Thursday, June 14, 2018

HILLCREST HS AP AND PRINCIPAL SUED FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT

This is from the NY Post.

A Queens assistant principal created a sexual assembly line of teachers at his Queens high school – and rewarded conquests with professional perks, according to a shocking new $10 million lawsuit.

John Binet bedded at least four staffers at Hillcrest HS since being appointed to lead the Jamaica school’s English department in 2014, according to a Manhattan court case filed Monday.

Binet belittled female teachers who questioned his behavior as “resistant” and once counseled a male colleague that the best time to pursue colleagues was around graduation, according to the suit.

Teachers lacking membership in Binet’s harem saw their careers stall while participants were treated to professional benefits, according to the suit filed by one current and one former teacher at the school.

“There are at least four female faculty members, whose names are known to the plaintiffs, who have all received benefits from their sexual exchanges with Binet,” according to court papers.

The case also asserts that principal David Morrison – who was investigated for improperly passing students in 2016 – knew about Binet’s behavior but did nothing to stop it because they were friends.

Both men are named as defendants.

“These individuals have been caught with their pants down,” attorney Gloria Keum told The Post Monday. “Time’s up for them.”

Filed by current teacher Caroline Shin and former staffer Eleni Giannousis, the suit asserts that there have been at least five formal complaints lodged against the two men with the teachers union and DOE – but that there’s been no tangible sign of action.

The atmosphere at the school became so poisonous for female teachers that at least six traumatized instructors have left entirely over the past several years, according to the suit.


We have been in touch with Hillcrest friends. Nothing yet questioning the accuracy of the story.

Queens High Schools administrators? How many more horror stories have to come out before people realize this is not an isolated problem?

Once again, where was the UFT?

The next paragraph in the Post story tells you everything you need to know about the UFT here:

Filed by current teacher Caroline Shin and former staffer Eleni Giannousis, the suit asserts that there have been at least five formal complaints lodged against the two men with the teachers union and DOE – but that there’s been no tangible sign of action.

"No tangible sign of action," is anyone surprised?

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

This blog is absurd. You would think retired UFT members would have more productive things to do all day than to rail against the organization that secured their fat pensions. But, no. These blogs are completely tone deaf and ridiculous. You guys should pick up fishing or golfing. All these years of revolutionary activism and what've you got to show for it? Blisters on your typing fingers. Hilarious... Count down to comment deletion in 5, 4, 3... Paper tigers hiding behind their keyboards.

Anonymous said...

In the NY Post...Look at the school where the stabbing took place, countless complaints by teachers about a coverup, no response, no uft. What would you expect?

Anonymous said...

to 12:19

I am not sure why anyone who would say "Paper tigers hiding behind their keyboards." would post anonymously. I found the irony a bit humorous. Did you mean it that way?

The NYC DOE budget is 25 billion dollars; waste, corruption and lies all over the place. I suppose it is just a reflection of the current FBI, CIA and DOJ. Without blogs like this, I am not sure if the truth would ever get out.

I am inspired knowing that there are others out there who see that the emperor has no clothes but I don't have enough years in to post with my name. I see the retaliation that occurs at my school. Right now, I just need to stay under the radar and to the best I can to teach my students.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:19 might be the biggest moron on here. Addressed no points and nothing but ad hominems.

Anonymous said...

You must be hitting a nerve, James. Keep up the good work. Time's Up...unless you are a sexual predator who works as a school administrator for the NYC DOE. The UFT leadership's silence enables the abuse. Roseanne McCosh

Anonymous said...

Hey James, why do you only call out administators and not teachers who have done similar or worse things? Now I understand why some blog comments call you a hypocrite! You make it seem that administrators are corrupt but its ok for teachers to do the same thing. Call out everybody or don't bother calling out anybody! Typical sensationalist blog.

Anonymous said...

James works hard writing these posts and has given countless yrs helping defend our rights. Calling him a hypocrite is extremely unfair. I disagree with some of his actions but he’s a champion of and for teachers. God bless

Teacher Mom said...

Are you kidding Me? Check out the Daily News on a weekly basis. At one point they were reporting on stories involving teachers having sex with students at least two times a week. The thing was, most of these stories were about teachers in other states! You would also see the same pattern with the Ny Post. These publications make a point of singling out teachers and basically no other types of professionals in this kind of way. I can tell you that is no accident. The individual that runs this blog is a teacher and a teachers union member. He's for teachers. This blog is one tiny little corner that attracts a less than teeny fraction of the readership that those publications reach. Why don't you go to the editors of those publications and tell them to call out everybody or don't call out anybody?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
James Eterno said...

I asked everyone to "please stay on topic." I also said, "No hijacking the blog."

I also said I would monitor the comments more closely and now I am enforcing it. As teachers know, rules without enforcement are useless.

I don't care if you call me a hypocrite but if the post is about sexual harassment by an assistant principal, comments about the "Yankees and Mets" don't quite cut it as anywhere near on topic.It's not even going off on a bit of a tangent.

Please be respectful of the policy.

Anonymous said...

I knew it!!! This man was my English Teacher in Hillcrest High school during sophomore year.
He was terrible. He would always stand by the door to greet the students which were mostly female. I didn't want to be greeted.. I just felt very uncomfortable. Well soon he began to dislike me because of it so far as to threaten that he would fail me. During parent teacher conference he told my mother that I was unfriendly with him and would not say hello much at all. My mom defended me and said.. "who cares about that, I send her to school to learn not to make friends" ... that shut him up. I was respectful but an introverted teenager. I didn't want to feel obligated to smile at him each morning, or hug or whatever. Thank the Lord I passed my Regents exam with flying colors or else he would have failed me. He had to pass me. I told a couple of people of how uncomfortable he made me feel.. and now.. proof that he is dark.