To The NYC DOE: Put Francesco Portelos Back In His Classroom

Francesco Portelos

Francesco has, in my opinion, made history. By streaming to the world his containment by the New York City Department of Education in a rubber room after asking questions about possible misconduct by his principal Linda Hill, he has exposed the lawless process of "rubberization" set up by the DOE and the UFT almost 10 years ago. I awarded Francesco my foundation's "A For Accountability Award".

I have lost count of the excellent, caring, and experienced teachers who have lost their jobs through this process, without reason either in fact or law. I have been researching this entire process for almost 10 years.

What is Francesco's goal? He wants to be placed BACK IN HIS CLASSROOM.

Francesco Portelos in his classroom

One of the most disastrous mistakes of the Mike Bloomberg reign over New York City is his determination never to admit error. He never said Joel Klein was a mistake (despite the fact that he hired Joel on false premises and never gave him a contract in violation of Education Law 2590-h), he never said that destroying the NYC Board of Education and never changing the law (Education Law 3020-a, which requires a vote on charges by the employing board before the allegations are given to the employee) was an error, he never admitted that putting Cathie Black in as the pretend "chancellor" (she also never had a contract) was a mistake, and now he has to deal with the pretend chancellor Dennis Walcott, I could go on and on about the lies, fibs and misinformation for a very long time.

It is time, Mike, to step in and say to your crew of total incompetents and careless, negligent educrats that Francesco Portelos was removed from his classroom in error by the "legal" (in title only, mind you) department and he must return now. All the stuff about "serious" allegations coming down the road, and "multiple" investigations going on about his alleged "misconduct sound exactly like you seem to be having a temper tantrum because somebody called your bluff, or at least the bluff of your sidekick, Dennis Walcott.

It's not going to work. The more you make up, the more people are going to know how this all works, that students, administrators and yes, even staff, are forced or "convinced" to lie to support your devious end, to get excellent senior tenured teachers out of the classroom in order to hire young, cheaper editions. Whistleblowers need not apply.

NOTE TO THE PUBLIC

C'mon, folks, if you havent signed Francesco's petition on Change.org, DO SO NOW. Put your name and if you are retaliated against for doing so, document everything that happens, and email me at betsy.combier@gmail.com.

Here is the petition:
http://chn.ge/JEJ7Bl
http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-city-department-of-education-reinstate-mr-portelos-to-the-classroom-and-take-him-out-of-the-rubber-room

New York City Department of Education: Reinstate Mr. Portelos to the classroom and take him out of the Rubber Room

by People for Portelos .

Brooklyn, NY