PULEEEZ, this is such a false news report, published for political reasons. Are there people in our city schools who harm children? Yes, unfortunately there are, just as there are priests, politicians, CEOs of major Fortune 500 Companies, etc., etc., who commit crimes against children, and everyone must be held accountable for these horrific acts. But reporters who know nothing and go after an innocent person simply to get policy approved by our legislature is wrong, stupid, annoying, and a thousand other things. A rise in complaints? Yep, there sure are. There HAS to be, in order for the new policy for 3020-a arbitration that does not include "Just Cause" to pass.
I'll give you an example. A teacher with more than 30 years of satisfactory ratings was brought to 3020-a on false charges. Months after the arbitrator cleared him, but, in a politically expedient manner gave a decision to extract a $1500 fine (to pay him, the arbitrator?) for no reason other than he thought that the girl who made the accusation was bothered a little, even though he, the arbitrator did not believe a word she said in her testimony. Then the NY Daily News parked a car outside the teacher's house, and Ben Chapman called him to tell him that they wanted to talk with him and could he please come to the car. He, the teacher, looked out of his window and verified that two men were sitting in a car outside, waiting to take his picture. He called me. What should he do? I suggested that we have a conference call with reporter Chapman. When Chapman got on the telephone, the teacher asked why he was being stalked, and Chapman told him that there would be a story in the paper the next day on how teachers who were accused of sex crimes in the schools of NYC were increasing, and they could not be fired. I said, "Did you know that there was a decision in this case and the arbitrator loved this teacher, found that his teaching record showed he was an excellent teacher, and virtually exonerated him because he believed what this teacher testified to, and did not believe a single witness who testified for the DOE?" Chapman told us, nope, didnt know. Can you get me the decision? I did, a few minutes later.
The next day the teacher's name was published as one of the 16 perverts still teaching. This person's life, career, and family were destroyed all at once, because Chapman was paid to do the story of the infamous 16 teacher-perverts. He had no time to fill the paper with someone other than the teacher his editors decided needed to be fired, even though the arbitrator said no. The teacher is looking to sue.
The strategy used by the rags is clear: first, to bolster the proposed legislation to do away with "Just Cause" in the 3020-a teacher trials so that the Gotcha Squad can fire these pervert teachers (aren't all of them tenured? Aren't most of them getting paid high salaries?); second, to get rid of arbitrators who dare to challenge Bloomberg and Walcott by not firing all employees brought before them at 3020-a arbitration. Ten arbitrators quit recently, so the strategy is working.
Oh - before anyone out there thinks I support a person who really does try to have sex with a minor child in any setting, your thinking is wrong. But as I know how the Gotcha Squad works, and as I know that Mayor Bloomberg began his mayorship on the platform of removing tenure rights from public schools (along with the rights to due process for anyone, for that matter), I dont believe what I read in the rags. Editors and publishers are desperately trying to stay afloat right now, and sex sells. That is no secret.
Fortunately, I have seen the most outrageous stupidity on the part of so-called "investigators" who pretend to look into the cases brought to 3020-a, teacher arbitration. When they get asked 'real' questions, such as, "did you check out the background of the child who made the accusation?" "Did the principal have a problem with the teacher because the teacher filed a grievance/complaint/lawsuit against him/her?" The answer is always "no". The way SCI, OSI, and OEO work is to go to a school, meet with the principal, find out what the principal wants to do with accused teacher X, gather the statements of the children (already made up with the principal), and get the school staff to bring each witness into the principal (or AP)'s office where the "investigator" asks the child, "did you write this? Is this your statement?" The child says yes, and off they go. Simple. The charge is substantiated.
Sexual misconduct cases in city schools are on the rise
Parents advocate calls 37% increase in reported cases an 'alarming' increase
Comments (15)BY BEN CHAPMAN, GLENN BLAIN AND RACHEL MONAHAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 4:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday, June 6, 2012, 4:00 AM
LINK
An upsurge in sexual misconduct allegations is rocking city schools — with more than 150 complaints against staffers in April and May alone, official data show.
The last two months continue the trend of more complaints than in 2011 — a 37% increase over last year’s numbers.
“It’s alarming, it’s very alarming,” said Mona Davids, president of the New York City Parents Union. “We need to start addressing this. We’re seeing the stories in the paper and parents are concerned.”
In the last week alone, there were allegations against two women teachers, including Erin Sayar, an English teacher at James Madison High School, who faces statutory rape charges for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old student half a dozen times last year.
“Some of the cases have been sort of sensational, so that’s gotten a lot of publicity,” said Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon. “But that doesn’t explain all the other cases that are coming up.”
Overall, the special schools investigator opened 528 misconduct cases in the first five months of this year — 28% more than last year — including 223 cases involving sexual misconduct.
At the same time, Condon’s office has closed 334 cases — a 7% decline since last year.
More school staffers have been arrested so far this year than in all of 2011, according to data from the NYPD, the special schools investigator and news reports. At least 23 Department of Education workers were busted by cops so far this year. In 2011, there were at least 13 arrests.
“I don’t know if in the past [sexual misconduct\] was being covered up or swept under the rugs,” said Chancellor Dennis Walcott, speaking in Albany, where he was lobbying for a new law to give the chancellor instead of arbitrators the final say on firing teachers.
“I think we are giving it much more attention, and one of the things the mayor and I are very clear about is trying to make sure people understand the ramification of these cases.”
United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew noted yesterday that his union “believes in zero tolerance” on sexual misconduct with children.
“That’s why our contract already includes the toughest penalty in the state — automatic termination — for any teacher found guilty of this offense,” he said in a statement.
Zakiyah Ansari, advocacy director for the Alliance for Quality Education, said proven abusers must be removed promptly from the classroom. “We have to make sure this is about keeping our children safe and nothing else,” she said.
rmonahan@nydailynews.com
The last two months continue the trend of more complaints than in 2011 — a 37% increase over last year’s numbers.
“It’s alarming, it’s very alarming,” said Mona Davids, president of the New York City Parents Union. “We need to start addressing this. We’re seeing the stories in the paper and parents are concerned.”
In the last week alone, there were allegations against two women teachers, including Erin Sayar, an English teacher at James Madison High School, who faces statutory rape charges for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old student half a dozen times last year.
“Some of the cases have been sort of sensational, so that’s gotten a lot of publicity,” said Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon. “But that doesn’t explain all the other cases that are coming up.”
Overall, the special schools investigator opened 528 misconduct cases in the first five months of this year — 28% more than last year — including 223 cases involving sexual misconduct.
At the same time, Condon’s office has closed 334 cases — a 7% decline since last year.
More school staffers have been arrested so far this year than in all of 2011, according to data from the NYPD, the special schools investigator and news reports. At least 23 Department of Education workers were busted by cops so far this year. In 2011, there were at least 13 arrests.
“I don’t know if in the past [sexual misconduct\] was being covered up or swept under the rugs,” said Chancellor Dennis Walcott, speaking in Albany, where he was lobbying for a new law to give the chancellor instead of arbitrators the final say on firing teachers.
“I think we are giving it much more attention, and one of the things the mayor and I are very clear about is trying to make sure people understand the ramification of these cases.”
United Federation of Teachers president Michael Mulgrew noted yesterday that his union “believes in zero tolerance” on sexual misconduct with children.
“That’s why our contract already includes the toughest penalty in the state — automatic termination — for any teacher found guilty of this offense,” he said in a statement.
Zakiyah Ansari, advocacy director for the Alliance for Quality Education, said proven abusers must be removed promptly from the classroom. “We have to make sure this is about keeping our children safe and nothing else,” she said.
rmonahan@nydailynews.com
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