I know him [Ben Sherman] from his prior school. He is a vicious human being! I knew it was only a matter of time until I heard a negative story about him. I was just surprised it wasn't related to a hostile word environment or sexual harassment. The teachers in that school were powerless against him. It seemed as though there was no union support. I feel so happy for the teachers at Forest Hills HS that they are not allowing him to continue to bully his staff. Sweet Poetic Justice!!!....We've asked the UFT to provide teachers with an early warning system for new principals to their schools and equip them with the tools to fight back. Not rush in there a year after the shit hit the fan.
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Forest Hills/Ben Sherman Update - A Parent Speaks ...":
A teacher asks:
What can be done to amend the selection process for administrators to prevent Principal's with extensive rap sheets from being appointed. It was pointed out that there were many irregularities concerning the C-30 process and how Sherman was appointed.What indeed? I sat on the C-30 process back in the mid-90s and it was an absolute joke. I complained to the UFT them. Good luck with that.
Supposedly the principal, Ben Sherman, claimed the no-confidence vote was rigged -- that the CL stuffed the ballot box. I heard from a parent and a teacher -- there's a lot of stuff not out yet. Some are rumors over things Sherman said and did.
Here's a report from the school:
Nearly 100% of the faculty now back Principal's ouster as recorded in four separate hand votes conducted by visiting UFT officials yesterday at the school. UFT Executive Board Asst, Secretary LeRoy Barr, Queens Representatives Amy Arundel, and Washington Sanchez visited the school yesterday and met with almost 100% of the faculty during the teacher's lunch periods to discuss the allegations made against Principal Ben Sherman. Many of these allegations have not yet been made public, but include extremely offensive comments and actions by the Principal toward staff members and students. A list of school reforms were discussed as well, but in the end, by a show of hands it was nearly unanimous, the teachers and other staff want him removed rather than have rules put in place that he would later ignore any way. they pointed out to the UFT officials that all of the other proposals have been suggested for almost a year.
"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. " I think the general needs to tour the battlefield and put down the binoculars," A history teacher at the school said after one of the meetings.
How has Superintendent Mendez, who has presided over the decline in many of these schools and appointed Principal's like this one, escaped scrutiny?
Many wonder why the official union newspaper has neglected the story. In one of the meetings, just about all individuals quoted anonymously in the first NY Post article confirmed that they had made the comments which were reported.
Another couple of things discussed were;
1) How does this Principal remain in place while credibly accused and while being investigated? Can an interim Principal be selected? It was pointed out that if anyone else at the school were alleged to have been involved in any of these things, that "the DOE would shoot first and ask questions later." This refers to the policy of removing teachers from a school who have faced allegations by others
2) What can be done to amend the selection process for administrators to prevent Principal's with extensive rap sheets from being appointed. It was pointed out that there were many irregularities concerning the C-30 process and how Sherman was appointed.
3) What can be done to give the teachers increased voice in how the school is run?
4) What is to be done in the many other schools throughout the City with Principal's who are like this one, some worse?
5) Why hasn't the teacher's union been more proactive in following up the complaints in this school and many others?
You can't stop the patient from bleeding to death with a couple of band aids.
2 comments:
Juan Mendez #ADASA member, nothing new that ADASA is breaking ruless and appointing School Culture killing admins. I wonder why no newspaper or individuals have been more opening about this connection between the CSA high ranking members and ADASA nearly every member has a long history of abusing the c-30 process ( Astrid Jacobo , Angel Namnum and his brother, this Ben dude and countless others). UFT unity lets CSA literally get away with murder and destroying teachers and more importantly students lives.
Many of the same things are going on in other high schools in the Mendez stable. (They all stink.) Isn't the union tired of fighting 3020a cases again and again for people who come everyday to do their jobs? Neither the Queens office of the UFT nor the Exec Board have been helpful. In some instances they have simply disappeared and dropped the ball, tossing the UFT member and the CL under the bus. Racism, ageism, sexism, harassment, false charges, and daily forms of endless intimidation are the basic mode of operation in his district. Why is he still in office? An "empowered" scion of Farina still out of control...
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