This PIX 11 news feature on two enthusiastic new teachers who started last year and gave up pretty much accurately describes what teaching is like in an average New York City high school in 2016.
Totally disillusioned, they both quit. They contacted PIX11 News to tell their story, provided we conceal their identities. They both spoke about having dreamed of being a teacher, getting degrees in Education and the excitement they felt before starting their jobs last fall.
What happened to their dreams? Reality got in the way. One of the teachers, who we'll call Ray, says "I was struck with an object the first day of school. I've been hit in the face. I've had objects thrown at me. I've been generally verbally and physically abused from day one."
The second teacher, we'll call her Susan, had a similar experience. "There were kids in my class that were so misbehaved and crazy, running around, screaming at me, cursing at me. The first day that I kicked them out of my class, I was told that I was not allowed to do that. They got brought back to my class and their behavior didn't change. Ray and Susan both complain of getting no support from the school Principal, Jason Wagner. "He doesn't care about teachers. He doesn't care as long as he looks good and there's nothing on paper or there's no points against him," says Susan.
Ray says none of the other administrators do anything to deal with the misbehavior because they are afraid of Principal Wagner. "He uses bullying, intimidation and harassment techniques against everyone." They both complain "there is no disciplinary action against the students whatsoever. All the burden is placed on the teachers." Susan says the teachers have no power. "You know, 20 plus staples in a cup of coffee, zero punishment. Zero punishment for the door being knocked down. I've been pushed by kids, cursed out on a weekly basis. Nothing I can do about it."
I am sure from the reports that come to ICE that these are not two isolated experiences of young teachers who just had difficulty with classroom management. This report could be repeated in many hundreds of New York City public schools. This is the state of our profession in too many schools at the current time.
New teachers as a work in progress is nothing new. The difference in New York City between now and the past is that a young instructor having problems before Michael Bloomberg became mayor could talk to senior colleagues and/or the UFT Chapter Leader who could file safety grievances and the Principal would have to answer some difficult questions. Now administration laughs at the UFT and does whatever it wants. Many senior teachers end up as Absent Teacher Reserves as mass school closings mean there are few veterans who know the ropes in most newer schools so there is no place for newbies to turn to for help.
The Union in the past was a very good check on principal unfettered power in a very complex system. It no longer is so students and teachers are often placed in serious danger. The lax standards in too many schools apply to academics as well as safety according to reports coming in here.
The situation is awful in a plethora of schools. I disagree with some of the people who comment here who think it is hopeless. I still feel we can build a union again from the ground up that will be the force it once was. Empowering teachers is a necessary, if next to impossible, task that must be completed if the schools are to be saved.
25 comments:
Sorry, I disagree, pretty much all schools are awful. I am an ATR and every school I visited last school, except for maybe 1, was the same...Out of control, no discipline, cell phones everywhere, music everywhere, texting, videos, recordings, hallwalkers, students busting into the gym while cutting classes, no notebook, pen, pencil, cursing teachers, sitting in class doing nothing, students stealing bathroom passes...
Yeah, it kinda is hopeless, and what isn't even mentioned above is the students cant read or write at 19 years old. Its a hangout, a social outing, a place to disrespect people, eat, party, and run the building...
I do believe it is possible to turn the misguided NYC public school system around.
We could start to improve the situation by scrapping all the data that is created by easily manipulating situations in a school. By now, I think everybody knows that schools cheat, lie, manipulate data, give away credits, move students along, refuse to report violent/dangerous incidents, water down curriculum, care more about what is on paper than reality, etc. As long as schools continue to be evaluated using these forms of data, the lies and corruption will continue.
The second item that must be addressed is incompetent, immoral administrators. I used to be concerned about how stupid administrators were, now I think it is humorous and unbelievable. I do not know if there is a moral fiber in any of these people. Who would become an administrator in NYC knowing that your primary role will be to lie, cheat, and intimidate? Why is it that incompetent, immoral teachers are the ones who become administrators? I suppose it is because they are willing to do the bidding of the NYC DOE.
All of this points to a need for a realistic discipline policy and a merit system that doesn't penalize principals and schools for reporting violent incidents. What's going to happen if metal detectors are pulled out, as is planned?
This is a microcosm of the sickness of American society in 2016. Integrity and ethics no longer exist. As I said before retirement about my own principal, that she had no idea what the word integrity means, that it is a completely alien concept to her. The UFT could be a union that stands up for the rank and file. There is just no payoff for doing that these days. Why bother when Mulgrew and the Unity loyalty oath crowd are doing just fine the way things are.
The union is corrupt and unethical by disregarding the working conditions of the rank and file. I hope there is another court case where union dues becomes voluntary. That is the only way to send a message.
I don't feel sorry for the teachers or the students. The teachers who lost their jobs got a gift. Go to another district where you'll be respected and the job is valued, or another job. I'm stuck in this shitty job. I have too many years in to leave. The students, a lot, are crap. They behave bad, don't care at all, are on a one way track to prison and their parents generally don't care either in the city. What a terrible system!
Education Law §3210(1)(a) states:
1. Regularity and conduct. a. A minor required by the provisions of part one of this article to attend upon instruction shall attend regularly as prescribed where he resides or is employed, for the entire time the appropriate public schools or classes are in session and shall be subordinate and orderly while so attending.
So, why is the portion of the law relating to student behavior not being enforced?
If school administrators are not enforcing the law, then teachers should email detailed complaints directly to DOE's Office of the General Counsel and copy them to the Mayor, Corporation Counsel, City Council, and Chancellor.
"Talk to veteran teachers for help". Ha! Farina has straight up told new teachers to stay away from the teachers lounge and not to talk to veteran teachers. Anybody with more than 10 years in is looked at with contempt by the DOE. So sad but so true.
22 yr veteran, last 4 as an atr and looked at with contempt everyday. Only about 7 more days until I'm disrespected and cursed at again. Can't fuckin wait!!!!!
Good for these two kids to just plain quit and get out as soon as they got a taste of reality. If there is one way this system will change it is by a mass exodus of new teachers not willing to take shit from either students or administrators.Or how about no one even excepting the job to begin with? That'll get peoples attention.
You are correct James in stating that the very important check the union provided in the past against the administration no longer exists. So my question is why the hell do we continue to pay over $100 a month for this anemic support from the UFT?
I say we march to 52 Broadway with pitchforks and torches and demand out of this good for nothing union!
1:41,
That is absolutely the worst thing a teacher can do. He or she will then be targeted by the administration and OSI, which will lead to a 3020a.
Many, many cases where this has happened.
Come on guys, we are talking to ourselves. It will take about 2 minutes on September 8 to see students running around, cutting classes, wearing hats, blasting cell phones, telling us they don't do no work, etc...
And 2 minutes on Sept 6 to hear about expectations from our supervisors, because all students are wonderful and really want to learn.
Thinking about taking the first two days off because I can't sit through 2 days of listening to their bullshit. They should hire these principals as an alternative, but not nessesarily more humane approach, to waterboarding. At the end of each session I'm ready to rip my ears off, as well as pull out all my hair.
This is the most defeated bunch of people anyone has ever seen. Really give wimps a bad name. Oh, I'm going to be targeted. Oh, I have three years to go. Oh if I say something, they are going to bring charges against me. Why do you think unions were formed in the first place? To stop this abuse at work.
Form a union.
12:37, Kamikazees were brave and died for Japan. I'm not giving myself a stroke or heart attack for the DOE/UFT or the bunch of thugs I have to babysit all year round. Chances are neither would you. The UFT is a branch of the DOE, keep that in mind.
To 8/31, 9:43 PM
From 8/31, 1:41 PM
I disagree with you in terms of what is likely to happen in the future under DOE’s new legal administration, even though it happened in the past.
Howard Friedman took over as General Counsel of DOE in July. Prior to that, he spent many years at the Corporation Counsel’s Office in the Contracts & Real Estate Division, including time as its Division Chief. He is now one of the managerial attorneys who is above Jaclyn Vargo, OSI’s Director. Jaclyn was an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan for almost eight years and has other significant legal experience.
Both Howard and Jaclyn are Harvard graduates. Howard went to Harvard Law School and Jaclyn went to Harvard University. Jaclyn will not want to be embarrassed if complaints are directed to Howard (or to her and copied to Howard). Complaints making allegations of a failure by school administrators to enforce Education Law, or targeting by school administrators and OSI, are quite likely to be investigated under Howard’s legal administration.
Do you know whether targeting by OSI occurred only under OSI’s former Director, Candace McLaren, or whether it’s ongoing? Jaclyn took over OSI in October 2014.
If targeting is ongoing, then, by all means, teachers should send a lengthy and detailed email to either Jaclyn or Howard, with copies sent to other appropriate City officials and officers.
James,
How long is the rotation for ATRs this year, after the initial 6 week torture? Thanks, no one in the UFT informs us of anything.
The schools are out of control because Farina and deBlasio decided to bend to the votes and allow cell phones while simultaneously reducing discipline consequences. Failing to address discipline problems early will create a city to prison pipeline.
DeBlasio has lost the respect of the teachers and they won't care if Attila the Hun is elected. There professional lives have already been ruined. Shame on politicians that put teachers and students in harms way just to buy a few votes.
Can someone verify that the union needs to come up with three more years of additional health care savings.
Healthcare savings are recurring every year and there is another round of savings due this fiscal year.
Rotation can be for as often as every week. It is up to the DOE.
As for the person writing about the DOE's new legal leader, we will believe there is a real change when we see it. We've been treated like dirt for far too long by the DOE to think that someone with a fine resume is going to change things. I hope there is a change for the better but know better than to expect anything but more of the same abuse from the DOE.
Let me get this straight. We are not getting a lump sum payment this fall and we have to accept additional savings in health care (higher co-pays and/or less coverage) this fiscal year. This is disgusting and some incompetent negotiating on the part of our union. They should be rated ineffective on this. The lack of respect for teachers is not only the DOE but also our dysfunctional union.
I'm glad these new teachers were able to quit before they were seriously injured. 3 months into my job, six 6th graders ambushed me with a door..From the moment I picked up my broken glasses off of the floor and begged for medical help I had become the scapegoat of the school and UFT. I was excessed without tenure and left with no way to pay the medical bills or the rent. UFT, Michelle Bodden and Howie Solomon told me "Read you contract. Next time you will know better". ILOD has not changed in all these years. If teaching was just a job instead of who you are, more teachers would just quit. If you work the cash register at K Mart and your boss is a jerk, you quit and go to Target to work a cash register. You just move on. It's only a job. It is not the definition of who you are. Of course the cashier did not invest in a Masters and the flaming hoops of certification. Teacher is not the definition of who I am anymore. I can pass things in a store that I used buy for my classroom. My pensioned friend from the USPS never had to buy anything for her job. Someday I will have peace.
USPS and bus drivers have better protection against assault on the job than us.
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