The Rubber Room Diaspora

Dear Mr. Mulgrew:

You said that as of September 1, 2010 the Rubber Rooms would no longer exist. No one believed you.

What has happened is that your members are scattered in different locations so that you can hopefully hide their existence. As I told Ellie Engler during one of her many "Dont you want to quit, Betsy?" talks at the UFT, the placing of up to 150 people in the same room while they waited for judgment was one of the biggest errors ever made, and the UFT has to be proactive WHILE THE MEMBER IS STILL IN THE SCHOOL. Remember the Teacher Advocacy Initiative that I gave to Leroy in July 2009?

People talk. People told to report to one location every day for years get to a point where they are "colleagues" in the loosest sense of the word; they share a common experience. These people may not like each other, but they share a space. What happens when they talk? They compare stories of you, Joel, others, how the UFT special reps never return calls, never visit, never help. This builds confidence, because these "imprisoned" members realize that they are Not Alone, and that their concerns are similar to those of others who share their space.

Washington Heights Rubber Room (West 193rd st.)

rubber room, basement of 355 Park Place, Brooklyn

outside 25 Chapel Street (10th floor is TRC)

501 Cortlandt Avenue, 4th floor, Bronx

rubber room, 333 7th avenue, 8th floor, Manhattan

388 West 125th Street, 6th floor, Harlem NYC

Not pictured: Staten Island and Queens rubber rooms.

Then on April 15 2010 you signed an agreement with Joel Klein to change the setting for all rubber roomers, to new, smaller, isolated locations. For example, 10 teachers are sitting at a table at the very back of the 4th floor of Tweed Courthouse (52 Chambers Street, Manhattan). Funny story: these teachers were originally assigned the third floor conference room, but Joel Klein came in and saw them, looked disgusted (he wanted the table, it seems) and they were moved the next day. Teachers are assigned the Woolworth building; 4 teachers are in 49-51 Chambers Street, 5th floor (Office of Family Engagement and Advocacy); some are sitting at 333 7th avenue; many are at Linden Place, Queens, and Vernon Boulevard, Queens; 335 Adams Street, Brooklyn, 26th floor; 65 Court Street, Brooklyn. and here is a picture of a room that a re-assigned teacher was told by the custodian at her new assignment to use to do her paperwork. I love it! It's a boiler room!!!!!!!!!! The member assigned there took the picture below with her cell phone and emailed it to me. This is what you and Joel consider appropriate for your professional membership?
Puleeeese.

so, thanks, Mike!!! the story continues........

Betsy