Comments on: Bureaucracy left teacher accused of sex misconduct in schools

By: Mr. Portelos

Mr. Portelos — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:12:00 +0000

Want to hear something crazier? I not only gave SCI, DOE and OSI, specific times, locations, pictures and dates of when an assistant principal, of Berta Dreyfus IS 49, allegedly put her hands on students, but I actually gave them video. This was all back in May and June 2012. Take a wild guess where that assistant principal is now. If you guess sitting next to me in the “rubber room”, then guess again. She was not even removed for a day.

http://www.protectportelos.org

By: Anne Cregan

Anne Cregan — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 18:25:00 +0000

This is so disgusting. It’s just like the catholic church, with their pedophile priests. What is the matter with these organizations? Do they not hold the children’s safety above all else? How many complaints do they have to receive before they act. What a travesty.

By: Sami's Mama

Sami's Mama — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 21:29:00 +0000

“We are not always notified about investigations,” she said. “When we were told about this one, we reassigned the teacher.” Maybe the fact that you would have “reassigned” him is the reason you didn’t know about this one? How dare an office like the DOE knowingly and willingly leave a person like him in a setting that involves innocence! God help the “teacher” that behaves like this in my granddaughter’s school, then God try to help the DOE!!

By: Mitch

Mitch — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:29:00 +0000

Did anyone see how badly the Daily News reported this story? And you just knew Walcott was going to try to distort the issue by demanding to fire people without a hearing.

By: nycdoenuts

nycdoenuts — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 10:57:00 +0000

It sounds to me like we’re in general agreement. But if the SI isn’t required to inform the DOE of accusations made, then potential danger foyer kids is there.

Also VERY important (to me); The UFT boomerang (that’s where every mistake that happens in the system is warped into somehow -miraculously- being the union’s fault) is evervpresent. I don’t want some dishonest politician coming among in a week or two sugesting that I ned to give up my due process rights, because this one teacher fell through SI’s snafu the DOE’s cracks.
Remember, that flimflam man doesn’t like unions..or teachers

By: Huh?

Huh? — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 05:35:00 +0000

huh?

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 05:24:00 +0000

if I had a girl in this school i would organize a boycott until this creep was removed the system is set up for the adults not the kids. and frankly it sucks for the adult

the red tape and nonsense the union has created to remove teachers is a joke and you know who pays the price… kids yes… but teachers

why

connect the dots.

teachers in ny are some of the most miserable i know. and it is because too many of them are led by weak principals.but great teachers… potentially great principals DO NOT WANT this lousy principal job… because no one wants to lead a boat they cant really control. and while teacher collaboration and distributed teacher leadership is good in theory and i have seen it work well… it takes a crazy strong smart principal … which as I explained there is a true dearth of… the solution principals .. informed by teachers…360 feedback hire and fire….no arbitration. no stupid value ad get rid of the union and its silliness in the public sector which is too weak to stand up to it effectively ….and dump useless ed reform value ad which was created i response to union protection run amok. because where are we.in a place where disgusting male teachers get to look at porn and hang out in the girls bathroom … while the system cant figure out how to connect the acane dots to get rid of himand dont post all the millions of rules and reasons why i dont understand the system. the system is broken period. who the hell wants to understand it. no one should tryi repeaatprincipals … hire and fire. at will.. informed by 360 feedback of teachers. no value ad.. no arbitraion.sounds radical..?. its practiced in all the best companies in america. where our best teachers go work… (and dont become good principals) bc they cant deal with this bs system…

By: Rahrahrosie

Rahrahrosie — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 01:38:00 +0000

This is a complete farce…let’s get something straight. Either an outsider/or a DOE employee calls in a complaint or sends one in. It is either sent to OSI, who can investigate, remand back to principal, or bounce to SCI. All 3 are aware of what is going on, they just prefer to pass the buck…I know it happens like that for a fact! If they are all supposed to be working together to remove “horrible teachers”- it would make sense that they actually work together, and are one entity. Something is BROKEN with the investigative process, and these retired cops (SCI) are nothing but bullies who substantiate everything they are told to! The whole process is a SHAM/SCAM…originiated by the FLIM FLAM MAN….

By: Norm

Norm — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 01:02:00 +0000

Let’s make this clear: there is no union rule that kept this teacher in the school. Francesco Portelos was send to the rubber room for questioning his principal’s use of school funds and still is there months later on trumped up charges. Walcott protects any principal no matter what he does. Ask Walcott exactly how this teacher would have been removed any sooner if he had that power.

By: Joseph Moses

Joseph Moses — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:44:00 +0000

Walcott says: ”
“This is an example of why it is imperative for new legislation that would give me the final determination on substantiated sexual misconduct cases.” No, Mr. Chancellor. This is an example of how you and your DOE are more interested in firing teachers than in protecting students.

By: Philip Nobile

Philip Nobile — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:34:00 +0000

EARTH TO DOE EMPLOYEES: both the Chancellor’s Office of Special Investigations and the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigation are corrupt. Their gumshoes are surprisingly dumb and easily flummoxed. I know. I have been probed by both and have beaten them every time. One example, after I reported credit recovery fraud at the Cobble Hill School of American Studies directly to Chancellor Walcott, saying that I would hand over the evidence only to an independent agency, OSI put me under investigation for “employee misconduct.” I told OSI Director Candace McClaren to get lost. Eventually,she dropped the case against me but refused to say why. Then, calling her bluff, I reversed course. I said that I would give her the evidence under conditions guaranteeing an honest inquiry. She did not bite.

By: Clay

Clay — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:27:00 +0000

It’s simple really, the DOE is lying.

By: nycdoenuts

nycdoenuts — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 23:21:00 +0000

This sounds a little like the pre-9/11 relationship between the several federal government agencies. I, for one, didn’t know it was this dysfunctional.

The mayor needs to find a way to require SCI to inform the DOE of its cases -through Albany action if needed. It’s in everyone’s interest that someone is able to connect the dots.

By: leonie haimson

leonie haimson — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:32:00 +0000

This is a confusing story b/c it seems to report that the principal entered his charges against the teacher into a DOE system, and then the DOE decides which cases to refer to Condon. Thus someone at DOE must have known even while Condon was investigating. And yet the DOE spokesperson claims “We are not always notified about investigations.” What is their excuse? As the principal said,”The DOE should be on it.”