Here is an excerpt:
New details have emerged about the interim acting principal
at Staten Island's Port Richmond High School.
Oneatha Swinton was appointed to PRHS as interim acting
principal last July. Now the city Education Department is considering making
her temporary appointment permanent, despite multiple complaints made by
parents and teachers.
Swinton previously was principal at John Jay high school in
Brooklyn.
When she left the Education Department's Office of Special
Investigation had been looking into complaints by parents, alleging on cronyism
and transparency.
That inquiry continues and others have since launched,
including one looking at allegations she drives a car registered to a
Pennsylvania address also used by an Education Department contractor.
Other complaints allege spending more than $400,000 on
unnecessary positions for her friends and inflating grades to boost graduation
rates.
Parents and teachers say they also have filed complaints
with the governor's office which referred them to the state Education Department.
That agency declined to comment as did Swinton.
What does the Department of Education just rotate these people and hope nobody will notice?
We will surely follow up here.
It kind of concerns me in the Port Richmond story that the teacher who talked on camera had to have his face hidden and his voice disguised. I'm glad he spoke up but it is going to be difficult to win these battles if we don't come out openly even though I know the risk of retaliation in the schools is enormous. It's much less of a risk if people are together.
We can take this fight on in public as there are several schools that have contacted us about actions. It's kind of odd that they might not have confidence in their Union but they will will go to Norm or me.
Here is part of what Norm says over at Ed Notes.
I'm also working with James Eterno on a plan to gather people from various high schools together to come up with joint strategies and maybe joint actions, including how to get people in their own schools on board. This summer we will hold some behind the scenes meetings. At the June 22 ICE meeting we will talk about the feasibility.
June 22 is the next ICEUFT meeting. We will surely be discussing the abusive principal issue.
Liberals against legit questions! You guys talk a good game
ReplyDeleteAnother sista principal in the system of misfits
ReplyDeleteHope I’m on topic but shouldn’t we get ride of affirmative action? Looks like many admins are being appointed more because of ethnicity and gender, instead of ability. Been to a lot of schools and seen a lot of admins who couldn’t have been appointed by ability. What’s up with this system that allows people with questionable ability and ethics to be in charge of our kids? Makes me scratch my head and pray for the day I can retire.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the race card played by administrators but there are plenty of white male abusive administrators. See our Forest Hills story or the one we just posted on Hillcrest. You are asking a legitimate question. The unqualified people who should not be involved in any way supervising children or adults come in all races and both genders. They get power in the DOE because there is no longer any check on administrative authority. That is supposed to be union's job but ours has either lost or given up its influence depending on who you talk to.
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion is to have teachers write letters to abusive administrators, send copies to the Chancellor and Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), and ask that the letters, or some investigative-type letters or reports, be placed into the administrators' personnel files.
ReplyDeleteIf the Chancellor and PEP refuse to do it, or simply ignore the request, the matter can be appealed to the Commissioner of Education pursuant to Education Law § 310 within thirty days.
https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/education-law/edn-sect-310.html
It only costs $20 to file the appeal.
No attorney is necessary, although one can be consulted.
www.counsel.nysed.gov/generalinformation
www.counsel.nysed.gov/appeals/instruction
Whether the Commissioner grants or sustains the appeal, a public decision will be generated.
It will be posted on:
www.counsel.nysed.gov/Decisions/dcommissionersdecisions
Whichever side is dissatisfied with the Commissioner's decision can appeal it to the NYS Supreme Court in Albany County within four months pursuant to Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
The CSA will probably have a fit, but they're evidently not doing anything to reign in abusive, harassing supervisors.
Whether the Commissioner grants or dismisses* the appeal, a public decision will be generated.
DeleteMost APs and principals in black schools are black. Statistically speaking, if you compare white vs black people in population, and those with masters degrees, the chance that all these doe supervisors would be black are about a billion to 1, yet it has still happened.
ReplyDeleteWhat is your source?
ReplyDeleteIve been in almost every high school in Brooklyn, the black schools have just about all black supervisors...
ReplyDeleteThis 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.
ReplyDeleteNo, the uft screws us everyday, more and more, and im not retired.
ReplyDeleteThey have resorative justice, grade fraud, disciplinary coverups, students who dont deserve to go still going to top schools because they are black, i call that reverse racism...and students who no show sitting and doing makeup work during regents do they can graduate without earning it...
ReplyDeleteAmen brother. You could increase the school budget by 50% and hire the best teachers that ever taught in the history of teaching and not thing will drastically change unless we solve the culture of drugs, music, out of wedlock births, incarceration, welfare etc... until liberals are really ready to do that and possibly offend the constituents that vote for them in the way some people live their lives and raise their kids, the cycle of dependency and failing schools will increase. I don’t see a day when Democrats will ever criticize that damaging behavior. By the way most republicans aren’t any better. I took the time to thoughtfully write this post, it should be read! Thanks James ��
DeleteJames, you are a fool. You think you're a hero crucifying people on your blog. An old man full of hate. My student came across your website and asked me if you were really a teacher and why you are hell bent on going after people who may or may not have done something wrong. You are a home and self proclaimed "savior."
ReplyDeleteNo hero. Just reporting, exposing and opining. Plenty of places you can go to in order to see teacher bashing. Follow any mainstream press and it's there. Those who teach in the schools are not treated with dignity and respect in many schools. That has to change. There needs to be a check on principal authority. That is what the UFT used to be, a check.
ReplyDelete