Why UFT Leaders Won't Hold Abusive Principals Publicly Accountable?

Norm Scott to UFT Ex Bd at open mic: Let’s see everyone who works for the UFT be held as accountable as teachers are.

Howie Schoor responds: we are accountable every three years when UFT members vote in elections.

Norm (responding from seat): Janus will change your accountability equation.

Let me put aside the issue of accountability for people who work for the UFT who tell people under assault they are lucky to have a job for another time. Leroy Barr will be sure to get up at an Ex Bd meeting and defend anyone who works for the UFT even if they attack UFT members who demand they stand up for their rights.

Some people don't get why the UFT leadership won't hold abusive principals publicly accountable - echoing our president, even if they kill someone in 5th Avenue.

You see, in the UFT leadership bubble they won't do anything unless teachers in the school act first -- the classic Catch 22. They don't get why it is hard to stand up when you face daily observations in retaliation. Hmmmm- maybe I can come in and observe district reps and write them up.

I pointed out numerous times that last year's big successes at CPE1 and Townsend Harris was about parents and students acting and then the UFT seeing which way the wind was blowing caught on to the wave.

We've heard our union leaders openly say teachers need to be accountable. And teachers are held up to public scrutiny all the time while only Sue Edelman in the NY Post tries to hold principals accountable. The UFT leadership people are pretty silent about holding principals to the same accountability in a public forum.

The UFT/Unity lame excuse that principals are in another union - the CSA - does not hold water. Like give them free reign to abuse UFT members but we will honor some feudal pledge of union solidarity and protect them by not publicizing their transgressions?

I spoke at the open mic on this issue preceding the Nov. 6 UFT Ex Bd meeting, as reported by Arthur - see below -
and touched on many of these points.

Arthur's report is fairly accurate, considering I said a lot of stuff in the 5-7 minutes I spoke. I raised the CSA excuse as being lame and pointed out that 20 years ago I made a reso at the DA to remove tenure from principals because why help strengthen the very people who are often major obstacles on so many levels - the very reason we need tenure is to protect us from them? I pointed out then how few truly competent principals there when it came to being an educational leader with many being ego-driven and seeing any teachers attempting some autonomy or independent thought as a threat. I got a big laugh when I said - these were the competent ones. Of course Unity voted down my reso overwhelmingly.

Sandy Feldman was in her final months as UFT president (she was also president of the AFT since Shanker died the year before) and as the meeting ended she came up the aisle laughing and shook my hand. "I agreed with everything you said but we can't do anything because the CSA is another union." It was the first time in my 25 years in the union she spoke to me -- and I thought her feelings came through about boss and worker -- though how the boss can be considered an equivalent union member is beyond me.

Now, there was a brief period where there were some principal from hell pieces in the NY Teacher but I bet the CSA lobbied the UFT to end that practice.

But what has changed in 20 years? It's worse than ever since Bloomberg turned the Jack Welch leadership academy dogs loose on UFT members while our leaders have sat on their hands. 

What I urge the UFT to do is read the CSA - which went beyond the call in defending the awful Monika Garg,

Rosemarie Jahoda and Kathleen Elvin -- the riot act.

Here is Arthur's Nov. 7 report of my speech at the EB meeting:

UFT Ex Bd: UFT members, parents and students demand removal of Interim Acting Principal Michael Weinstein High School of Applied Communication

Hey, CSA, here's another slug for you to defend. 

Last night's Ex Bd meeting brought out another batch of teachers from a school under assault by an abusive - and incompetent - and creepy - principal. In the pre-meeting we heard tales of sexual harassment and misogyny, a gift trip to Disney World for certain teachers, in addition to the list of grievances below. Some of them have been at the school since its founding a dozen years ago. Both previous principals had been excellent. To put a monster like Weinstein into this school is criminal. But the Supt is Elaine Lindsey, the very same who installed Rosemary Jahoda into Townsend Harris HS.

Also the sad situation where the chapter leader is in the pocket of Weinstein. A recall petition got over 50% of the vote, but not the required 2/3. I was told that the CL installed someone to monitor the vote, which was not secured. I'm checking to see if the CL is in Unity Caucus to see if there is any coverup.

As I say often -- I didn't expect much from being on the EB this year but being able to raise these issues with the schools and getting rank and filers involved is true grassroots organizing. And even if on the surface, the leadership is forced to respond.
What the UFT misses - intentionally I believe -- is the pattern -- the blueprint principals are following while the UFT doesn't prepare its people for the arrival of a new principal who could turn into a monster -- what are the immediate signs to look for and intervene in the process?

With the big court cases coming up, the major thing the union can do to keep people from not paying dues is to defend them. At the very least we can keep shaking the tree.

• See EB reports at: NYCEducator: UFT Executive Board May 8, 2017 and ICE: HIGH SCHOOL OF APPLIED COMMUNICATION EXPOSES ABUSIVE IA PRINCIPAL AT EXEC BD

UFT members, parents and students demand the removal of

Interim Acting Principal Michael Weinstein

High School of Applied Communication

3020 Thomson Avenue, 5th floor

Long Island City, NY 11101

UFT members from Weinstein’s school testified at the UFT Executive Board meeting Monday 5/817 on the abusive conditions they are forced to work under since his arrival. They are receiving the support of elected high school representatives from the MORE caucus: Schirtzer,  Goldstein,  Gupta, McArthur, and  MORE/NA VP candidate James Eterno, in addition to Halabi and Ahluwalia of New Action.

Our union sisters and brothers, many of whom have been at that high school for over 10 years, have come under attacks from day 1 of his reign, which began in Sept. 2016. Weinstein was formerly an AP at Leon Goldstein HS and MORE members there have been advising the teachers.

The school is a Title I school; 406 students,, 17% Special Education, 7% ESL

• Students had 3 sit ins (December 13, December 16, March 22 ) and 1 walk out (February 15)
• PTA meeting was cancelled February, March and April. Last PTA meeting was in January although parents have requested the meeting be scheduled… PTA President states she is given “the runaround” by Interim Acting Principal Weinstein.
• Teacher received a letter to file for publicizing the SLT meeting in accordance with Open Meetings Law. Meeting is not publicized and the teacher received directive in disciplinary conference not to inform school community about SLT meetings.
• Two teachers have Article 23 harassment cases in process
• Two UFT Special Education complaints filed due to IA Principal Weinstein’s refusal to follow compliance in mandates. This resulted in vicious retaliation toward the Special Education department.
• 19 grievances filed to date for the school year
• UFT members testifying against other UFT members during harassment meetings
• 4 Chancellor’s A830 complaints filed for retaliation and sexual harassment
• teacher and student programs changed 3 times this year resulting in one 10th grade ICT/ESL ELA class having 7 different teachers this year
• under the direction of Interim Acting Principal Weinstein, ICT classes were amended to include up to 50% Special Education students exceeding the maximum allowable ratio of 40% or 12 students. Students did not receive services and parents were sent P4 letters for the mistake of missing services and costing the city thousands of dollars for his poor leadership
• constant harassment and following of students in the hallway. Pulling students in for meetings threatening their transcripts and potential for college. These “meetings” are conducted without parental consent.
• Teachers followed and watched by IA Principal Michael Weinstein: followed the perimeter of the school, at their classroom doors, outside the bathroom, at the time clock when they enter the building

Requests to UFT:

• visit by President Mulgrew and leadership to our school to speak for and on behalf of UFT membership
• motion to support our school
• public pressure by UFT on IA Principal Weinstein to cease and desist harassment and intimidation of students, staff, and parents
• review of all internal memos, regulations, directives, and protocols to assure they comply with school, city, state, and federal law
• facilitation of PTA meeting at a neutral location free from the abuse and manipulation by IA Principal Weinstein
• immediate removal of Weinstein from the school

CSA Calls Abusive Principal Garg "an outstanding educator" While Revealing Farina Role in Hit Job at CPE1 For High Opt Outs

The DOE must support Mrs. Garg, who is an outstanding educator, as she comes under undeserved fire for doing the job she was asked to do.... Clem Richardson, CSA

The statement by Clem Richardson of the CSA is a laugh riot. Really, Clem, show us one example of Garg's history as an outstanding or even a semi-competent administrator. Her history working for the racist Minerva Zanca where all black teachers were targeted (Garg praised Zanca as a mentor recently).
{It you need to catch up on the school Garg was an AP at --

That's CSA head Ernie Logan to right of Mulgrew

The CSA, which apparently condones its members lying to parents and teachers, engaging in witch hunts against teachers and using children for their own political ends. Should the CSA which is OK with attacks on members of other unions, be allowed to be an AFL/CIO member? Our own UFT cowtows to the CSA by refusing to issue an open call for Garg's (or pretty much any principal's) removal.


But this comment in the CSA call for Farina to stand by Monika Garg is the most revealing:

We repeat: Chancellor Farina PERSONALLY asked Mrs. Garg to “right the ship” at CPE by helping it remain a beacon of progressive education, but one with standards, accountability and measurable outcomes. ... Statement from CSA

We knew it all along. That Farina ordered a hit job on CPE 1, as she's ordered on a number of schools, at times making Joel Klein's and Bloomberg's tenure look benevolent. Why else put in a high school person into an elementary school with a culture so out of sorts with Garg's history? Because they knew Garg would be ruthless -- her career track is to be a Supt and she will step on anyone to get there.

But let's parse this comment a bit. Can you remain a beacon of progressive education ... one with measurable outcomes -- meaning testing -- when the very process of gaining such outcomes degrades progressive education? One would ask why the elite private schools which offer progressive education don't stress measurable outcomes -- and parents pay up to 50 grand a year for that type of education.

In Garg's first weeks as principal she put forth the idea that the progressive education offered at CPE1 was not appropriate for poor children of color. So we know that the intent was not to maintain CPE1 as a beacon of progressive education but to degrade the very idea.

Let's be clear --- there were issues at CPE1 before Garg came on board. The solution would have been to put in a principal with a background in elementary schools and in progressive education, not a hit woman.

The Daily News article on the boycott had this quote affirming the line coming out of the DOE:

But Education Department spokeswoman Toya Holness said officials have met with families to discuss specific concerns and solutions. “We are committed to delivering a high-quality, progressive education with academic rigor, and doing what’s best for CPE 1 students,” Holness said.

Rigor? That's the buzzword used by ed deformers. More like rigor mortis.

The CSA and DOE are lined up in the attack on progressive education at CPE1 -- and their "freewheeling ways", which in the culture of that school, is necessary for democratically based progressive education.

In the world of oppressive top down administration, teacher/parent control - and often student centered decision making on what they will learn - is "freewheeling." Now I know many teachers are not comfortable with this idea, which is why only certain types of teachers  - and parents -- would enter a school like CPE1. Thus teachers who had basically been helping to run the school since its inception had to conform to the new top-down or be gone.

As to CPE2 -- its offshoot also founded by Debbie Meier - principal Naomi Smith has changed the culture of that school to conform to the DOE demands and has supported Garg all the way - in fact her daughter is a parent at CPE1 and also is among the few parents who support Garg -  and all of Smith's grandkids go to CPE1. (We'll deal with Smith and her personal vendettas another time.) But do note what Deb Meier, founder of both CPE1 and 2 posted tonight on FB:

Let NYCs mayor and school chancellor know that what they've allowed to happen to Central Park East (CPE) I, one of the first progressive democratically governed public school-opened in 1974-is an education crime. A vindictive and authoritarian principal placed in the school almost two years ago continues to threaten teachers and parents alike. They need to hear from the world. A petition signed by two thirds of the families, rallies, sit ins, reports by neutral observer's and much more has had no effect except to create an untenable educational climate. As one of the original founders of the school watching this happen breaks my heart.two very vulnerable children's families have been banned from the school because of their protests. Thanks for any help you can give them.

Note the schools Clem Richardson mentions -- Dewey, Harris, Clinton -- all with cheating, lying principals, who alienated their entire staffs. The CSA believes, along with Farina, that destroying a school by any means necessary is OK,

Here's the complete CSA Statement - go have a good laugh.


The DOE Must Not Abandon CPE Principal Monika Garg!!
New York, NY – May 5, 2017 – 

For Further Information contact:

Clem Richardson, Of: 212-823-2052, Cell:  718-207-2260

Email: clem@csa-nyc.org

We’ve seen what’s happening to Central Park East Elementary School Principal Monika Garg before.

John Dewey High School. DeWitt Clinton High School. Townsend Harris High School.

Mrs. Garg is a proven leader who, like the besieged former principals of those schools, is being scapegoated by the Department of Education.

CSA knows that Chancellor Carmen Farina, who asked Mrs. Garg to take the CPE job, understands that leaders are often required to make unpopular decisions because that is what leaders need to do.

But leaders attempting to orchestrate change need to be supported in the face of criticism, not abandoned.    

The DOE must support Mrs. Garg, who is an outstanding educator, as she comes under undeserved fire for doing the job she was asked to do.

The failure to do so sends the message to any person or group who disagrees with a school leader that they only need a camera, a petition, and gather a few disgruntled teachers or parents to complain for a television crew and Tweed will do their bidding.

School leaders expect and deserve more.

“The DOE recruits principals to take on tough assignments, then abandons them at the first grunt from affected teachers, staff members and an antagonistic press,” said Council of School Supervisors and Administrators President Ernest A. Logan

“How can a school leader change a school without making changes? And how can Chancellor Farina ask educators to take on tough assignments then look the other way when they come under attack?”

The Chancellor appointed Mrs. Garg to run CPE in 2015 to right a school that was not meeting the academic needs of all students.

Disgruntled CPE teachers, staff members and parents who disagree with Mrs. Garg’s methodology have since made it their mission to disrupt the educational process for all CPE students, first by occupying the school auditorium overnight and on Friday by holding a boycott which disrupted the school day for dozens of students.

We repeat: Chancellor Farina PERSONALLY asked Mrs. Garg to “right the ship” at CPE by helping it remain a beacon of progressive education, but one with standards, accountability and measurable outcomes. 

And that is what Monika Garg has tried to do. 

CSA says it is time for Chancellor Farina to publicly proclaim her support for this outstanding educator and show school leaders citywide that Tweed supports them in their work.

A Deal with the Devil: UFT/CSA in One-Sided "Non-Agression Pact"

Time for the UFT to say to CSA "fuck the rights of principals "-- me

Our pal Harry Lirtzman, who was harassed out of teaching commented:

'Harris L.Sunday, September 18, 2016 9:00:00 PM

The UFT and the CSA surely have a mutual non-aggression pact and any moves by the UFT to hold administrators accountable would be deemed a significant violation of that pact.' I'd bet thousands of dollars that there is a tacit understanding between the two unions that keeps the UFT in check.... comment on ICE blog, UFT NEEDS TO FORCE DOE HAND TO ENFORCE CHANCELLOR'S REGULATION C-33

Only the UFT is the non-aggressor while Principals can run rampant. They are working from a blueprint on how to get rid of people and divide the staff -- one of the major points is to remove or control the chapter leader -- I said this in my speech at the EB meeting -- a fundamental attack on the union at its root. How can we allow the CSA members to do that without retaliation?

At the Ex Bd meeting Leroy Barr said they had a blueprint - please share that with us. He also defended district reps after I raised the point that at their montly meetings they do not address school issues and share with each other but instead dish out what the UFT wants from often beleaguered CLs - like get the staff to vote for Hillary to stop Trump.

How interesting that there are hundreds of mini-Trumps running schools and the UFT is not interested in challenging them.

Also speaking at the Ex Bd was MORE member Dermot Myrie, who has defended himself and his wife over attacks by abusive principals - since they are black, some of these attacks racially motivated. Myrie and I are on the same page -- the UFT reps are major culprits - and he laid that out in his speech on Monday and asked how district reps can be held accountable -- he openly said that many of them were complicit with the principals and often tell teachers and entire staffs they have to figure out ways to get along.

For years I've been talking about the underlying reason the UFT has been so passive in the face of a massive assault on UFT school workers by principals and assistant principals, both members of the Council of Supervisors - the CSA. I wrote about UFT Secretary Howie Schoors comments at the Exec Bd meeting Monday - UFT Exec Bd Report: Leroy Barr Tables, Howie Schoo...
where he pretty much said there are limits as to what we can do because supervisors are in a union and they have rights. I say "fuck the rights of principals"  - of those who show a pattern of behavior that goes over some line - which we still must define. There are some great and supportive principals who we know might come under political attack from above for one reason or another, especially from the newly empowered District Supt under Farina, some of the most awful people on earth - many of them who were also abusive principals.

I don't consider the CSA a real union - they are bosses.

The UFT must begin an honest assessment of every principal in the system using their own school surveys and also stats like school turnover rate, stats on age, race breakdowns in schools and how that changed under various principals. This info should be published in the NY Teacher, CSA reaction be damned.

The CSA is small and the UFT has much more leverage with some politicians. Plus the ability to run publicity campaigns. It is time to use whatever weapons the UFT has in this war.

Tell Ernie Logan to call off his dogs or we will go after them and their union. If they really want a non-aggression pact then that must work both ways.

DOE Gags Dewey Teachers Whose Ratings Were Reversed -- Let's Look at the Entire System of Principal Retaliation

I know that the UFT supposedly helped the Dewey teachers -- but I also know how they didn't seem to have the same sense of urgency the teachers had. What of the Discontinued under Elvin? What of the forced retirements? What of the years of misery so many teachers suffered?
 
Those teachers had to sign a confidentiality agreement not to discuss the changing of their ratings.... NY Post

Yes, they don't want these people to talk about it. Where was the UFT in protecting the rights of these teachers to talk about their own cases? Where is the UFT calling on more investigations of cheating and other abuses as scores of schools with monster principals? The UFT is best friends with the DeB/Farina regime and also with the CSA which represents principals so don't expect much from them.

The problem is there are hundreds of principals like Elvin who retaliate against teachers, many of them removed for numerous reasons, yet the ratings are allowed to stand. And that happened going back to the old U rating system -- I could see that in the 3020a hearings I attended -- the Peter Zucker case was an example - and he is losing 4 months pay on suspension over what was clearly a set-up.

One MORE member - a chapter leader - received 2 U ratings for union activity under a lunatic and was about to get a 3rd and be fired but she was mercifully removed and replaces by a benign principal - yet the history of these U ratings remain - and that school is now a renewal school and the CL may have to find a job with that history training behind.
The UFT should call on every teacher with a poor rating in a school with a suspect principal be reviewed. I would go back to the early days of BloomKlein.

Perdido Street School is on the case.

NYSED Acknowledges Principals Can Use APPR As Weapons Against Teachers -

Given an "ineffective" rating for refusing to participate in fraudulent behavior involving grade-fixing.

Gee, that doesn't sound like an "objective" evaluation system to me.

And NYSED admits as much by overturning at least four of the "ineffective" ratings of tenured teachers who appealed them.

There may be more overturned ratings - we don't know the exact number because of the confidentiality agreements

But what we do know is this - if Elvin and her assistant principals used APPR as a weapon against teachers to perpetrate their fraud, other principals and assistant principals can use APPR as a weapon against teachers for other reasons as well.

Had Elvin not been exposed in the grade-fixing scandal, these teachers at Dewey would still be working with "ineffective" ratings on their records.

You can bet there are other administrators elsewhere who have handed out "ineffective" ratings for a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the effectiveness of the teacher.

We learned from Chancellor Farina this week that APPR is a sham when she acknowledged that "effective" teachers can have their ratings adversely affected by switching schools and going to teach  in a school with high poverty/high homelessness demographics.

Even the noted anti-union Post reporter, Carl Campanile, given the Post claims an exclusive on the Dewey story -- too bad they don't read Ed Notes -- takes a - sort of - pro-teacher position. Here is Campanile's story:

http://nypost.com/2015/07/30/doe-looks-to-change-low-teacher-ratings-after-grade-fixing-scam/?utm_source=Master+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=e7d9ad38f0-Rise_Shine_7_30_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_23e3b96952-e7d9ad38f0-50237593