Comments on: With “turnaround” dead in the water, city releases plan details

By: DM

DM — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Our schools need stability. They do not need a “shake up.”

By: I noticed that...

I noticed that... — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:02:00 +0000

You’re right; Sternberg can’t be trusted. He’ll probably won’t pay for the drinks.

By: Pogue

Pogue — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:54:00 +0000

Bloomberg
Sternberg
Quinnberg

None can be trusted.

By: I noticed that...

I noticed that... — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Since Sternberg will most likely not be punished or demoted for all his lies and deceits, I feel that there should be an appropriate consequence imposed for his behavior. To celebrate the court’s decision, all the turnaround teachers should have Sternberg pay for all the drinks at Tribeca Tavern.

By: Dirk Peters

Dirk Peters — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 01:45:00 +0000

Mark Sternberg lies. Again.

By: A Brooklyn Turnaround Victim

A Brooklyn Turnaround Victim — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:21:00 +0000

I remember sitting at my school’s Joint Public Hearing hearing Sternberg say over and over how the schools didn’t have to adhere to the “up to 50% rule” and praying he was being truthful….should have known better than to believe a word he was saying….but thinking now how hard it’s going to be to work for an organization that is full of liars…..harder still knowing that my kids are being educated in an organization that is full of liars and a hatred of educators….I truly hope the UFT does something very public to make sure that the whole Turnaround fiasco/disgrace is shown for what it was…..a bunch of lies.
This whole process has damaged so many parts of my career and my beliefs….

By: TeachmyclassMrMayor

TeachmyclassMrMayor — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Guest, I have ripped the union over its horrible job of PR. They have had so many opportunities to show just how the mayor has destroyed and continues to destroy the system. I have made my feelings known to the leadership, and for the most part they have refused to even acknowledge me, not even an “F-U” leave us alone. They have never learned the lesson of the one time they did and it worked like a charm (a few years ago when the Jewish holidays created a one day week for students). There are so many lies spread by the Mayor Napoleon & his lackeys and no one challenges him. I understand why the media doesn’t, but why the union leadership does not baffles me beyond belief.

By: Organizedchaos

Organizedchaos — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 20:07:00 +0000

This whole process is nothing but a disgrace. Now that the dust has settled, we get to look forward to chaos come September. No one knows what is going on. What subjects will we teach? Who will be coming back? How damaged will the dynamic be for the teachers who were not invited back after the interviews? Who is going to fill the higher up positions for those who retired in June?

Nobody knows…and everyone will suffer.

By: Abc

Abc — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:00:00 +0000

whatever works

By: burned

burned — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Abc: your anger at the City and the UFT leadership is so justified. But the courts are not the place to get the advantage over the mayor or “take back what was taken.” A union can not go to court each time management breaks the contract. Even in the Turnaround case, when UFT went to court, the judge told them to use the normal recourse when the contract is violated, the highest step in the grievance process, arbitration. Instead, the uft has to get union members (and community, and other unions) involved in direct actions on school and citywide levels that put pressure on the DOE and the City.

By: guest

guest — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:33:00 +0000

So where do we go from here? Rachel in the article makes the point about the lies. Schoolbook in the Times which has the story seems to concentrate on the programs the DOE seems to be lamenting it cannot establish or continue because of the loss f SIG funds (could that be the motive of releasing this document>).

Now if I were Michael Mulgrew, I would call a news conference for Monday morning and point out the lies regarding the 50% of the teachers. I would point out, also, that it is a total lie that they can’t get the SIG funding because everything else they pushed for in the so called “new” schools can be done under Restart or Transformation. Mulgrew should point out that it is the city refusing to use the other possible models by their refusal to move off dead center on the teacher evaluation system (personally I think the appeals procedure they negotiated through the Governor does not do enough to protect teachers but at least it’s a start). Otherwise, by Monday, this will be ancient history.

By: Pogue

Pogue — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:28:00 +0000

This current process of firing teachers and hiring new ones is all about union busting. Divide, displace, and water down union strength. It has nothing to do with helping children. The union must never give in and sell out ATR’s in the future. The vast majority of whom are victims of the DOE’s insidious, (and now exposed), plans.

By: Abc

Abc — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:27:00 +0000

The hand has been played and the next step should be to drag Bloomberg and his crew into court everyday until his term is over. Every time they break the contract hold them accountable. Keep them involved at every level. They have never treated special ed children the way the suburban districts do everyday. Make each and everyone of them defend themselves.
The Union has to do what they are supposed to do and if they are ineffective replace them and get someone who has the balls to step up and make this Mayor defend himself.
Work with the administrators union, involved parents, and teachers to hold there people accountable. I have heard of cases where teachers have been fined upwards of $30,000 dollars for doing nothing wrong. Its enough already its time to take back what was taken from us and all it will take is a little effort.
There should be a recall election started immediately and let that be a message to Bloomberg.

By: TeachmyclassMrMayor

TeachmyclassMrMayor — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:54:00 +0000

Turnaround, I doubt if the schools were even trying to come close to that.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:53:00 +0000

Sick to my stomach yet not surprised at all.
Status Quo Sleaze and Opacity!
THIS is THE current problem in education, these disgusting people who treat others like garbage and have no valid ideas or integrity!
Retire them, remove them from all duties involving society at large, let them play solitaire and read magazines and journals somewhere, travel abroad for years at a time, most of all stay away from anything involving the development of children, teens and young adults.

By: Teacher at Turnaround

Teacher at Turnaround — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:22:00 +0000

I find clarity now as to why none of the ESL teachers at my turnaround school were rehired during the interview process. “New staff to teach English Language Learners and students with disabilities…” This explains the biggest mystery as my school as everyone was shocked that in a whole department no one was rehired.. Obviously, the principal was following the directives of the DOE to eliminate the teachers in ESL so they could put in “new” staff. This is disgraceful! Another disgrace is that it appears no African-American teachers were rehired either–not that there were more than a handful at my school anyway–but not even one? This whole process was rancid.

By: SternDork

SternDork — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:14:00 +0000

The letter is fascinating. No consequences for the liar, Mr. Sternberg, who is as fake as they come.

nothing can happen to him because the others around him are dumber than he. The DOE needs Sternberg because he is slime. Now you see what the city schools have to deal with. MR. Walcott should be ousted for leaving Sterndork in place, then again, Walcott has no true authority, he’s just for show.
A toast to Sterndork at the tavern in Tribeca is in order!!

By: Elaz Laz

Elaz Laz — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Shocking – Marc Sternberg’s a big liar that likes to fire veteran teachers.

By: TeachmyclassMrMayor

TeachmyclassMrMayor — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Guest, none of this is funny it is, hell, I don’t even have the slightest idea what to call it. Other than one man’s agenda to destroy, I have no idea what it is. No reporter for the mainstream outlet will dare question the emperor. Either their bosses agree with his agenda or are afraid he will come after them when he buys their company.

Here is the funny thing if you look at the “items” missed out on, they already happen, at least most of them, except the extended day stuff. Just like in Chicago, Napoleon wants what Emanuel wanted, longer work day, no extra pay.

The school I work in already has Saturday schools, PM schools, tutoring all year long that teachers do as part of their jobs, some classes have smart-boards already, hell some of them even work. The city a couple of years ago gave all of the administrators iPads, and in some of the smaller schools (naturally) they them to all of the staff members as well.

As for ELL students and special needs students, Napoleon and his friends (i.e. Eva Mostowitz, and the rest of the puppets he has in “leadership” positions) do not give a crap about them, look at how they have treated them over the years, don’t take my word for it.

Finally, the only two things that are on that list that we do not have already, at least theoretically are:

“Advanced courses conducted through distance learning” – in other words, on line classes where they do not have to hire teachers.

“Credit recovery for at risk students” – in other words sham credits that the administration can use to make themselves look good. These are once again, online classes so no teachers has to be hired and while some of these can be legit, most are not. And just gives the principals more opportunity to change kids grades, without seat time…just as they did with one of my students this year. A student who was only in class three days an entire semester.

So the story is there, if it wants to be pursued but do not expect anyone at the three daily city newspapers to chase it down, nor any of the electronic outlets. I am sure that some blogs will, but they take a while to gain traction.

By: Turnaround Teacher

Turnaround Teacher — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:57:00 +0000

So they flat out lied to us…it seemed clear at most of these schools that they were in fact trying to hit the 50% mark. Now it is in writing. What a disgrace.