The Discontinued: Message from the UFT's Emil Pietromonaco

I can't vouch for the accuracy of anything in the email below - but will say that for many years the UFT has been telling people that "Any teacher who was discontinued for pedagogical reasons may apply for a position in their license outside the district in which they were discontinued." Of course there is always a Catch-22 ending with "not a prayer."

Follow up to our discussion on November 3rd (discontinued members)

Nov. 24, 2014
I apologize for the delay in getting back to you with an update. We have met with the DOE regarding these situations and here is what I can report at this time :

Any teacher who was discontinued for pedagogical reasons may apply for a position in their license outside the district in which they were discontinued.

This requires an OPI investigation, that in the past was not conducted until after a request was made by a principal for the purpose of hiring…. This is now not the case (as we have been told), OPI will conduct the investigation soon after the discontinuance and it should take only a few weeks

Also you can apply for positions within your discontinued district, if you have another license.

We are also working with the boroughs to bring cases forward to the DOE for review.

In solidarity,
Emil

Emil Pietromonaco
UFT Secretary
52 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
212 598 7713
epietromonaco@uft.org

Report of the Invisible (to UFT Until Today) Discontinued Meeting at UFT

Ed Notes took up the case of the Discontinued (untenured summarily fired and blacklisted) many years ago when I first heard about the situation.

Recent articles on ed notes:

1.  Speech on DOE Discontinue Black List at ...
2. Readers of Ed Notes know about the horrendous Discontinue, where any principal is given the power to terminate the career of any non-tenured teacher, even if another principal wants to hire them - as was the case for Lydia.
3. How the UFT Sits By and Watches Discontinued Teachers ...
4. I often get calls from the Discontinued - non-tenured who have been let go by their principals resulting in a lifting of their teaching license and a blackball from the system pretty much forever (if they have another license they ...
5. Ed Notes Online: Time to put an end to The Discontinued ...
6. Mar 26, 2014
7. Ed Notes has been covering the story of the Dreaded D - Discontinue - since teachers who have been blackballed by the vicious act of principals who were handed a loaded gun by the DOE without a peep from the UFT.

Over the years people have told me their stories and it makes you want to punch a wall. Or maybe a union leader in the face. Actually wouldn't it be great to have a union leader who would threaten to punch someone at Tweed in the face (instead of punching someone opposed to the common core) for despicable acts that the union has ignored for years.

But this past summer, some higher profile Discontinue cases started to roil the waters in public and behind the scenes, and some people at the UFT began to wake up - you know, the prospect of bad pub always shakes the tree.

What do I think? Watch what they do, not what they say. Show me the money - otherwise it just more masturbation to deflect militiancy. As the report below indicates, some of the D teachers are not going to sit by passively.

I attended the meeting for discontinued teachers today at 52 Broadway tonight.

Most of the very brief meeting was a typical and predictable UFT rep meeting, giving a little bit of nothing and acting like they want to help their members.

The reps who were conducting the meeting were Emil Pietromonaco and Leroy Barr.\

Approximately 15 -20 members showed up for the meeting  (Norm, I know you will like this part, since the discontinuance cases has been one of your pet causes).

Pietromonaco did most of the leading and Barr stayed silent and watched as everyone else talked.

Pietromonaco  did say that the UFT can not make any promises they will try to see what they can do. They are not going to ask to 'undo' anything (or at least as of yet).  He also mentioned that the superintendent has the right to discontinue anyone who is probation for any reason (thanks but  we already knew that, we want our cases to be re-evaluated).  He also mentioned that since the superintendent has the right to discontinue, they will be looking and reviewing cases again, to take to court.

It was also discussed on what we know about the infamous blacklist for discontinued teachers. If a principal wants to hire someone a discontinued teacher who is qualified, the principals are swayed by HR  to a) not hire them  or b) convinced not to because it is a pain in the ass to go through the process.  This process needs to be tossed out too because it is not right. I can tell you first hand, that I have gone on interviews which lasted for over an hour because the administration or school leadership team were impressed with me and my capabilities in early childhood education. As soon as they called HR, I became a distant memory and tossed out of the candidate pool.

Pietromonaco  and Barr collected a list of all of the teachers and SBST who attended the meeting, asked for their name, school, email address and when they were discontinued. They will be contacting everyone on their list tomorrow asking to give a summary as to why they were discontinued.  They said they will update everyone on their list with a reply by an email on Thursday evening.

One other point which was mentioned, Pietromonaco mentioned they would like to realistically go back 3 years for anyone who was discontinued but they are willing to overlook some cases.

A second point that I would like to mention. Francesco P was waiting for everyone outside of Shanker Hall after the meeting. For anyone who is unaware, he was the one who helped get the UFT to re-evaluate  certain cases again.  A bunch of us debriefed on what occurred at the meeting.  

The main concerns which most of us had were 'how they would go about to clear a discontinued teacher and not be blacklisted to work in the entire city". The second concern, the UFT were kind of talking out of both ears. Before the meeting began, it was sounding like the discontinued cases would go to the chancellor's office to be re-evaluated. Now the UFT is making it sound like they will take 'select' cases and take them to  court on behalf of those teachers and SBST. 
I personally do not think that is good enough. Who knows how long that will take in court? Most people who are 100% eligible to work, want to get back to working right away and not have anything drawn out anymore.

There was even talk about a possible class action lawsuit in regards to the discontinuance and blacklist issue (this was still after the meeting outside of Shanker Hall.

** Norm, I think you would be interested in that issue,  a class action lawsuit on behalf of those teachers.

Here are some more ed notes articles:

On the Dreaded D's and U's: Discontinued and Unsatisfactory

Nov 07, 2011

On ICE-mail there was a question asked about the U vs Blacklist though it is not clear whether the writer understands the impact of the Dreaded D which is a real blacklist. Given Jeff's response below I want to point out that D's ...

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Ed Notes Online: The Dreaded "D" and the UFT

Mar 18, 2010

Now on to the UFT. If you find you are blacklisted by the dreaded D and ask the UFT for help you will get 12 different answers. The most common is: Don't worry, that is only for your district. You can be hired by another district.

Moaning Mona and Campbell Brown Tenure Suits: An Attack on Special Ed Students

Less than a week after I received the Letter of Possible Discontinuance I received an updated package, which now stated my license could possibly be terminated. Because I voiced concern for the needs of my students I am being dealt a difficult card and an ultimatum.  I am alarmed and concerned for my future as an educator.  As I mentioned earlier, this is where I see myself until retirement, in a classroom serving our students and showing them a love for learning.... Discontinued special ed teacher

A Discontinue is a blackball - even if someone wants to hire the teacher. If a principal doesn't want a teacher the DOE should not automatically support an action to terminate without some investigation - and if another principal wants to hire them the DOE and UFT should assist, not ignore.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew can cheer and chant about the new “tone” in the de Blasio/Fariña DOE until he is blue in the face. Here at DTOE, we don’t buy it. In fact, we have more stories of attacks on teachers now than we did before. The attack on probationary (non-tenured aka not protected) teachers is a full blown, unreported epidemic. The modern day Salem witch trials. .. DTOE report

UFT inaction, along with Farina/Tweed indifference, in essence, support the assault.

A MORE teacher writes:

I read this appeal from the DTOE blog last night, and I can't stop thinking about it. I wonder if others have ideas for how to best respond to the situation and support this young teacher. If so, please do share.

http://dtoe.org/2014/07/29/another-case-for-tenure-principal-juman-and-the-new-doe-target-non-tenured-whistleblower/#comment-17894

The plight of this teacher reminds me so much of stories shared by my own cohort of first year self-contained special education teachers, except for one thing, which is that this teacher truly worked to advocate conscientiously (and really stuck her neck out) for sped regulations to be followed, and she faced a totally different climate of evaluation and punishment than we did just 5 years ago. 

Read the entire post here and send an email to Conyers Donald , pweinbe1@schools.nyc.gov, Feijoo Laura , Fariña Carmen , dgibson2@schools.nyc.gov, “mmulgrew@uft.org” , Amy Arundell , Leroy Barr , “epietromonaco@uft.org” . 

 

The teacher's hearing is with Superintendent Donald Conyers.

 

How the UFT Sits By and Watches Discontinued Teachers Go Down

Plainly, the UFT basically doesn't give a shit when teachers lose their jobs.

With the new tone between the UFT and Farina, why won't UFT Officials pick up a phone and save a teacher's career? One of the major reasons for the weakness of the union at the school chapter level is the unlimited power principals have to blackball probationary teachers from the system for life -- in addition to all the other powers principals have, powers the UFT refuses to take a stand against -- possibly because of their "partnership" with the supervisors union, the CSA. (Their leader Ernie Logan should be held accountable for the actions of his members.) But really, does the UFT leadership really care if the union at the school level disintegrates as long as they get theirs?

I often get calls from the Discontinued - non-tenured who have been let go by their principals resulting in a lifting of their teaching license and a blackball from the system pretty much forever (if they have another license they might get back in on that.) [No time now but search this blog for The Dreaded D or other articles on this issue over many years.].

Think of it -- some of these people are teaching for a few years. Others for a few months. BOOM! You're out. What kind of human being would do that to a fairly new teacher? - Unless that teacher was deemed so incompetent the children were in danger. My investigations have found no instances of that. Instead, in every case the problem were principals so vicious they do not deserve to run a school.

In some cases these teachers find another principal who is willing to give them another chance but when they check the system they find they can't even hire them because the actions of another principal have prevented them from doing so. Pure vindictiveness.

Meanwhile the UFT/Unity leadership just skates by when they are as responsible for the Dreaded D situation as the perpetrators. You know what advice the UFT often gives these people? Resign. Portelos at DTOE counters that advice: Probationary/Untenured Teachers Threatened with Discontinuance DO NOT RESIGN. THEY’RE BLUFFING!

The UFT could have done something about the process of allowing principals unfettered power over probationary teachers (which severely weakens the school union chapter) in the new contract but did nothing other than tweak the process a bit.

Recently a case came across that reinforces my low opinion of the people running the union from top to bottom. A teacher with a Discontinue can appeal to the Superintendent and until that ruling takes place no one will hire that teachers. Everyone knows this appeal is a farce and that superintendents always rubber stamp the principal. But the poor teacher, desperately clinging to hope, hangs on pinning some hopes that this time it might be different.

Then, after they lose the appeal to the superintendent that are told by the union they could appeal but it might take months or even a year - also with dim prospects.

So the teacher is effectively silenced hoping without hope - unless you are a Lydia Howlrika who has teamed up with Portelos at DTOE (what a dynamic duo they are).

What the UFT won't do is put any political capital on the game by fighting for these teachers as if their very lives dependent on it -- ie - put some skin in the game. For instance - a back door call to Farina when known bully principals engage in these extortion plots to undermine the union at the school level. But the UFT/Unity Caucus leadership is perfectly comfortable with the way things are. They get access to get what they want. And what they want does not include standing up for teachers.

Afterburn
I haven't dealt with the royal screwing the UFT is giving Portelos because he can take care of himself. But check out how the UFT is comfortable with his removal as chapter leader - illegally, thus leaving the IS 49SI chapter defenseless against incompetent principal Linda Hill. (Behind the scenes DOE people will flat out say she is incompetent.) I'm trying to find a Portelos posting about his new "job" offer and why he turned it down. When I get the details together, this will be another grand slam against our union leaders.

Read all the stuff we are posting and you will see that calling them Vichy may be too kind to them.

Time to put an end to The Discontinued - Dreaded D Teacher Blacklist at NYCDOE

Ed Notes has been covering the story of the Dreaded D - Discontinue - since teachers who have been blackballed by the vicious act of principals who were handed a loaded gun by the DOE without a peep from the UFT. Only non-tenured can be discontinued - where a mark is placed in the computer system and even if another principal wanted to hire them they couldn't.

The teacher is out of your school, so why would you give a shit if someone else wants to hire them? Only a personal grudge would lead to such a despicable act.

Below is a link to a petition.

Here are previous ed notes stories on the Dreaded D.

Ed Notes Online: On the Dreaded D's and U's: Discontinued and ...

Nov 07, 2011

As a discontinued teacher, I completely understand the experience. I find that principals have too much and little is done to check and balance it. Principals know they have a better union than the UFT and know that teachers ...

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Ed Notes Online: Retired Teacher on the Impact of a U-Rating

Apr 11, 2012

I have been discontinued and U rated and I have been subbing in 2 other NYC public schools. The AP's in both schools picked up my resume (through networking). In fact, one of the AP's loves my classroom management and ...

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Ed Notes Online: Analysis: NEST+M Teachers Meet With Mulgrew

Sep 28, 2012

Principal Olga Livanis gave out 7 U ratings and a Discontinue to a non-tenured and popular teacher last year, in addition to driving at least one top notch fed-up teacher into resigning. The D is a career-ender (vs a U which ...

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Ed Notes Online: Farina With Support of Real Reformers Has ...

Dec 30, 2013

End the Discontinue that kills a teacher's career immediately. Revamp DOE Legal and OSI. I will not be cheering for Carmen Farina until I see some changes in these policies. She ought to walk across the street one day in ...

Ed Notes Online: The Dreaded "D" and the UFT

Mar 18, 2010

Now on to the UFT. If you find you are blacklisted by the dreaded D and ask the UFT for help you will get 12 different answers. The most common is: Don't worry, that is only for your district. You can be hired by another district.

http://ednotesonline.blogspot.com/

Ed Notes Online: Alice McIntosh Fights Discontinuance at Rally Today

May 06, 2012

Over the years we at ICE have been contacted by a number of teachers who received the Dreaded D rating which basically blackballs them from teaching under their license again even if another principal wants to hire them.

• Petitioning Katherine Rodi

Save the Careers of Discontinued Teachers

1. 1. 
   2. Petition by
      Dont Tread On Educators
      Staten Island, NY

Her name is Jennifer and she is in her early twenties. She wanted to be a teacher since she was a little girl.  It’s August and she gets the call that her interview at a local elementary school went well. Principal Higgins wants her to fill an opening for a 5th grade position. Jennifer and her family of teachers are ecstatic. Then, several months later and out of the blue, it happened. Without even realizing it, Jennifer crossed Principal Higgins by questioning some change in assignment and a preparation period she felt she was owed. Suddenly, Jennifer stopped receiving "satisfactory" observation reports and began receiving several "unsatisfactory" ones. Principal Higgins then rated Jennifer unsatisfactory for her first year final rating. Jennifer was devastated. It didn’t make sense. The students and parents liked her. She received unofficial praise from the assistant principal, but to Principal Higgins Jennifer didn’t differentiate instruction. She didn’t have coherent lessons and didn’t demonstrate knowledge of resources.

Then came the letter from the district superintendent stating that the NYC DOE would be making a final decision concerning discontinuance of her probationary period. Jennifer’s heart sank even more. She rounded up exemplary student work. Her mother and family of teachers jumped in to help save her young career. Parents and students wrote letters. Jennifer even bound everything nice and neat before submitting it to the superintendent. Unfortunately, it was all for naught. She was ultimately discontinued and her probationary period terminated. Jennifer was now red-flagged in the DOE Human Resources system, and assigned a “problem code” next to her name. This meant that none of the other 1700+ principals in the NYC DOE could hire her.

Jennifer is not alone. From 2011 to 2013, over 450 teachers were discontinued and problem-coded. Many have been barred from teaching our 1.1 million children only because of personality conflicts with one administrator. In many cases, when attacking pedagogy was not enough, the administrator also submitted trumped up charges with the Office of Special Investigations, the Special Commissioner of Investigation or the Office of Equal Opportunity.

In light of a new mayor and chancellor in New York City, we are calling for a full and unbiased evaluation of the problem-coded railroaded teachers. These teachers were:

-Discharged with malice by limiting or preventing their ability to work as a teacher in other schools.

-Coerced to sign paperwork extending their tenure. Many of these teachers were terminated.

In the end it was another casualty and point for the attack on tenure and the teaching profession.

To:
Katherine Rodi, New York City Department of Education Human Resources
OPI Problem Code, New York City Department of Education Human Resources
Ursulina Ramirez, New York City Department of Education Chief of Staff
New York City Department of Education, Chancellor Fariña

Chancellor Fariña,
Please consider reevaluating the way these probationary teachers are problem-coded with Human Resources and the Office of Personnel Investigation. You have the power to undo the previous administration’s methods and help competent teachers, like Jennifer, be allowed to teach our children again.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

 

http://www.change.org/petitions/katherine-rodi-save-the-careers-of-discontinued-teachers#