If the principal decides you are the target, you have no chance. If that principal wants to lie, manipulate, use other teachers against a particular teacher, there is nothing the UFT will do about it... Kim JanosThis courtesy of Jeff Kaufman - and so timely considering the 3020a hearings I've attended -- not one case I've seen should the teacher have been there in the first place. I saw 4 days of testimony of a principal who tried to present a negative picture of the targeted teacher and a perfect picture of the school she runs. It took only 3 witnesses for the defense to punch holes in just about every contention she made -- and of course, instead of having any interest in the truth, DOE Legal tried to harass and intimidate each of the witnesses. I'll get into the actions of DOE Legal and what the UFT SHOULD be doing about it in a future post.
I do find it funny when various groups are out there screaming, writing letters, speaking at PEPs as if Tweed gave a shit or will change their policies. These people should be out in front of 52 Broadway because it is the UFT's inability or lack of interest or even worse, taking the sides of the principals, on the part of the UFT that has empowered principals. Too heavy an attack will make their partners at the CSA, the principals' union, unhappy.
And we know one thing for sure -- New Action, which tries to jump on the bully principal bandwagon, will not pin the blame on the Unity/UFT leadership, to which it owes its seats on the Exec. Bd. So if ever there is a demo at any UFT offices calling for the UFT to pull no punches against bully principals, expect New Action to be upstairs in their offices, hiding.
United Federation of Teachers not defending members
By Kim Janos
TimesLedger Newspapers
The United Federation of Teachers has long been perceived as a powerful union in New York City. So, why would so many of its members find themselves in need of legal representation when they find themselves unfairly targeted by an unethical principal when members pay so much in dues?
This is the question many teachers are asking. So many of us are being harassed, abused and even brought up on false charges. In the age of “accountability,” the only accountable people seem to be teachers. Administrators do not need to account for anything, even abusing their employees. Teachers will call on their chapter leader and district reps only to be given false information. The UFT does NOT want members to know their rights. Why?
When teachers find themselves unfairly targeted by their principal, even after an excellent career, there is very little they can do. Their only course of action is to get an attorney. Expensive veteran teachers are encouraged by their union representatives to retire. Whether they are financially able or not is irrelevant. Untenured teachers are told to just resign and move on to other careers. It doesn’t matter if the accusations against the teacher are founded or not. If the principal decides you are the target, you have no chance. If that principal wants to lie, manipulate, use other teachers against a particular teacher, there is nothing the UFT will do about it.
That’s the little secret the UFT doesn’t want to get out: they are powerless and they don’t want members to know.
My question is why pay union dues to a union that doesn’t support its members and only exists to pay fat salaries to union leaders who do absolutely nothing?
New York City teachers deserve better. They deserve new union leadership — one that will advocate for its members.
Kim Janos
Teacher
Fresh Meadows
http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2015/3/janos_2015_01_16_q.html
