” assignment at Myra S. Barnes Intermediate School 24 in Staten Island, NY. I have been there since January 20, 2015as Iwas originally placed there to cover an Earth Science teacher’s maternity leave for a few weeks. The teacher wound up takingthe rest of the… Continue reading
EXTRA! EXTRA! Final report on Principal Linda Hill misconduct finally out 1,224 days after allegation made. Continue reading
NYC Educators, There is a group of educators in NYC like no other.It advocates for UFT members better than the UFT itself.It educates members and arms them with tools as well as stands with those under attack from the school administration, to the DOE headquarters to Albany. The list of… Continue reading
Principal orders classroom locks of whistleblower to be changed during state test. Continue reading
It’s hard to believe that a year ago today I was in a jail cell when when DOE Chief Information Officer (CIO) Hal Friedlander made an allegation when no crime was committed. Meanwhile Principal Linda Hill admitted to stealing for years and over two dozen DOE employees, two chancellor’s and two mayors helped cover it up…no arrests, no fines…not even a disciplinary letter. Continue reading
With a budget of over $25 billion, an employee roster of over 136,000 and over 1,400 buildings to manage, there is plenty of room for theft and corruption at the New York City Department of Education. Continue reading
[UPDATE: The below post is the original from November 2014. The only difference is the letter from the UFT Grievance Department indicating they will not be representing this case in arbitration. It’s located at the bottom of the article. It took exactly 130 days to decide.] Below you will hear… Continue reading
I’m just past the three-year mark from when my fight began. By “fight” I mean I raised real concerns about public education, the Department of Education came after my career, in an attempt to cover up their misconduct, and… I “fought” back. I must have hit some of these DOE employees back prettyhard, because they suddenly forgoteverything! Continue reading
When you want an investigative case lost, you just throw it around. Continue reading
Whether harassed NYC DOE employees know it or not, there is at least one attorney assisting in the harassment every step of the way. When administrators are engaged in unethical acts, so are their attorneys. Perhaps we haven’t found someone who holds the administrators accountable (waiting for de Blasio/Faria), but we do have a group that can hold the attorneys to ethical standards. The DDC or Departmental Disciplinary Committee. Continue reading
According to the UFT-DOE Agreement, an employee is supposed to have only one official file. I seem to have several unofficial ones. Grievance time. Continue reading
I hope no one dresses as a whistleblower this Halloween, because you are not welcomed here in NYC DOE. Continue reading
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