Michael Bests' Ire Is Wrong

This NY teacher wrote this in response to the articles about the rubber room that keep conveniently miss the point that most of the teachers are there for political reasons. Either they refused to do an unlawful act, tried to protect their students and became a threat to White Chalk Crime, or they are over 40 and could file an age discrimination lawsuit if the district does not connive a way around it. Of course bypassing the law is unlawful. And using students as pawns to achieve the political muscle needed to force resignations is unethical and highly detrimental to all involved including the students. However, when you are a White Chalk Criminal it doesn't matter. No one is watching and the media conveniently keeps getting it wrong. Could this be intentional that the media cannot figure this out, particularly when a site such as this has it ALL SPELLED OUT? NAPTA

WHY IS THE CITY PAYING PEOPLE TO DO NOTHING? You missed the point. I spent many months in a rubber room after being falsely and unfairly accused by a clearly delusional and disturbed pupil who claimed that I "looked deeply in her eyes", across a crowded classroom,during a journal-literature lesson. And this, after 35 years of unblemished service. Removed from the classroom and sent to Linden place in Queens I was suddenly aloft and facing pending charges, sent to a holding cell crowded with teachers from all walks, also charged with similar frivolous and goofy charges. It was, truly a detention of a professional Union.

The psychological damage of sudden detention for months, and for some, years, in a crowded holding pen with dozens more, does and did enough damage to those around me, all accomplished and dedicated teachers.This daily inglorious restraint destroyed all our teaching muscles and challenged our morale. Eventually, it forced me and other senior teachers to resign. We can make these charges all go away,if you resign", is what DOE attorney, Fox told me and others; where's the due process in that?

Your article neglected to investigate the source of Michael Bests' ire and rancor at teachers. These suddenly burgeoning rubber rooms are illegal violations of Civil Liberties and due process. I observed that swift fair adjudication and fair treatment was given to much younger teachers accused of similar charges.They didn't languish for long months or years for adjudication and were treated fairly. Senior teachers, as a group were forced out; could this reflect a systemic move by the State Legislature and State Senate to balance the State budget by removing senior staff everywhere, or is this Mayor's rancor at the UFT?

We have been abandoned by our union and are forced into a semblance and a cynical facsimile of due process.The 30-20 process, at first designed to prevent abuses to tenured staff is now the perverted tool of the DOE used to entangle and unfairly remove tenured teachers. Who ordered this sudden unfair treatment that unfairly brushes all rubber room teachers with the same punitive broad stroke and has doubled the rosters of detained and tightly corralled teachers is as important as who allows these rooms to exist and persist. No other so-called professional Union would tolerate such treatment of its members.

Paul Schroeder

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