Wednesday, February 12, 2020

POST OPINION PIECE BY MY FORMER COLLEAGUE SAYS SAFETY MAY BE TURNING AROUND IN SCHOOLS

I don't know what it is about Jamaica High School but teachers and other UFT members who worked there are not shy about publicly exposing Department of Education issues. We also are not afraid to use our names. Marc Epstein wrote many pieces for various publications. Look him up. Every reader here knows I never had a problem speaking out. Also, don't forget blogger Chaz worked with us at Jamaica for years too.

Another Jamaica op-ed feature writer is J. Bryan McGeever, who worked as an English teacher for many years at our school and now teaches at an alternate learning center.

Here is some of Bryan's latest opinion piece in the NY Post:

 I teach at a New York City Alternate Learning Center, a k a a “suspension school,” meant to offer intensive help to students who get into serious behavioral trouble. Reading Hizzoner’s speech in the quiet morning hours before class, I realized my colleagues and I had identified the threat to NYC years ago, at least when it comes to education.

In fact, we had narrowed it down to one man: the then-new mayor. The ­moment de Blasio resolved to keep disciplinary suspensions to a bare minimum and described ALCs as nothing more than way stations on the school-to-prison pipeline, we understood that the threat to our schools was coming from within.

The immediate results were ­calamitous. We know about the brutal fights in cafeterias, the spitting in an administrator’s face without consequences, the “wake-and-bake,” marijuana-addled teens who can barely keep their heads up. When I interrupted two students copulating in a stairway during the early years of the de Blasio administration, it was an omen of the coming breakdown in order.

“You know,” the administrator said as we waited to speak to a hearing officer, “they weren’t really hurting anybody.” Higher-ups have suppressed incidents like that one for years, so the mayor could crow about a 50 percent drop in suspensions.

No one wants to discipline children with an iron fist. My child attends a city school. All we seek is sound judgment and common-sense discipline to teach effectively.

But with pressure from de Blasio and his ideological allies, it’s game over for order in schools, right?

Actually, no.

Bryan then describes changes taking place within the schools.

If the mayor refuses to maintain order inside our schools then the system must save itself. That may be happening now.

The suspended students at the ALC are not condemned children like the mayor would have New Yorkers believe. Nor have they been singled out because of race or religion. They’ve merely suffered a setback in their young lives. They arrive to the ALC community to recharge and ­regroup before returning to their home schools with invaluable experience. Then we call their parents to congratulate them.

So, Mr. Mayor, we won’t be projecting any bat signals over City Hall, and we certainly won’t be looking to you for help. We’re going to do it ourselves. It won’t be easy, but extraordinary happenings have always blossomed inside New York City schools. What were the odds of a kid from Hunter College HS creating a masterpiece titled ­“Hamilton,” an English teacher from Stuyvesant winning the Pulitzer Prize or even Simon running into Garfunkel at Forest Hills?

Is school safety starting to turn around?

32 comments:

waitingforsupport said...

"We're going to do it ourselves". I think this is one of the things needed to return some dignity to teaching. Unfortunately, some bad apples used the discipline code to do harm. However, the answer isn't to remove consequences for breaking rules. The answer is to keep the codes and get rid of those bad apples. See something,say something: that applies to bad apples too. Let's do it for ourselves so that we can get back to teaching in a safe environment.

Anonymous said...

The thing is students that need the support, like your friend is touting, aren’t being suspended and are therefor not being helped. There are many dangerous schools graduating dangerous thugs that will go party on society. My new motto is, Have gun, Will travel.

Anonymous said...

There was something in the Post today about an 18 year old boy who broke into a conductor's cabin on the 6 line. When the train pulled into the station, he started yelling obscenities and threats to the people on the platform. He is obviously a product of this lax disciplinary system. He figured, he got away with it in school, so he can get away with it in the real world. He was arrested though but I don't know of his punishment.

waitingforsupport said...

Deblasio is like a flag on a windy day just blowing in the direction of the strongest wind. Show me a home with no discipline/rules, and I will show you a dysfunctional home. Imo...he is a coward.

Anonymous said...

desk appearance=no punishment

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg-95% of murderers and murder victims are the same, minority between 16-25.

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg= racist piece of dirt.

Anonymous said...

Wasnt the bloomberg statement, while a bit of exaggeration, accurate?

Anonymous said...

No.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it kind of is. Just like he said sorry for stop and frisk, which was a great policy, which worked.

Anonymous said...

Behavior getting better? LOL.

Anonymous said...

For any malakas who thinks schools are getting safer, I kindly invite you to spend a day at our school in the South Bronx. Same old stuff as always there folks.

waitingforsupport said...

@4:32 pm:
1. Which part do you think is accurate?
2. Which part do you think is exaggerated?

waitingforsupport said...

@5:44 pm. I'm no malaka however I am curious. Which school are you referring to in the south bronx?

Anonymous said...

Come on 5:44, Tell us the school. Let the Post investigate it.

Anonymous said...

As bloomberg stated, against total population, blacks shooting people is expected and most often happening.

Anonymous said...

I ride the 6 when Lehman gets out. The announcement obscenities are NOTHING new, this has been going on for over a year. Glad to see something was finally done.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the poster from the South Bronx won't post their school but I'll tell you the students are running the asylum at Spring Creek Community in Brooklyn. Shit is swept under the rug daily. Believe it.

waitingforsupport said...

I believe it. All is good as long as you continue to sip the sugary, flavored water

Anonymous said...

NYPD Student Safety Act Definitions:

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/pdf/school_safety/student-safety-act-report-definitions.pdf


2016-2019 NYPD Student Safety Act Reports:

(Scroll or search within each report for the schools you're interested in.)


www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2019/ssa-report-school-4q-2019.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2019/ssa-report-school-3q-2019.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2019/ssa-report-school-2q-2019.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2019/ssa-report-school-1q-2019.xlsx


www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2018/ssa-report-school-4q-2018.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2018/ssa-report-school-3q-2018.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2018/ssa-report-school-2q-2018.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/2018/ssa-report-school-1q-2018.xlsx


www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-4q-2017.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-3q-2017.xlsx

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-2q-2017.csv

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-1q-2017.csv


www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-4q-2016.csv

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-3q-2016.csv

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-2q-2016.csv

www1.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/downloads/excel/school_safety/ssa-report-school-1q-2016.csv

Anonymous said...

Most of the students at my school are minority. My principal is also minority. He stated that he can sympathize with the behavior of the children because he is one of them. As a young man, he too, experienced many of the problems with which our students are challenged, therefore we need to go easy on them and encourage them to do better.

He said this aloud to a room full of staff. How is this OK?

Anonymous said...

This is the game of being sorry for the kids. At my school, Flushing High School, the attitude is "they're just poor little black and Hispanic kids; We can't expect much from them." Also, don't forget those kids on the subway that pulled that prank with the supposed Coronavirus. They considered it just a joke.

James Eterno said...

Flushing, The press is asking for you to tell your story. I was in touch with Flushing contacts and nobody seems to want to come forward. Commenting anonymously here is not enough if you want action. Tell someone who can do something. They will keep your name out of it.

waitingforsupport said...

@6:07 am: What did he mean by "go easy on them"?

waitingforsupport said...

@9:09 am: I've only worked in Manhattan schools. The admin are majority all white. They want to be "friends" with rhe students. Everyone is on a first name basis. Unfortunately the admin seemingly have the same attitude "they're just poor little black and Hispanic kids". This is the danger. Some teachers seemingly have their head in the sand out of fear of retaliation. This upsets me because these same folks won't stand together as a team and fight for their own profession but will look down on these students/parents who are not fighting for a challenging/quality education. There certainly are students who come to the school building and walk the halls or disrupt classes. However how are we fighting for the students who want an education and believe they are receiving a quality education? Let's say there is only one student in the entire school who wants a challenging/quality education. Isn't it our job to teach this child? Why aren't ALL teachers ringing the alarm to the media? To the parents? To whomever. This sh@! has been going on for years. Folks comment on welfare and expensive sneakers. Cursing and drug usage. Gang activity etc. All real concerns that must be addressed. Accountability is needed. Students parents and educators ALL must be held accountable for their role. All. That means me and you. I have faith that if we stood strong together, a majority of these black and brown students will do their part. If you are passing students who should not pass--you don't care. If you don't care,leave. If you worked in a school that is predominantly white and Asian as I have you will see other problems including: wide spread cheating,entitlement, drug use, mental health,etc. Should I assume that this is just how white or Asian people are?

Anon2323 said...

ALL OUR PROBLEMS CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE DEMOCRATS: BLOOMBERG, DIBLASIO, CUOMO HAVE HELP THE CHAOS WE DEAL WITH. NEED REPUBLICANS IN OFFICE OR AT VERY WORST DOWN CENTER 1990'S MODERATE. THIS CODDLING NONSENSE AND BEING ABLE TO BASICALLY ROB A BANK AND BE LET OUT 24 HOURS LATER, GIVING UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE DRIVERS LICENSES IS A JOKE, DONT CHANGE WE WILL BE LIKE CALIFORNIA OR WORSE AND ITS ALREADY BAD NOW.

James Eterno said...

We had similar problems under Republican Mayor Bloomberg, along with the Republcan controlled, Bloomberg financed State Senate under the corrupt Dean Skellos and Education Chair and next Republican leader John Flanagan who passed a bill trying to end last hired, first fired layoffs only for NYC teachers (corrupt Deomocrat Shelly Silver stopped the bill in the Assembly). Also, please don't forget 8th grade education is sufficient pro charter school Republican Governor George Pataki who fought the Campaign For Fiscal Equuty lawsuit. The UFT gave him the John Dewey Award because he threw a few crumbs our way in exchange for us working extra time. It has been a bipartisan attack on us with only the AOC left of the Democratic Party and some moderates on our side generally.

James Eterno said...

Bloomberg was a Republican when mayor.

Anonymous said...

James, what press? You need to be specific. The press can be any publication.

James Eterno said...

Both education reporters from NY Post have been in touch with me. They have been great on the schools. Forget the editorial page. If you are not happy with them, we have other press contacts.

Anonymous said...

Do you have a number?

James Eterno said...

917 584-7675 gets you Sue. How much more can we do to lead you to the press?