BEN SHERMAN OUT AS FOREST HILLS PRINCIPAL

This just came to us from Forest Hills High School.

Dear friends in the media:

We are happy to inform you that Principal Ben Sherman resigned as Principal of Forest Hills High School effective 2:20 pm, today.  We know that there is no way we could have accomplished this without your persistence and advocacy.  I don’t know what will be held on Thursday to replace the protest, but at this point, I don’t care.  I am hoping that we may have established a blueprint for the removal of Principals with no principles.   Hopefully, more schools will involve the media and perhaps stage “no confidence votes of their own.


Again, thanks for all you’ve done,


James C. Hogue

Jennifer G. Hogue

Forest Hills High School



Below is a copy of the resignation letter


Sent on Behalf of Mr. Sherman and Dr. Davenport


Oberhaus Richard

Mon 6/3/2019 2:20 PM

Oberhaus Richard


Dear Teachers, Administrators, and Staff,

It has been my pleasure to work with you here at the great Forest Hills High School. Together, we have built on the fine traditions of our school to support the students of our community.

When I arrived here in April 2017, I immediately considered Forest Hills my home.

I appreciate the opportunity to work with some great educators, especially my cabinet team. Collectively, we have increased our graduation rate, the number of advanced placement courses offered and passed, as well as parent and community empowerment.  We have accomplished a lot.

While I love Forest Hills very much, I must inform you with a heavy heart that I have decided to transition to another leadership role.  It has been a pleasure to work with you for the past two years and I am confident that Forest Hills will continue to grow and develop.  I encourage you to always make decisions that are in the best interest of children.  I know that you will continue to partner with one another and our elected officials and school community to support Forest Hills.

I have been inspired every day by the great lessons in classrooms, amazing afterschool programs, and the dedication of the Forest Hills team.  I know that you will continue to demonstrate professionalism and dedication to every scholar.

Go Rangers!

Ben Sherman

Principal


UPDATE
The NY Post has a piece by Salim Algar that quotes Jim Hogue. The Post also notes DOE admits no wrong and Sherman could be getting a raise.

“I’m ecstatic,” said teacher Jim Hogue. “Forest Hills High School has always been a blue ribbon school. Under Principal Sherman the school was clearly careening down a path to destruction.”

Further down:

But despite his unceremonious ouster, the veteran administrator could soon be getting higher — in terms of salary.

Sherman will now work at DOE headquarters in Manhattan, in the Office of the First Deputy Chancellor, where he will be entrusted with “supporting our comprehensive school improvement efforts,” according to a DOE statement,

Sherman’s base pay will remain $173,693 — but he can score an additional stipend of $10,000 if he puts in a minimum of five extra hours of work a month, a spokesman said.

DOE officials insisted Monday that Sherman’s extraction was not prompted by any official findings or negative conclusions about his performance.

The DOE just moved him in the middle of June before graduation because they wanted to. It had nothing to do with any "negative conclusions about his performance." Yeah right. See why nobody believes anything that comes out of Tweed.

Ed Notes covers the story too. Norm gives the UFT "some level of credit for this." I agree. This was a team effort.

In 2019 it took 90% of staff, UFT, parents, bloggers, media, politicians, assistant principals to remove a principal.

WHY IS BEN SHERMAN STILL AT FOREST HILLS?

We have an update from our correspondent inside Forest Hills High School. It is interesting to note that the print edition of the NY Teacher arrived yesterday but there is no mention of Forest Hills. The Arthur Goldstein piece we wrote about the other day is online only. I was hoping it would be the front page story when I saw the paper was in my mailbox today.

The print edition did have space for such important union issues as "Putting a New Spin on Learning" about fostering team spirit in an elementary school and one on planning field trips. Nothing against any of the teachers or kids featured but don't the UFT members at Forest Hills High School deserve space in the Union's  print newspaper that goes out all over the place?

Why is Principal Sherman still walking the 

halls at the high school?

 

Why is Ben Sherman running UFT Consultative Council meetings?  Why is Ben Sherman still observing teachers?   Why is Ben Sherman still walking the halls at Forest Hills High School while being investigated by the DOE for lewd behavior in front of staff and students.  Ninety per cent of the teachers and a vast majority of the parents would like to know.   From what I hear, he intends on  coming back in September and moving on to business as usual.  Do those who were the recipients of these comments and acts need to be reminded of his deeds over and over again?  What kind of message does this send when we also give students pamphlets  encouraging respect for all?  Will one of you please acquaint him with one of these pamphlets.  If anyone else was accused of just one of the things he had done, they would be removed immediately while being investigated.

The rally we had last week was very encouraging, but I must tell you that morale at the school is getting pretty low as people are thinking that the DOE is all powerful and there is no way they can be made to rectify this situation.  Is concern over setting precedent more important than the welfare of the school and the kids?   Can you imagine what the senior graduation will be like (which happens to be scheduled the day after the last day of class)?  

This blog totally favors Mr. Sherman getting all of his due process rights.  He deserves a fair, impartial hearing on the allegations made against him. However, the DOE double standard is alive and well. If it is a teacher accused of  almost anything, the practice is to immediately remove the teacher from the school, usually never to return, and ask questions later. If it is a principal, the principal is innocent and stays in place until proven guilty, not beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond any doubt. 

Membership in the DOE principal club has many privileges.

More NY Post coverage on Forest Hills.

MANY SPECIFIC ALLEGATIONS AGAINST FOREST HILLS PRINCIPAL IN NO CONFIDENCE RESOLUTION

The press and bloggers continue to cover the situation at Forest Hills High School with Principal Ben Sherman. The NY Post has an update detailing some of the allegations against Sherman that are in the No Confidence Resolution.

From Sue Edelman's article that she cowrote with Melissa Klein:

Maybe he’s the one who’s smoking something!

Forest Hills HS Principal Ben Sherman, whose stewardship of the once prestigious school has led to a teacher mutiny over issues such as rampant pot smoking by students, was accused last month of a litany of strange behavior in a faculty no-confidence vote.

Teachers presented a detailed list of concerns last week to Queens high school Superintendent Juan Mendez, asking that Sherman, who came to the school in 2017, be removed.

Now Sherman is under investigation, and Chancellor Richard Carranza has appointed a top official to come to the school every day to closely supervise Sherman, city Department of Education officials told The Post on Saturday.

Sherman’s alleged antics include leaving both the door to his office and to his bathroom “completely open” so his secretaries could see him urinating, according to the no-confidence document.

When confronted four months later and asked to shut the door, he replied, “Did they not like what they saw?” the document says.

The complaints accuse Sherman of making inappropriate comments to both teachers and students. He allegedly said to two girls wearing large earrings: “The bigger the hoop, the bigger the ho!”

He asked another female student, who was selling snacks and water for a fundraiser, “Are you selling handguns? I’d like to buy a Glock,” the document says.

He told a teacher “Hubba, hubba, I like what I see through the holes of that sweater,” it says.

On one occasion, the school’s crowded hallways became a virtual three-ring circus when Sherman juggled and rode a unicycle, it added.

“These actions and behaviors are ideal if you are hanging out with friends or … your children,” the complaint says.

“However, these hijinks should not transpire in a school hallway, especially one in an overcrowded building that is at 198 percent capacity.”

Sherman admitted in a letter to staff that he sometimes slept in his car overnight to see what time teachers arrived to snag parking spots in front of the school.

The teachers contend Sherman’s tenure has led to an increase in not only drug use but vandalism and larcenies, with student lockers regularly being burgled.

The school’s parents association also wrote to Mendez warning “the safety issues at FHHS have reached a point where they are beyond Principal Sherman’s ability to control and correct.”

 So what is the DOE response to all of these allegations?

They referred everything to the Special Commissioner of Investigations while keeping Sherman in place.

Could you imagine what would have happened had a teacher been accused of these wrongdoings, particularly the open door policy in the principal's restroom? He or she would have been removed from the school immediately. Blogger South Bronx School is all over the DOE double standard.

Let's play make believe. Regular guy teacher at Forest Hills High Aaron Rabinowitz is quoted in the Post saying the same exact words (on marijuana soon being legal) with the same flippant attitude .

Yep, you are right. Aaron would be exiled to the Rubber Room posthaste, have 20 stipulations in his 3020-a and risk his 23 year career go down the drain.

Ed Notes covers the UFT higherups' involvement at Forest Hills.

He quotes a Forest Hills insider:

"Why hasn't the UFT President commented or visited the school? Interesting, the lack of concern. He has been invited three times since April. He had promised to come last May, then cancelled. "

We do know from Norm (EdNotes) that Staff Director Leroy Barr, District Rep James Vasquez, Special Rep Washington Sanchez and Borough Rep Amy Arundel have all visited. 

From a Forest Hills staff member, ICEblog was sent Principal Sherman's apology.

"I know you have been reading a lot about me recently.  I recognize there are many concerns.  I am against students using drugs, vaping, or smoking in our school.  I am against students loitering in the hallways, staircases, or other places.  I am not a perfect person.  I have many faults, just ask my wife.  I apologize for statements which have offended you, including saying 'because I am the Principal.'   I need to listen better to you.  If I have given anyone the impression that I am soft on crime or that I am permissive about drug use I apologize." 

Our Forest Hills contact tells us that Superintendent Mendez and the DOE are trying to blame teachers for the safety issues.

From a Friday email:

Yesterday, the DOE sent inspectors to find at the school what they sent them to find.  This is namely anything that might pin the school's lack of discipline on the teachers.  One example is them asking students why they are sitting in the hallways while classes are going on.  Instead of actually finding out that the Administrators let them sit there, they look to pin it on the teachers by asking them "if any  teachers asked them to move."    You know things like that.  The students were really active while they were there,  so they got an eyeful of the Wild West Show.

 Last night Superintendent Mendez met with some select members of the Parent Association.  They demanded he come to answer questions that they had about how the building was being run.  From what I heard, he did his best to try to spin it into a teacher slamming session.

 Today, Mendez came in and did some surprise mini observations on a number of staff along with Sherman.

From the local Queens press QNS, we have Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz' statement defending the school and not rushing to judgment on the principal.

“Parents moved in to the neighborhood so their children could attend FHHS. I have been in the school countless times and I can tell you that what I read in the newspaper is nothing like the fine school that I experienced in those visits,” Koslowitz said, referring to the story’s first appearance in the Queens Chronicle.

She adds:

“I am asking that the DOE immediately intervene at FHHS to insure that all laws, rules, regulations and policies are being adhered to,” Koslowitz said, then referenced the New York Post article that put FHHS under the spotlight. “With respect to the principal, I am not rushing to a judgment based on a newspaper article. Those disciplinary matters will take their due course. But, the health and safety of the students must be guaranteed and guaranteed without delay.” 

I also saw the story covered on FOX 5 news on Thursday evening but I can't find it at their cite so if anyone can  locate a link, please help and we will add it on.

HOW FAR WILL DOE GO TO BACK A PRINCIPAL EXPOSED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE NY POST?

The Ben Sherman Forest Hills High School story grows larger every day. This is today's cover of the NY Post:

Here is an excerpt from Sue Edelman's front page article:

This school is going to pot!

Students at highly-regarded Forest Hills HS openly smoke and vape marijuana throughout a building that has spun out of control with a principal who’d rather befriend kids than enforce rules, furious teachers say.

“Never in my 15 years of teaching have I been bombarded with the strong scent of pot in the school hallways — and even in my classroom,” a teacher told The Post.

Principal Ben Sherman, who joined Forest Hills in 2017, shrugs off the pot-puffing — saying “it’s going to be legal” anyway, teachers complain.

“With the decisions he’s made, our school is definitely spiraling downhill,” said English teacher Adam Bergstein, the United Federation of Teachers chapter leader.

With some 3,800 students, Forest Hills is popular and overcrowded. While neighborhood kids are guaranteed seats, the school has several prestigious programs that admit only high-achievers.

In 2000, the school received a “National Blue Ribbon” award for excellence, and then-First Lady Hillary Clinton gave the commencement address.

Last year, the school boasted a 91 percent graduation rate, with 81 percent college ready — well above the citywide average.

But unrest reached a peak on Valentine’s Day, when faculty — in a staff mutiny rarely seen in the city’s Department of Education — slapped Sherman with a vote of no confidence, 195 to 21.

The vote becomes an official UFT document, which the union will present Monday, with a list of staff concerns and demands, to Queens high school Superintendent Juan Mendez. If Mendez does not resolve the issues, the documents would then be shared with deputy chancellors and local politicians in hopes of spurring DOE action.

This blog wrote about Ben Sherman back in 2011 when he was principal at East West International High School and he forced out two successive chapter leaders and a former delegate.

We concluded back then that Sherman is a union buster. In the New York City Department of Education, a principal is rewarded by being sent to a larger, prestigious school like Forest Hills after getting rid of union activists.

Now that Sherman is front page news in the NY Post, let's see how much support the DOE gives him.

Will they reign him in?

Will they remove him after 90% of the staff votes no confidence in him?

This is what the DOE's Doug Cohen told the Post in a statement:

“Principal Sherman has been an effective leader for Forest Hills High School, and the superintendent is continuing to support the school. We take these complaints seriously and will continue to ensure a supportive environment for all students and staff.”

Maybe under Chancellor Richard Carranza the "My Principals, Right or Wrong" philosophy will change at the DOE. We shall see.

It will be interesting to note how the staff feels tomorrow upon returning to work. I'm betting the staff morale will be a little higher after the vaction at Forest Hills compared to before the break.

FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL STAFF OVERWHELMINGLY VOTES NO CONFIDENCE IN PRINCIPAL BEN SHERMAN (Updated with Chapter Leader Comment)

This is part of an email that came to me tonight from a UFT member at Forest Hills High School in Queens.

The faculty voted 195-21 that Ben Sherman is the wrong individual to lead our school.  A No Confidence vote was held Thursday and over 90% of faculty rejected his leadership.


90% no confidence vote against Principal Ben Sherman under 2019 working conditions is pretty impressive.

I have one unanswered question:

What has the leadership of the UFT, which has known about problems the staff at Forest Hills has had with Principal Sherman since at least last school year, done to reign him in?

UPDATE: Forest Hills HS Chapter Leader defends UFT response.

Adam C Bergstein said...

Listen, I know everybody wants to point fingers and accuse & blame the UFT for not being proactive. However, the UFT has totally backed and supported this vote of no confidence since I brought it to them. Also, the union is bringing all of this information and the vote results to the DOE. There are already meetings in place for next week. So I know it’s easy just to say that the union doesn’t do anything for its members but they are fighting for the staff. However, there’s a process and they just can’t barnstorm the DOE with pitchforks and tell them that the principal is inept and incompetent. And yes, I know a lot of staff members want to the union to be more aggressive, But we are in the midst of a bureaucratic process. This is a formal vote that now gets presented to politicians and the Department of Education. The doe will always circle the wagons and protect their own, no matter how bad or inept these individuals that run schools are. At this point we need to go through the process, however, frustrating that might be for members.

Adam C Bergstein
Chapter Chair
Forest Hills HS

INSIDER ACCOUNT OF PRINCIPAL DOE SENT TO FOREST HILLS TO HELP BEN SHERMAN

We have been sent an insider's account on Sean Davenport. He is the supervising superintendent sent to oversee Forest Hills High School Principal Ben Sherman, who is having difficulty in running the school. 90% of the staff voted no confidence in Sherman. This is from one of our regular readers.

I worked for Sean Davenport, the person tasked to supervise Ben Sherman.  During Davenport's final year as principal at Thurgood Marshall Academy last year, a technology teacher left in October.  The vacancy was not filled until March.  During this time, students were assigned to be in a science laboratory classroom.  Students reported that more often than not, the school didn't bother getting a sub for the class.  The door to the classroom was left open in case the noise level required dean intervention.  You can imagine what unsupervised children will do with a room full of beakers, triple balance beams, and microscopes left out in the open.  Furthermore, when it was time to give grades for these students, Davenport passed all of the students since not having a teacher wasn't their fault.  The teacher that ultimately took over the vacancy in March was tasked to teach computer programming to a class of 30 students with approximately 20 working laptops.

At TMA, student discipline was lax.  Students could curse at teachers directly to their face or they could be on their phones constantly with no consequences.  As long as students stayed inside the classroom and did not cause a scene when the superintendent/higher ups came by, you were left alone.  There was a math teacher that was known by the administration to be close to his students and gave everyone passing grades with little or no academic proficiency necessary.  The teacher was also known to be unusually close to his female students.  This teacher was ultimately removed from the classroom last February for allegedly buying 7 pounds of a date rape drug: https://nypost.com/2018/02/21/nyc-teacher-busted-with-7-pounds-of-date-rape-drug-cops/

FOREST HILLS HS UNITY CHAPTER LEADER ADAM BERGSTEIN QUOTED EXTENSIVELY IN QUEENS CHRONICLE ARTICLE ON NO CONFIDENCE VOTE

I was pleasantly surprised to see a strong article in the Queens Chronicle where Unity Chapter Leader Adam Bergstein has many strong quotes critical of Forest Hills Principal Ben Sherman and Superintendent Juan Mendez.

It has been many years since I have seen a chapter leader from Michael Mulgrew's Unity Caucus speak this forcefully against a principal. The staff voted 195-21 no confidence in Principal Sherman last week.

From the Chronicle:

Adam Bergstein, United Federation of Teachers chapter president of Forest Hills High School, said he heard from many different people in the school.

“The concerns were brought to me from every different constituency in the building and I mean, administration ... teachers were fed up and overwhelmed and disgusted, the aides in the building, students,” he said.

Bergstein added, “Ninety percent of the staff feel as though the principal is incapable of managing Forest Hills High School and, or maintaining the building at the level it’s been at for decades.”

A history teacher is also quoted who adds to what the Chapter Leader says:

“There’s pot almost every day,” a history teacher said. “And usually it’s the students smoking in the bathrooms or the stairwells. He doesn’t have a policy anymore for getting kids to class and not being late like the previous principal did.”

One teacher said Sherman indicated marijuana is legal in many states and would soon be in New York.I think he’s just incapable of making decisions from representatives within the building,” Bergstein said. “I think because he’s had a small building for over a decade and he doesn’t know how to run or operate a large high school, he’s just a fish out of water and he lacks that skill set and ability.”

Back to Adam:

Bergstein said there were complaints during the 2017-18 school year but the hopes that things would improve this year quickly disappeared.

“We were hoping that the principal would take suggestions, advice, recommendations from unions, from deans, from administration and implement some of these changes to alleviate the concerns and we picked up in September where we left off last school year and things just deteriorated from bad to worse,” he said.

And even more:

Bergstein said the no confidence vote was a result of safety concerns, noting there wouldn’t be a vote just because teachers and administrators don’t like Sherman’s style or philosophy.

“He’s a graduate of the Leadership Academy and those people are just some of the most horrendous principals to walk the Earth,” Bergstein said.

He added that he believes Sherman would be helped by taking the advice of others into account.

“He makes unilateral decisions,” Bergstein said. “Instead of taking into account what people have been doing in the building or recommend doing in the building for years, he just goes ahead with what I guess he deems his gut or what he believes will work. And he is clearly incapable of handling that kind of situation.”

Saul Gootnick retired as principal in December 2016 and Anthony Cromer served as acting principal until Sherman was brought in a few months later.

Bergstein believes Sherman was the pick of Queens High Schools Superintendent Juan Mendez.

“I honestly believe it was with the intent to shake things up and disrupt the school environment for some reason,” Bergstein said.

He added, “It’s sad that the DOE seems to have gone out of their way to disrupt a high school with a sterling reputation.”

Great work Adam and History Teacher.

Here is my question after reading this piece:

Why isn't it in the UFT's NY Teacher?

TWO TEACHERS STEP UP TO FIGHT DOE ON THEIR OWN

We constantly hear people complain that they are paying over $48 a check in UFT dues and don't get proper services from the Union. While the UFT should be everyone's first line of defense when under attack, it is certainly not the only avenue available to battle back against horrible administration. Two teachers who I know are taking their fight outside of the UFT.

Dena Gordon is a social studies teacher at East West School of International Studies in Flushing. She works for administrators (Principal Ben Sherman and Assistant Principal Mala Panday) who have abused the staff continually. The harassment and intimidation have been so severe that the last two UFT Chapter Leaders were compelled to leave the school and now they do not have a chapter leader. Can anyone blame people for not taking the Chapter Leader job under those circumstances? Dena was a UFT Delegate previously so Sherman has targeted her all year with illegal observations where she is denied mandated pre-observation conferences and letters for file over inconsequential issues that are ignored with other teachers.

Dena has filed multiple grievances that are clogged up in the interminable grievance process. Step I is the principal and Step II is the Chancellor. Basically, teachers have very little chance of having an objective hearing at both steps. The Union has a limited number of arbitration dates available where grievances would be heard by a neutral third party so grievances back up for years at times while administrative harassment continues. We need to expose what is happening and get help to teachers like Dena.

Dena decided she could not wait a second longer so she has hired her own lawyer and taken the principal to the state Public Employees Relations Board charging him with anti union bias. We believe she has a very strong case as clearly she is an activist who has been targeted by an administration that is more interested in controlling the Union than in educating kids. Union buster Ben Sherman truly deserves the designation: "Principal From Hell."

Gagan Diwan is a math teacher. He taught successfully at Humanities and the Arts High School in Queens until 2009 when suddenly administration turned on him.He asked administration for an accommodation to have classes on one floor and a key to the elevator as he has muscular dystrophy.

Administration ignored his requests and went on to terminate him several months later. UFT would only file a U rating appeal, which as we know is basically a kangaroo court where we almost always lose. However, Gagan would not accept the loss of his job so he hired his own lawyer and filed a complaint with the New York State Human Rights Commission. A few weeks ago they found there was probable cause that his rights were violated and now the case will go to a hearing. The NY Post covered this story.

The point of all of this is to tell our readers not to give up when confronted with a seemingly impossible situation. There are people out there who aren't going to take the employer abuse and are finding ways to help themselves either inside the union or if they are not satisfied, then outside.

FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS REPORTEDLY VOTE NO CONFIDENCE IN PRINCIPAL

According to a report from our friend Chaz confirmed by our common correspondent at Forest Hills High School, the Assistant Principals at Forest Hills voted no confidence in Principal Ben Sherman by an 11-0 margin (other reports had the vote at 11-1). This news came from the UFT Chapter Leader who announced it at five meetings. Our source tells us that according to the UFT Chapter Leader, the investigation of Sherman is being delayed by the Executive Board of the Council of Supervisors and Administrators, the union for both the principals and the assistant principals in New York City schools.

If the report about the CSA Executive Board defending Sherman is accurate, it is a very puzzling development. I always thought it was a huge conflict of interest that the CSA represents both principals and assistant principals. In the New York City Police Department, there are separate unions for the detectives, sergeants, lieutenants and captains. I think the school supervisors should be organized with separate unions for the principals and the assistant principals.

If the news about the APs from Forest Hills is correct, it would seem that the CSA is protecting one of its members while basically ignoring the wishes of 11 others who are now reported to be on the record in opposition to Sherman. The Assistant Principals vote supports the UFT staff that overwhelmingly voted no confidence in Principal Sherman earlier this semester.

FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL ISSUES MOCK DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM PRINCIPAL

Someone from Forest Hills High School has been in touch with us to document abuses by Principal Ben Sherman. We have known of Sherman's poor human relations skills from his prior school East West School of International Studies where he harassed one of my good friends who was lucky enough to get out of there. I went with three teachers from East-West to support them as they complained to the Queens UFT about this principal. I don't recall much being done to reign Sherman in back in 2011.

In the infamous Department of Education tradition of fully supporting and promoting administrators who don't work collegially with teachers, Sherman was moved to Forest Hills High School, a prestigious neighborhood school. It appears his human relations skills have not improved much since 2011 as is documented below and also at Ed Notes.

We issue our own mock Declaration of Independence to highlight our grievances.

The brief history of the present PRINCIPAL OF FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL is a history of repeated injuries, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over the School. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has taken a school with multiple A ratings and attempted to humiliate in the following, numerous ways its hard-working staff.

He has deprived Deans, math teachers and E.L.L. teachers of their much-needed workspace, attempting to cram them into already over-utilized rooms in a most crass and uncaring manner, proclaiming, “it is not a democratic process.”

He has threatened to “flip” teachers’ schedules without any understanding about the necessity of having the staff matched to best meet the needs of the students.

He has mishandled a lockdown on March 15, 2018, dubbed a “limited passing,” which had students crying in their classrooms, teachers trying to comfort them, and parents terribly worried, all while he was holed up in his conference room.

He has let the hallways of the building go to ruin, turning his back on disturbances, while attempting to micromanage teachers in their classrooms.

He has made it known he will put teachers in hallways, disciplining students with little-to-no power and/or backup.

He has left student bathrooms unlocked and unsupervised, creating unsafe conditions in which lewd acts, vaping and intimidation can occur.

He has reduced Circular 6 choices to only seven, with the seeming intent to force more teachers to take on a sixth-class, gratis (“small group instruction”) and peddle substandard pathways to graduation (“eight to one credit recovery”).

He has needlessly, through the reduction of C6 choices, deprived students of the opportunity to expand their social and intellectual horizons by participating in a wider array of clubs during school hours.

He has, similarly, through the reduction of C6 choices, deprived students of the ability to receive beneficial tutoring during their free periods.

He has targeted teachers who have raised valid objections to current policies with gratuitous observations immediately following their comments.

He has attempted to intimidate teachers in a vindictive manner based on non-evaluative Student Perception Surveys given to a single class.

He has encouraged teachers who raise concerns to retire from the profession.

He has attempted to win his way with threat of punitive measures, including a non-SBO day ending at 4:51 p.m.

He has put letters in file for trivial matters, including the entering of his office without an appointment.

He has attempted to force teachers to adopt teaching styles more fit for elementary school than for college readiness, namely “Word Walls” and “Turn and Talk.”

He has forced his propaganda, “Happenings in the Hills,” upon teachers, informing them of his “expectations,” some of which are non-contractual in nature, while depriving teachers of any voice in their school.

He has encouraged teachers to dispense with paper records in the name of using programs with data that can suddenly disappear or even be manipulated.

He has forced teachers to rely on Skedula, a system known to have many glitches, as the last legal word for attendance for New York State.

He has made it known that teachers will be forced to adopt a grading policy through which students can come as late as they want to class and turn in late work with little to no penalty.

He has targeted the school’s Chapter Leader and attempted to impair the functioning of the Union.

He has applied questionable measures in the collection of lunch forms on a relentless pursuit of Title-One Funding.

He has and continues to place false and misleading data numbers above the well-being of the school and the college readiness of students.

He has forced teachers to stay beyond their workday (and, next year, arrive earlier) to move their time card on the premise that he is concerned with their health.

He has created conditions of stress in the building which are detrimental to the functioning of a healthy school community.

He had forbidden teachers to leave the building on Conference days for professional development opportunities, claiming that only his meetings (practically the same offerings as last time) are “relevant.”

He has made it impossible for the Consultative Council to meet between the November and March meetings and now encourages it, with the intent to readily dismiss the viewpoints of its constituents.

He has blocked traditionally held UFT meetings following Faculty meetings on the premise that “I have one contract, you have another.”

He has made the workplace no longer a welcoming environment.

He has charged the staff with Anti-Semitism based on a picture used by a Jewish blogger in an article which named him as one of the most untrustworthy City Principals, as rated by the teachers at the school he founded, East-West.

He has threatened the peace and concord of the home of two-hundred teachers and their young charges.

Given this long list of abuses, We, the teachers of Forest Hills High School, mutually pledge to each other our fortunes and our Sacred Honor. We pledge to stand together in defense of the interests of our students, the traditions of Forest Hills High School and the careers and dignity of our colleagues.

THE LATEST FROM FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

Dear Forest Hills Faculty and Staff,

As you are aware, Monday was Ben Sherman’s last day as principal of Forest Hills High School.We thank Mr. Sherman for his leadership and wish him well in his new position.

Forest Hills High School is supported by amazing students, families, staff and community members who have created a strong and welcoming learning environment. I have no doubt that Forest Hills will continue to thrive and put our students on the pathway to success.

To ensure that we continue to uphold Chancellor Carranza’s priorities and support a strong learning environment, I am announcing Mr. Paul Wilbur as the new Interim Acting Principal of Forest Hills.  Mr. Wilbur will work alongside Dr. Sean Davenport for the duration of the academic calendar year as Forest Hills continues to exhibit excellence for all students. Mr. Wilbur joins us from Richmond Hill High School, where he has served as an assistant principal for 14 years. He is a proven leader and I know that he’ll collaborate closely with the entire community.

The search for a new principal will begin later in the summer, and I look forward to working with all of you throughout this process.

Thank you in advance for supporting Forest Hills High School.  As our seniors prepare for graduation, I know that you will continue to speak about the extraordinary accomplishments made throughout the school community.  If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at aspencer6@schools.nyc.gov.

Go Rangers!!!

Andre D. Spencer, Ed.D.

Executive Superintendent – Queens South

Districts 27, 28 29 and DOE NYC Borough Citywide Office

“Dedicated to Scholars, Committed to Success”


From our insider:
I don't like what is going on.   Praise for Sherman.  Carranza's priorities. C-30 over the Summer?  You bet I'll be emailing him.

FOREST HILLS HS RALLIES AGAINST PRINCIPAL

The following  piece came to us from our Forest Hills High School insider.

For more, see the Queens Chronicle. 


There was a huge anti Ben Sherman rally in the cafeteria of Forest Hills HS Thursday afternoon.  Parents, politicians, and teachers all denounced Principal Sherman at this big UFT dinner party.

The headliners were Melinda Katz and Karen Koslowitz.  There was one other state legislator and two additional staffers from other politicians offices.  There must have been about 500 people there.

Politicians were very supportive.  The teachers made fiery speeches and parents also spoke.

Borough President Melinda Katz----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We know you've been fighting the fight, we know you've been bullied.

We didn't want you to think you were on your own.

I said to the Chancellor, "look," we've never had a problem with Forest Hills before.  "You have to wonder, 'why now,' what's the difference."


Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've been a resident of Forest Hills for 56 years.  My two daughters went here.  ....I've been reading the paper. and I am heart sick (about what is happening.  We simply do not deserve what is happening now, over the last two years.

We're here to help you.

Are all the allegations we read in the paper true?

The crowd thunders back, YES!!!!!!

Then she said something barely audible that sounded like, that's all I need to hear.

Assemblyman Dan Rosenthal-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forest Hills High School is one of the best and the largest and we want to keep it that way.

We are determined to make sure things get settled peacefully.

UFT WRITES NEWS ARTICLE ON FOREST HILLS HS

The UFT has finally joined in with the press and bloggers in publishing an article on the UFT Chapter's  No Confidence vote against Forest Hills High School Principal Ben Sherman. The piece is written by Francis Lewis High School Chapter Leader, and former dissident, Arthur Goldstein.

We even have a quote from UFT President Michael Mulgrew who had been noticeably silent on the Forest Hills situation.

“Forest Hills educators are fighting for what’s best for their students and school community,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “They are not going to stand by and let a successful school be ruined. By coming together, they are making sure that their voices are heard.”

We have been urging the UFT to go public on incompetent/ abusive supervisors for years. We shall see if this is a one shot or a real change of direction at the Union. We are sure Sherman isn't the only supervisor who needs to be called out.

You won't see it mentioned in the article, or anywhere in the official UFT I'm sure, that the Forest Hills people got in touch with us to get the publicity ball rolling back in 2018.

MULGREW AMONG NY ELITE SIGNING OPEN LETTER ASKING AMAZON TO RECONSIDER LIC FOR HQ2

I don't often use this space to fight New York's internal political battles outside of education, particularly when there is so much that is going on in the schools that union officials and dissidents alike should be concerned about. The issue of bringing Amazon's second headquarters to Long Island City, New York is very controversial. I'm fairly certain UFT members are split on the Amazon deal and pullout.

So why then did President Michael Mulgrew sign onto a letter pleading with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to reconsider Amazon's decision to abandon the deal he made with the Mayor and Governor to open a second HQ in Queens? Anti-public school teacher stalwarts such as Mayor Michael Bloomberg's third Chancellor Dennis Walcott and Kathryn Wylde signed. David Solomon, the CEO of Goldman Sachs and other New York's business A-Listers are also on board. That's some pretty questionable company for a labor leader to be with. To be fair, there were some community groups and other labor leaders who signed as well.

Meanwhile, the Movement of Rank and File Educators (MORE) has signed onto a letter opposing Governor Andrew Cuomo's attempt to woo Amazon's Jeff Bezos back to NY. Community groups one would think a union would be linked to were many of the other signatories here.

I'm not writing here to endorse either Mulgrew or MORE's position on Amazon coming to LIC. I don't support MORE or Mulgrew's Unity Caucus overall. MORE does not give due process to its members and Unity doesn't run the UFT as a labor union generally so I'm not a fan of either group.

On Amazon, I have heard teachers all over the place. Therefore, is it not possible that the wise course of action is to just not take a position one way or the other?

I recall many of my UFT friends being very upset because Mulgrew supported an Al Sharpton sponsored event a few years back. I also remember other friends being very angry because Mulgrew would not back a Black Lives Matter week of action because the UFT felt it would be a splitter issue, meaning the membership would be split so there would have been no benefit for the UFT to be weighing in where the membership is so divided.

Couldn't that same logic be used on the Bezos letter? Considering Amazon's anti-union record and anti-mom record too, I wonder why any union leader would go anywhere near Bezos.

It would seem to me that a better use of time for the UFT's President would be to visit beleaguered Forest Hills High School, where the teachers are fighting back against the principal.

The NY Post in an editorial on Forest Hills rightfully claimed credit for exposing the situation there.

The Department of Education should have acted long ago, after the school’s teachers-union chapter passed a rare vote of no confidence in Ben Sherman, the principal. Or earlier, when faculty informally sent word of trouble up the chain via the United Federation of Teachers.

Heck, responsible educrats would’ve been asking questions after last year’s “school climate survey” revealed that only 55 percent of Forest Hills teachers agreed that order and discipline are maintained at the school, well below the citywide average of 77 percent — at what’s long been an excellent school.

Yet teachers had to come to The Post to get action. (Should we send UFT chief Mike Mulgrew an invoice for having the Post do his job?)

It looks as though Mulgrew is too busy working with the elites of the city pleading with Jeff Bezos to reconsider LIC to have any time to defend his members.

When the NY Post is doing more in public  on behalf of teachers at Forest Hills than the President of the UFT, then these are strange days indeed.

FOREST HILLS HIGH SCHOOL EMAIL TO PRESIDENT MULGREW ON ANTI-UNION PRINCIPAL

The slightly edited email below was sent to UFT President Michael Mulgrew from a teacher at Forest Hills High School, where there have been numerous problems with Principal Ben Sherman violating the UFT Contract. The teacher signed the email but wanted to have the name removed for the blog as well as a reference to any specific teacher.

Dear Mr. Mulgrew,

We are still very much looking forward to your visit to our high school this month to help inspire us through our current crisis with our new Principal. It's too bad it could not take place when we clearly had the momentum back in June, but we understand there was a conflict with a parental leave announcement. We were coming off a resounding No vote concerning the school's proposed SBO. Our situation hasn't changed much. If anything, it has escalated with the Chapter Chair now put on the late session, making it impossible for him to attend Delegate Assembly meetings.

Despite an extraordinary summit between representatives of the Superintendent's office, the UFT, and CSA, no corrective action has been taken. He seems to be waiting us out and refusing to take any action concerning previously filed grievances, continuing his plans to destroy the union. We made a big sacrifice to put our names out there and all we have to show for it is a punitive schedule, no Circular 6R choice, and additional observations.

What's our next move? What can the union do for us? Can we look forward to your support?

Sincerely,

A Forest Hills High School Teacher