Do Not Apply
What New York City schools are so horrible, so career-ending, so abusive (esp of teachers, but also of students) that we should protect new members by advising them to stay away?
Yesterday I suggested that we (teachers and our unions) should make this information available to new teachers. But doing it is hard. The problems must be severe to make this list. But they are out there.
Does the school have assaults on teachers that go unreported? Do students get away with bad stuff without consequences, or minor consequences?
Does the principal get rid of people (plural) mid-year? Fabricate charges? Get their licenses lifted?
Do routine requests for help or repairs get ignored?
Do teachers walk around scared? Do you see adults getting yelled at by administrators on a regular basis?
Do most teachers talk about leaving? And do more than half leave each year?
Which schools, folks, which are so bad that no one should apply? I’ll name a few, in a few days. But I only really know high schools, and mostly up here in the Bronx. It would be great if you could supply the names of other schools at other levels and in other borough. E-mail me (this blogname at gmail dot com). Explain why the school belongs on the DNA list. Please be as specific as you feel comfortable.
(this is about the 12th in a series of posts this month on the relationship between NYC Teaching Fellows and other teachers in NYC and our union. Start reading at the beginning here or one post earlier, there.)
Trackbacks
- Do Not Apply - 2 - Eximius College Prep « JD2718
- Do Not Apply - 4 - Discovery HS « JD2718
- Do Not Apply - Bronx High Schools « JD2718
- Do Not Apply - Manhattan High Schools (update) « JD2718
- Do Not Apply: A Bronx middle school « JD2718
- Reaching Fellows (reprint) « JD2718
- Posts from last summer about new teachers « JD2718
JD2718 
The Springfield High School Complex. They have sent 9 staff members to the Teacher Reassignment Center
Jill Chaifetz Transfer High School in the Bronx should be on the do not apply list as it has career-ending administration also, and is guilty of the crimes listed above. No new teacher was given tenure for the last 4 years since the school opened. Staff changes very year with the exception of two or three teachers who the admin likes. The principal is an unlicensed tyrant and sadist who enjoys using fear and intimidation. Everything done by teachers is viewed upon negatively. The chapter leader is a friend of the principal and protects the principal allowed wholesale violation of the teacher’s contract and some DOE chancellor’s rules. Nothing get reported. There is no discipline code adherence and kids are allowed to run amuck, disrespect teachers, and disrupt classrooms. The admin’s response to behavior issues is that teacher’s cannot remove kids from classrooms. Letters are regularly put in files for minor issues and embellished with lies to make them appear more serious. Students are coerced to lie about incidents involving teachers. There’s more. This school will end the careers of new teachers and ruin the reputation of tenured teachers who are unfortunate enough to work here. Out of 8 teachers hired at this school for 2010-2011 year, 7 are leaving including myself, and 4 of the teachers who were here a year or more are also leaving. They stayed hoping to get tenure for a second time and were denied. This school has only 15 teachers. Staff changes every year. Avoid this school at all costs.
I would like to reach you privately. You can send me a note to [this blog name] at G mail.
Please add Urban Assembly School for Wildlife Conservation to this list. Any questions as to why? Just google it and see the Daily News article from last week.
Parents of PS 67 do not feel they are safe with Wildlife in the building. Channel 11 came to do an interview on just that last week. I am an employee there and the kids in their school are hideous. They are crude, loud, perverse, and not the kind of kids that PK and K students should be around. They made this move to get them 2 blocks away from the zoo, they should’ve moved 2 more blocks INTO the zoo cause that’s where they belong.
I would like to say that Life Sciences Secondary School does NOT belong on this list! The teachers care and are always there for the students and yes the principle/assistant principle can be mean but that’s because they are trying to make a better for the school! This school is actually really good and every student is looked after and helped when needed. Maybe you should see if it’s your children! School aren’t always the principle or staff. Look at your children. LS3 is a good school I disagree with this!