Comments on: Bronx principal keeps her job after imperiling the jobs of others

By: Bewildered

Bewildered — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 01:47:16 +0000

It is disturbing enough to read all the blogs about Iris Blige, but I recently learned that one of the three assistant principals who testified against Iris Blige still works under her supervion. Given the viciousness of her character, that assistant principal will be in grave danger of receiving a U-rating or worse yet become the next causalty of Ms. Iris Blige’s wrath and should therefore be offered some form of witness protection. While we all applaud the actions of all those who testified to expose the deeds of Ms. Blige let us not forget that this wounded serpent may be waiting to strike the next victim.

Someone should look into this.

By: Ms. Books

Ms. Books — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:54:27 +0000

Bravo, Dr. Barden.

By: Virginia Barden, Ph.D.

Virginia Barden, Ph.D. — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:21:06 +0000

This outrageous principal keeps her job because her outrageous leadership style is sanctioned by those at the top. As a graduate of the first cohort of Bloomberg’s Leadership Academy (2004), She is the epitome of the “New” principal that this academy was designed to produce — leadership by mind games: abuse of power = disgruntled teachers who deserved to be u-rated; rapid teacher turnover = toughness and strong leadership; u-rating teachers = showing them who is the big dog — the one in charge who is superior. On Monday, January 24, 2011 when a secretary said to Ms. Blige that she thought people were saying horrible things about her, Ms. Blige replied that “They are all lies.” She denies any wrongdoings. Bloomberg’s principal, Iris Blige, has never taught a class. She has no teaching credentials; yet, she is a rating officer of teachers’ performance. Bloomberg and Joel Klein gave principals unchecked authority over their schools; and 99.9% of what they do and say is simply rubber-stamped by those not only by the superintendent but also by the Chancellor’s Office. Why doesn’t the Union do something? For the most part, the UFT has been greatly weakened — a major achieved objective of the Bloomberg-Klein administration. Most of the strong Union activists have either retired or fired or moved on. The Union is a chain consisting of school chapters. Since most chapters have been co-opted by the principals, the strength of the Union as a whole is rapidly losing strength. Moreover, the new Chancellor is simply an extension of the Bloomberg-Klein school culture. New York Public School System is in transformation. History shows us that any system or nation going through a period of transformation under the leadership of unscrupulous leaders, there will be many innocent, hardworking and intelligent people “slaughtered” in the name of reform. Ms. Iris Blige has her “golden boys and girls” who enjoy her favors, generosity, satisfactory rating at the end of the year and objective observation of their lesson. In fact, several new teachers just out of college have received end-of-year performance rating of satisfactory even though their lessons were never observed during the school year. Using these “golden children” to speak with others on her behalf, she is able to convince her supervisor(s) that those who are complaining are simply disgruntled, lazy, incompetent teachers who are simply troublemakers and need to be eliminated. For most of these “New” principals, these small schools are their “sandbox” and you don’t play in their sandbox if you don’t play by their rule regardless of chancellor’s regulations and the teachers’ union including state education laws. Many of these “New” principals, like Ms. Iris Blige, run their schools like the Mom and Pop bodega on the street corner. So as you can see, Ms. Blige rules because she has successfully divided the staff and UFT members spy on UFT members for her and DOE has given principals unchecked authority to treat and do whatever they want to with their staff. This is the bottom line. So what can the UFT do since itself is weakened and divided.

By: Beverly Brown

Beverly Brown — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 02:01:28 +0000

This is outrageous, how could the DOE send back a criminal to work supervising teachers and students. When individuals are brought before the court and are proven guilty do we unleash them to terrorize witnesses and to continue the same crime they were accused of or do we give the just punishment. Ms Black we are appealing to you to save our good teachers and by extension our children. The teacher’s union on whom the teachers depend have abandoned them. They should be outfront ensuring the immediate removal of Blige but they have gone silent. Please Ms. Black set the right example don’t be a part of the corruption. My neice is a past student of this school and is still bitter about how some of her best teachers were cut down by Blige year after year. Help, Help somebody please!!!

By: Jeff S

Jeff S — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:42:57 +0000

…or maybe it means CSA is better able or more willing to protect its members than the UFT.

By: Teaching iz Fun

Teaching iz Fun — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:27:40 +0000

This happens more than you know! Would a teacher be able to keep her/his job if the gave grades to students they didn’t know? They give U rating to teacher who make to much! We get too expensive for them.

By: Celso Garcia

Celso Garcia — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 04:50:40 +0000

We do as we are told but there is something called ethics and morals. I will not sell my soul to the devils. Like Malcolm X said: “wrong is wrong not matter who says it or does it.” so all those that are corrupt we need you out. We need straight shooters that will not sell themselves.

By: Linda

Linda — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:57:20 +0000

At a recent SLt meeting, one of the leaders from the Fordham PSO told us that the DOE informed them [in a recent meeting with support organizations and superintendents] that they are going to make it very difficult for anyone, including principals, to get tenure. When speaking about principals specifically, she said that they want to extend tenure indefinitely. The few who do receive tenure will need to have “stellar” data to support the decision; the data must show consistent performance for several years. If a person has good data in their tenure year, the DOE will not issue it because they will say they want to make sure that the trend continues…this will be the policy for teachers as well.

The DOE wants to hire and fire at will, period. Untenured teachers working for principals like Blige run the risk of being placed on the ineligible list. They want a workforce who does what they are told, period.

By: Bronx TeacherGal

Bronx TeacherGal — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:47:03 +0000

To Astrakan,

I wish you were right. It would be so easy then to hold the individual accountable. BUT we are dealing with the human flaw – egocentricity. The system CANNOT allow so much power to an individual. They cannot handle it – whether they possess compassion or not.
POWER changes humans. It IS the human flaw. There needs to be checks and balances within the system. The school leaders are to assume even more power in the next school year for ALL teachers – tenured or not. I dread it! I cannot imagine the survival rate. All I want to do is create rich lesson plans to engage my students. All of this above is BS!, but impacts careers.

By: Empire of Illusion

Empire of Illusion — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:20:40 +0000

Most, if not all DR’s are beholden to camouflage most, if not all, grievances within their district. Come to a UFT district meeting and witness the bullshit that goes on. Jim’s comments should open the eyes of all. This is only the beginning. We are still waiting for Betsy to reveal all she knows.

By: I'M In Shock

I'M In Shock — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:51:15 +0000

LYNNE WINDERBAUM, I only wish they could clone you to the 100th power. You are a true leader , and advocate for the rights of teachers (& by extension, children) who deserve to be justly represented. I too can sing your praises……I remeber being drawn over the coals for executing my dutyies as a responsible teacher in a school in the South Bronx in the 2004-2005 school year where I had to call the UFT for representtation and as GOD would have i,t you were the one who was sent to speak on my behalf at a hearing/meeting with my principal. I was so impressed with the way you repesented me and in effect made the principla reconsidered his decision to spew me out before I became tenured. I am deliberately withholding the details of the scenario as I’m still working with the DOE and the same principal. I sing your praises everyday because I could have been among the statistics of QUALITY educators whose careers have been ruined!! Even through this medium, continue to be a beacon and advocate for those of us who continue to fight the good fight to educate the nation’s children inspite of the atrocities we face DAILY.

By: I noticed that...

I noticed that... — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:42:20 +0000

There is no better UFT district rep like Lynne Winderbaum. She was a true fighter for the rights of all members.

Jim, keep fighting for your rights. Make sure that you hold them accountable for firing you. Keep all the members posted. There should be absolutely no corruption in the union. It’s enough bullshit having corruption in City Hall, in the DoE, and with various politicians; we don’t need this bullshit in the union.

By: Bronx25years

Bronx25years — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 21:06:06 +0000

Lynne Winderbaum is my hero. Many years ago I was the target of a power hungry principal who was trying to rid his school of anyone with a brain who would not cheat on tests. He wanted his bonus$$$ badly. Lynne fought for me and restored my hope in the union…although I must say it still wavers. Ms. Winterbaum, Kathy Sarko and Paul Egan were the only intelligent, forceful and rational people I met. All other union reps seemed to want to protect their own necks and shrug their shoulders. As I near the end of my DOE years I am absolutely frightened for my coworkers who still have years to go. I honestly don’t see how anyone can make it through more than twenty years of abuse and turmoil.

By: Celso Garcia

Celso Garcia — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:53:45 +0000

I was bullied in front of the kids and all. I wish that this fairy tale would end but it keeps going knowing that I was considered a good teacfher by my colleagues parents and students is more disheartening. I fought hard for the idle of a free public education even in a mostly minority neighborhood in the south bronx the kids deserve the best. I appealed to the higher ups in the union and asked in assistance for legal representation and instead I have not even received a response. I have been paying for my lawyer barely since I am a young former teacher I do not have capital like others may have. The fight between the unioun and the city is turning vicious and people like me that get caught up get eaten alive. Any help or support would help but where would it could from who knows?

By: Celso Garcia

Celso Garcia — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:42:12 +0000

It is hard to write about the abuses in the system since we experience them in everyday life. As a probationary teacher i was satisfactorily rated for 2 year and was rated satisfactorily for e years as a substitute. I joined the union wanted to help the community especially with all the injustices and bullying by administration. Instead i was constantly picked on and harassed constantly I reported to the Bronx UFT and the said to document it but refused to do anything to help me. They refused to file a harrassment complaint. I received 2 “U” ratings and was told I had to sign a extension of probation agreement waiving all my rights to appeal the union told me to sign it after minor updates. I then was discontinued and placed on the ineligble list without a 3020A hearing. all my appeals were exhausted and the chancellor upheld the “u” with no documentation with a one paragraph decision. some in the union fought for me others just said what you want us to do. i reported abuses withing the school i was working

By: JW

JW — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:13:10 +0000

We expect corporate instruments to act consistently with certain ideologies and training.
We don’t expect unions to facilitate the sociopathy.

By: ASTRAKA

ASTRAKA — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:06:47 +0000

Bronx TeacherGal,

regarding “It is the system itself, not the individuals within, that allows for the abuse of power.”

It is the individual first, then the system that allows for the abuse of power. We seem to be lacking ethics education, self respect and compassion.

By: Michael Fiorillo

Michael Fiorillo — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:38:39 +0000

Jim Callaghan,

Please keep these important facts coming. The UFT/AFT (despite the presence of many decent and hardworking people trapped in a deluded and/or corrupt one-party state) as captive to and enabler of those who seek to destroy public education is a story that must be told. It is of a piece with the ongoing assaults against working Americans (via attacks on Social Security, pension benefits and labor rights), and democracy itself.

By: Pogue

Pogue — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:36:46 +0000

Wow, not that it wasn’t obvious beforehand, but the deception of the UFT leadership seems to be palpable.

Mr. Callaghan…

A. We need more accounts like these.

B. Your stories need to be mass e-mailed to teachers all over the city.

By: ASTRAKA

ASTRAKA — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:21:50 +0000

Jim,
What you write is so depressing! I would have liked to have seen these comments before the UFT elections. There are many teachers who need to know these facts to make an informed decision when voting. The damage has been done by Weingarten in the 2005 contract and by Mulgrew now. We as union members have the union that we deserve. There is still time to fix the damage that has been done but it requires unity, and strength. We have to understand that we can not depend on the UFT leadership to protect public education and our profession.