UPDATE: Highlights of the protest at Fordham HS for the Arts on March 13th

....after a hard day’s work for most of us who labor in NYC schools

SEE THE VIDEO



by Woodlass (http://underassault.blogspot.com/), guest contributor
March 14, 2009

The rally was introduced by Lynne Winderbaum (district rep, Bx HSS), who was flanked by the likes of Michael Mulgrew (Chief Operating Officer of the union), LeRoy Barr (Director of Staff), Jose Vargas (Bx Borough rep), and Rodney Grubiak (Bronx special rep).

Something’s got the UFT’s attention for a change.

Winderbaum slammed into Iris Blige and her wayward approach to educators, kids, and schools and said the union is “fed up” with the DoE’s support of principals like this one, who ¨ruin lives and ruin careers.” There are many of these in the city, but few of them get publicized for their aberrational behavior (see JD2718 here, and his July 08 ¨Do Not Apply” list as well).

Blige and her triumvirate (as someone called the staff of three she empowered to help her run the school) have set up a culture of terror. She disciplines teachers in front of kids, comes out of what someone called her “bat cave” to yell at students without knowing their names, and sends chapter leaders and other staff to the rubber room on false charges and on no charges. Some languish there for up to two years until their cases are dismissed.

¨It was hard to come to work in the morning,” said Peter Healy, a teacher who had decided Fordham Arts was no place for him and has found a position elsewhere.

Yesterday’s rally was organized in support of teacher Raqnel James, who has recently become a victim of Blige’s miserable judgment and management skills. It was reported at a recent union meeting that Blige arranged for eleven cops to come and arrest her at school, claiming she had written a letter that had included threats. Lacking evidence (the letter was faked), the police refused to charge her. Blige remains unscathed, protected by a chancellor who seemingly condones, and maybe even asks for administrator misconduct that borders on or exceeds legal limits (who knows).

Another gruesome story came from Fannie Davis, a veteran teacher of 32 years who had been a popular dean of students when Blige decided to excess her. She grieved, and after what looked like a successful hearing, Davis returned to the school to face a pissed off Blige. With the help of one of her APs (who later rescinded his statement and apologized to Davis personally for his action), Blige trumped up a cause for Davis's removal. Into the rubber room went she the very next day, where she remained sans allegation, sans charges, sans meetings, sans everything.

One full school year later, out of the blue, came a simple letter telling Davis to go back to work, which she did, but only to serve in a series of activities hardly matching her 34 years of teaching expertise: cafeteria and bleachers supervision, and copy machine duties (they told her to watch TV while she was down there doing that).

After some months of this, and fearful that a U-rating would be doled out come June no matter what, calls were made, emails were sent, lawyers were convened, and solution was found. She's now teaching her own subject at two different sites, free of Blige and enjoying her profession once again.

Blige, by the way, is footing the bill for this. Sweet!

Joel Klein is burnishing his legacy.

Michael Mulgrew picked up where Winderbaum left off. He told the crowd that the whole community is saying they want their school back and enjoined everyone present to make sure to keep the fight going.

[Editorial comment: With the UFT's stunning inability to keep any fight going, or even to recognize where the battles are, I’m not sure Mulgrew was in any position to request this of the teachers who came out for this rally in the cold.]

A pumped up LeRoy Barr said Blige has been sending a strong message: ¨We are clear we will not allow [teachers] to be respected in this building," which he says qualifies her for the PINI program Principals in Need of Improvement. (I'm yawning.)

Jose Vargas added that if anyone is punished for participating or supporting this rally in any way, he wants to know about it.

{Ed Note: YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! HEY JOSE, CAN YOU SEE? HOW MANY YEARS OF HARASSMENT DID THESE PEOPLE UNDERGO? REMIND US EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID ABOUT IT.}

As the crowd chanted ¨RELEASE MS. JAMES, REMOVE BLIGE!" and "HEY, HO, IRIS BLIGE HAS GOT TO GO!", people were seen peeking out upper floor windows. Rumor has it that Blige was out of the building taking a group of intimidated first-year teachers to dinner.

Whew! With all that activism, one could get the impression our union has taken a stand against Klein.

Don’t count on it. We may respect some of our district reps for their commitment and efforts on our behalf, but the higher-ups are not dealing with the virus that has infected NYC education.