"Violence is as American as cherry pie." H. Rap Brown

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is studying the phenomenon of workplace violence in this country as a result of the latest massacre on an army base in Fort Hood, Texas. How many time have you read an individual just "snapped" and came to work with guns ready to kill his or her boss along with as many other people he or she can take with them. These individuals are ready to die. They usually kill themselves after their evil deed or desire the police to kill them as they want to go out in "a blaze of glory". The media covers these stories to the point where I believe they, in an ironic way, encourage more of this type of violence.

If the government is serious about preventing workplace violence why don't they study the conditions in the workplace that leads certain individuals predisposed to this type of behavior in order to prevent massacre after massacre after massacre. Let me just say clearly that I do not in anyway justify or condone the actions of any worker who believes he or she has been treated unfairly to resort to violence. I have been treated unfairly and I have seen others treated unfairly in the workplace. I know what it is to go to work with the intention of doing the best job you can and having a malevolent and incompetent principal give you an unsatisfactory. I know what is to appeal the unsatisfactory and lose the appeal without a detailed explanation as to how that decision was arrived at and why. I am also witnessing the erosion of certain basic rights in the workplace that generations of Americans enjoyed and took for granted.

In this blog I have documented what it is to be targeted by an unethical and possibly psychologically unhinged individual who was principal of my school and was fired for incompetence and possible criminal actions and yet is still a principal in the system somewhere in East Harlem. Unbelievable. I know that by identifying myself I have open myself to further retaliation as this said individual has powerful friends who look out for his interests. I ask: Who protects me from unfair treatment? What are my options in my search for justice? The union you say.
As Warner Wolf used to say: "Give me a break." Targeted individuals have a two front "war", their principal and their union!

I know that blogs are monitored and will be paid closed attention to as these deranged individual and others
who have committed these heinous crimes have taken to the blog sphere to voice their complaints about perceived and/or real injustices done to them. If the United States government with all its might is serious about preventing
these tragedies that are happening with more frequency in the workplace then can our President start addressing
the issue of workplace democracy publicly? It is no fun to go to work knowing "they are out to get you". So far I have never been late to work and I have been performing my duties to the best of my abilities and I do not believe that anyone is out to get me but I know of one case for sure of one individual who has taken my place in terms of being targeted and they are out to get this person for sure. One day I predict they will target the "wrong person"
and the New York (com) Post and the viciously racist New York Daily News will have screaming headlines.
I HOPE I AM WRONG!

Competently and peacefully doing my job in a soon to be defunct shool but looking out into the world in complete disbelief this is....

Never forget the stab in the back of 2005!

Give me my rights back! I don't want a raise. I want my rights back!
Can you see the future?

1. No lunch period for teachers!
2. Bathroom visits timed and recorded.
3. Paid absences rescinded.
4. Loyalty oaths administered to teachers by principals for principals.
5. Extended school day and year with a clause to come to work every other Saturday a month.
6. Teacher pep rallies at 7:00 AM to boost school morale.
etc etc etc

I hope I don't get in trouble for exercising my freedom of speech.

The wisdom of Ed Greenspan(Retired Teacher)

"Instead of having volunteers spruce up our schools, why not have children who disrupt classes, vandalize school property and cause other mayhem, do these things?
Are we afraid of hurting a child's self-esteem by doing this? Do we also fear that child advocacy groups shall call this excessive punishment?"

When Ed speaks people should listen.

“A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions..."

“A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting.”
Russell H. Ewing.

Professores de la pelirojo, es verdade?

I know you are thinking of me after all why would you be contributing to this blog if you aren't!

"Teachers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your fear."
The ghost of Al Shanker

Remember even illegal aliens get a lunch period!

A poem about teaching and teachers by Arjun

Our Profession Is a Strange One

Our profession, that of teaching, is a strange one, is it not?
The longer you've been working, the less knowledge you have got!
They're confident, the pundits, and the chancellors and pols.
And so, for our experienced, that bell, in cities, tolls.

And all of us were newbies once. To our profession's shame,
The new ones are still thrown to wolves. And who are we to blame?
And now, we oldies, targeted, must squirm, and cry out, "Foul!"
But who is there, who's listening, except the hooting owl?

So Rhee wreaks havoc in DC, and Klein is watching Rhee.
In New Orleans and in LA, we watch, and horrors see.
Or do we see? Chicago falls, without a crashing sound.
For each of us is busy, no? Until it is our round.

Our profession, that of teaching, just in case we had forgotten,
Like any other one, that is neglected, may turn rotten,
No matter how each worker tries, with efforts all alone,
And hours spent in laboring, for that, to then atone.

We lack collective voice, and so must dance to other's tunes,
We fear to publicly say loud, what our profession ruins.
We deal with pressures quietly. Impossible, we do.
And then we're blamed. And quietly, we swallow that blame too.

For each is working for herself. And isn't that the way
That we were taught, by Goethe? Yes! And who are we to say
That august man could have it wrong, or not exactly right?
Who only works for self, he works for loss of common sight.

Arjun, 2009 October 11, Sun., Brooklyn

What teachers should know but no one will tell them except blogger Chaz.

“FEAR is an acronym in the English language for "False Evidence Appearing Real"”
Neale Donald Walsch

How To Survive The Corrupt Investigation Process That The DOE Perpetrates On The Teacher
by Chaz

One of the most corrupt process the DOE perpetrates on the teacher is the investigation process when allegations are made against the teacher. In almost all cases the investigation is biased and unfair and assumes the teacher is guilty. The DOE investigation process is to try to substantiate teacher guilt, no matter how frivolous the charges are. Credibility is assumed for the accuser, be it a student or an Administrator, while the teacher is presumed to be not credible. It is not about the truth for these investigators it is to "get the teacher" no matter what it takes. These investigators try their best to get teachers terminated and speaking with them just gives these investigators the tools to hang the teachers on their own words. Let's look at the corrupt DOE investigation process.

Principal's Investigation: This is the least serious and the most corrupt of the investigations if the Principal does not like the teacher. The Principal investigates incidents that OSI and SCI dump back to them since they are not considered serious enough for the two investigative units to waste manpower on. However, the Principal is not an experienced investigator and will intimidate students or staff when doing the investigation. Furthermore, the Principal is prone to ask leading or misdirected questions that lead to erroneous statements. An example would be as follows:

Principal: "Did the teacher threaten to hit you"?
Student: "No".
Principal": Did you think the teacher could hit you"?
Student: "Yes"
Principal: So you were scared that the teacher could hit you"?
Student: "I guess so".

The Principal then directs the student to write a statement that he felt threatened by the teacher with physical harm. Therefore, the teacher is removed and is charged with A-420 (corporal punishment). You think that can't happen? Think again, it happens every day as principals target teachers they do not like or want in their school. You can find my take of A-420 (corporal punishment)and A-421 (verbal abuse) here. Because the DOE lawyers know about the poor interviewing skills by the Principal, they usually try to settle with the teacher for a fine and a course or two rather than presenting the case to the 3020-a Arbitrator.

Office Of Special Investigations: (OSI) Occasionally, the allegations of corporal punishment or verbal abuse is serious enough that OSI will do the investigation. The first question the OSI investigator asks the Principal is: "How do you feel about the teacher"? If the Principal does not like the teacher, the OSI investigator will substantiate the most frivolous of incidents as serious and ask for the teacher's removal. An example of this can be found in Betsy Combier's blog here and here where the OSI investigator, Dennis Boyle, lied when he substantiated the phony corporal punishment charges on teacher Glenn Storman. A subset of OSI is the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) and they investigate discrimination, gender bias, or sexual orientation issues. Usually the only time they give a fair investigation is when it is teacher vs. teacher.


Special Commissioner Of Investigations: (SCI) The most serious investigation is by SCI who have the ability to arrest the teacher. SCI is called in when allegations of a criminal or sexual nature is reported. The SCI investigators are semi-independent of the DOE. However, they are paid by the DOE and are listed in the DOE payroll by the City here. While, few teachers are actually arrested, these ex-police officers can show up unannounced at the teacher's residence, school, or vehicle hoping to get the teacher to talk. More about SCI can be found here and is required reading. The SCI investigators assume teacher guilt and will go to great lengths to substantiate teacher guilt. An example of how far SCI will go is the case of Teddy Smith where the SCI investigator substantiated the impossible. In other words he lied! You can find the shocking details here and on Betsy Combier's blog.

The Union Position On Investigations: The UFT position on investigations are as follows:

Meet with the Principal and a union representative (usually the Chapter Leader) about the findings of the Principal's investigation. Answer questions and follow the lead of the union representative in crafting your response.

Meet with the OSI investigator and a union representative (usually a retired union member, sometimes the District Representative) and answer the questions simply and directly unless the union representative tells you otherwise.

Never speak to an SCI investigator without a UFT supplied lawyer. If you are a tenured teacher, your lawyer will tell SCI not to contact you again and you will never talk to them under any circumstances.

My Position On Investigations: Give only simple yes/no answers to the Principal about the allegations leveled against you. If you choose to explain the allegation, make sure it is what you will also say in front of the 3020-a Arbitrator. Any inconsistency in statements by you can lead to termination. Remember they can lie but you can't!

As for both OSI and SCI? "Do not talk to them at all"! These investigators are out to get the teacher, truth and justice are irrelevant. Therefore, any defense you mount can and will be used against you by the investigators. Furthermore, the more you say the greater the chance you will give the investigators the ammunition they need to get you. Again, "do not talk to investigators"!

What the union must do to ensure fair and impartial investigations: Once a Principal calls in one of the investigative units, the union, by contract, will provide an independent investigator who will join the investigation and be allowed to ask any witnesses the same questions the DOE investigators ask. If the independent investigator agrees with the DOE investigators that the charges are serious and true enough for the teacher to be removed. then 3020-a charges can be issued. However, if the independent investigator disagrees with the DOE investigator, the teacher cannot be removed from the classroom and no 3020-a charges can be filed. However, a mediation panel can be used to determine a lesser penalty, if any, for the teacher. Of course the mediation panel should have no ties either to the DOE or the UFT .

In no case can a Principal be allowed to remove a teacher when the investigative units have dumped the allegations back to the Principal. The maximum punishment the Principal can do is to give the teacher a letter to the file as a result of the accusation.

Until a fair and independent investigation procedure is put in place, teachers are just target practice for the DOE firing squad.
posted by Chaz at 3:00 PM on Oct 9, 2009

Anonymous said...
Chaz,

In my case there was no independent invistigation that was supposed to determine the course of the case. Instead, I was investigated by the principal who then sent me to the rubber room. I languished there for 14 months until I was charged. So at this juncture there are two glaring violations of the contract. As a result of the trial of charges, I was suspended for what amounts to a full school year. The arbitrator refused to follow the law by allowing me to be tried inspite of the fact that the DoE violated the contract by not returning me to the school after the sixth month.

When I objected, the arbitrator asked if this had been grieved. The union advised me at the time not to grieve. As I had followed the unions advice I had no choice but to sit through a series of lying and conflicting testimony.

It was obvious that they had no real case and it did not matter.

So if this is in the contract kindly advise me as to where it is located within the contract.

If the union has not complied with the terms of the contract then I believe that this is actionable in a court of law.

I would advise any person who has been subjected to this cruel and evil process to retaliate by suing those responsible. If this is in the contract, then the UFT is guilty of theft of services, malfeasance and facilitation of malicious prosecution.

In adition, it appears that there are gross violations of both the U.S. constitution and the State constitution. This might have the grounds to have standing in the Federal District court.

I encourage all those who have had their first, fifth and fourteenth ammendment rights trampled on to get together and form a class action suit against those responsible.

This is a personal injury issue. The pain and suffering and the loss of property rights should not go unchallenged. Furthermore, the union is willingly aiding and abetting this evil situation. However has a direct responsibilty in this should have to pay for it.

This proces should and must start off in court. Not to mention gross violations of USC 42 1964, 1968, 1983. This is not acceptable that the UFT and the DoE "collaborated" to destroy the lives of thousands of teachers and by proxy, those associated with them.

Sick of my oppressors

Frunabulax

6:55 AM

Chaz said...
I agree with you. Time lines do not apply to the DOE and the Arbitrators do not start a case within the 30 day period as specified in Article 21 of the contract.

My proposal would not allow a Principal to remove you to the "rubber room" .

8:36 AM

JUSTICE not "just us" said...
Thank you for your blog Chaz.

I was technically in the rubber room for 11 months without charges. I decided to take a study sabbatical while in the rubber room for health, physical and professional reasons.

A week before the start of the this school year I was sent back to my school without any explanation as to why I was sent to the rubber room in the first place. No one will tell me what the specific charges were. I will have to use the Freedom of Information Act to find out what they were!

Meanwhile, my former demonic and malicious
principal gave me two U's for two years in row
without proving his case for incompetency on my part. These two U were upheld by the Office of Review and Appeals despite the fact
the former fired principal did not "appear" in person or by phone!

I have documented all on my blog.
Of course now that I am back at my closing school I continue to be the professional I have always been for the last 21 years showing up to work before time , sober and clean, rarely absent and always with a lesson plan that engages my students. I am respectful of my students at all times not that some return the respect.

Stay tuned to my adventures as I believe I can be returned to the rubber room at any time for whatever reason "they" make up.

6:41 AM

Unions, schools and the courts are all in crisis.

It is back to work on Monday. I got kicked off two jury panels in three days!
In da Bronx if you have a law enforcement background(i.e. United States Coast Guard) and if you have a post graduate educational background they don't want you on a jury particularly for criminal cases. I also lost the UFT election in my soon to be closed school which is funny because back in June nobody wanted the position.

Unions, the courts and the schools are all in crisis. We don't live in a community we live in isolation from one another. Our institutions are failing us. This is truly the wild wild west and we are in a hostile land. I just needed to get this off my chest. I know it is not personal. It never is! I hope I don't get in trouble for expressing my opinion.

Ohh well at least my "hometown", Rio de Janeiro, won the honor of hosting the summer games in 2016. Time to call my real estate agent down there so I can rent out my property. See you in Rio in the summer of 2016. Having a good time is the best revenge!