“SCRUBBING” TEST SCORES,
“SCRUBBING” TEACHERS,
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAY IN POWER!

Below is a courageous school guidance counselor’s story told through a letter that she wrote to NYC’s Chancellor Joel Klein and Eric Nadelstern, Chief Operating Officer. As you will see, she reported a hostile environment in her school that endangers all including the students, violations of federal law as it pertains to working mothers, and violations of the First Amendment in that her speaking out about her former principal, John Angelet, whose tenure “proved to be filled with unethical activities,” resulted in severe and ongoing retaliation. Most importantly, she reported that the UFT [union] District Representative took NO action to support her. According to this guidance counselor he just filed a harassment grievance two years ago for which she has received no follow up. Consequently, she cannot appeal her unjust U rating from last year because the harassment grievance has to be resolved first. She has made many phone calls to the UFT, which result in token visits from the District Representative who “agrees with everything…but pretty much does nothing.” Yet, both of these EducRAT$ responded, to this letter below, that she should contact her union, knowing that her union was part of what she was reporting as the problem.

How convenient! White Chalk Crime is organized to ensure its perpetuation. This is why it is important to read these stories together. If you read about NY teacher Robert Segerra, the UFT Chapter Leader who was allegedly physically assaulted for standing up for another teacher who had similarly suffered false allegations at the hands of a principal, you can surmise why her District Representative “took no action.” Union representatives did not sign up for combat duty! Yet, where is the union leadership while all of this is going on other than counting the money earned from dues for non existent protection?

This guidance counselor’s issues have been going on for years and we can be sure will not stop until this once successful educator is cleansed from the system given this merciless cycle of organized White Chalk Crime. (Also check out where another brave NY teacher, Polo Colon, confronts Joel Klein about White Chalk Crime and watch how Klein blows him off: WWW.YOUTUBE.COM Klein immediately rebuffed this teacher’s “unsubstantiated allegations” against a principal, requiring that a court of law must first substantiate the truth of the matter, clandestinely confident that teachers are dependent on unions to even go down the costly legal path. Thus, with unions in their pocket, so is the law! And, by the way, Colon’s allegations had been substantiated by a court of law, but he was not permitted to prove this because bullying is the way in our schools!)

Is there any wonder why students are viciously bullying when the guidance counselor and all dedicated teachers are fair game? They see how we are being treated and use it to their advantage. This guidance counselor stated: “I\'ve had kids complain about me when I refuse to change a class and they get what they want from my AP [Assistant Principal] totally undermining my authority. The kids that are bullied are the ones that don\'t perform and they want out of the school. This affects their [EducRAT$’] ‘statistics’ and graduation rate. They constantly push me to ‘redirect’ these kids.” How could we have any other outcome than bullying and violence in the schools when those at the top behave in such ruthless and lawless ways? NAPTA

MEMORANDUM

To: File #729250 Date: May 18, 2009 Re: Letters to File

This is an official letter to File #729250 by Angela M. Corre, Guidance Counselor, Bayard Rustin Educational Complex. To date, I have been subject to numerous letters to file regarding everything having to do with my work performance and absence record, each letter ending with a statement promising disciplinary action leading to a U rating and termination of employment.

Ms. Nancy Amling, Principal, threatened me with a U rating in a meeting last August, before the school year even began. I quote her “if you come back in September, there is nothing you can do to avoid a U rating, I’m in the process of turning over your file to legal and a hearing is going to be held, I suggest you look for a job elsewhere.” She then proceeded to go over some possible outside career suggestions. Dr. John Loonam, Director of IMW also told me on numerous occasions both last school year and this year that I “was under a microscope” and nothing any other Counselor did or did not do had any bearing on me. They are not being judged for their lack of performance in some cases, but I am being scrutinized and letters to file are written continually containing false information designed to paint me as incompetent and unfit for duty.

I filed an intermittent FMLA last year and I am in the process of filing another for this year as I have had to contend with a crisis in my family that caused me to be absent on several occasions. Ms. Marita Franzman, continues to write letters to file and dock my salary punitively, resulting in financial hardship in addition to the hostile work environment I am forced to endure daily. On April 8th, the day before Spring Break, she informed me that my “absences have been determined to interfere with my ability to do my job” that I would be referred to a hearing and reassigned from this building. To date I have remained in this school. Ms. Amling stated that I would be reassigned when they could find a replacement for me. I am assuming no replacement has been found and I have been kept from reassignment presumably to complete Fall Term Programming and perform all the needed functions of my job that I am continually deemed incompetent to do, yet will not be immediately reassigned because I am needed to complete those very functions.

Page Two May 18, 2009 Letter to File #729250

On December 18th, I was called down to Ms. Amling’s office where I was informed that I was the subject of a Special Investigation by the office of the CSI. Charges were brought against me by Ms. Amling suggesting that I did not follow procedure and called ACS on a case brought to my attention several weeks before. Several of my co-workers were made to write statements accusing me of neglect. These statements, and Ms. Amling’s actions, would have resulted in my facing criminal charges. I am the head of my household with 4 year old twin girls. Ms. Amling did not hesitate to place my family and freedom in jeopardy to advance the promise made just a few months before. The charges were found to be completely false and the case closed three weeks later. In the latest letter to file dated May 18, 2009 it states that I conducted a planning interview that day when I was not even available to the student and his parent. The interview was conducted by Bruce “Jamie” Testa, Guidance Counselor, IMW.

I have no doubt that Ms. Amling will live up to her promise of a U rating this June. I was not able to find another position due to the U rating I received from the former principal, John Angelet, who was removed for corruption, embezzlement, and conspiring to “scrub” Regents test scores. Mr. Angelet was still allowed to U rate me even though he was already deemed to be unfit, and whose actions have caused this once great school to be shut down.

This school has been in total chaos since 2004. There are no supports in place for teachers and guidance staff. Guidance has been burdened with additional work as the offices of the College Advisor, Program Chair and Pupil Personnel Secretary have been closed. There is no active supervision of Guidance Counselors, no chain of command to be followed. During the start of the last four school years students have not received programs on time, or were forced to follow generic schedules that pushed them further behind in their academic studies. Guidance Counselors were shifted throughout the building from office to office, and for quite some time sharing makeshift classroom offices where no confidentiality was able to be maintained. Ms. Amling herself said in a meeting with the Guidance Staff in October that she was grateful to us for continuing to work “in such a mess”.

During the last four years I have been subject to the most grievous harassment by the administration of this school. Before that time, I had no letters to file and had a record of satisfactory ratings dating back to 1999. Mr. John Angelet began his campaign to remove me from this school after I returned from maternity leave where he stated that “he did not want me back.” Mr. Angelet began his harassment partially as retaliation for my speaking out about racial and ethnic slurs he had made in my presence during the 2003-2004 school year. This was reported to the UFT Chapter Leader at that time, Mr. Brian Cutler, who took no action. Additionally, Mr. Angelet stated to myself and others that he didn’t think I would be back after maternity leave, and felt I should not be able to work after giving birth to my daughters.

Page Three May 18, 2009 Letter to File #729250

My file is filled with letters detailing alleged instances of incompetence and misconduct taken out of context, and in some cases, completely fabricated. I have continually been accused of being unprofessional and not getting along with my co-workers when the exact opposite has been the case. I have and will continue to have many friendships with my colleagues, and I have always maintained, and continue to maintain complete professionalism in my position. The administration has made it virtually impossible for me to do my job to the best of my ability by creating a hostile work environment, and harassing me almost daily. Ms. Amling argues that she has given me a “fresh start” during the current school year. I am writing this letter to document that she promised me a U rating in August 2008 and has done everything since then to ensure that I receive one.

It is ironic that Mr. John Angelet continues to work in this system after his tenure as Principal was proven to be filled with illegal and ethical activities, yet I am facing possible charges of incompetence and termination from my position. I have sought help for my situation from both the UFT and Superintendent Elaine Gorman, who has ignored me completely, even when Mr. Angelet became violent during a meeting with me in June 2007.

In conclusion, I’d like to state for the record that I have tried to do my job to the best of my ability for the past four years. During this time I have been raising twin daughters, and coping with my husband’s illness, all while enduring endless hostility and harassment at this school. I have filed harassment grievances, workload grievances, sought the help of many people to no avail. I am facing termination which will render me unable to support my family, while others such as Mr. John Angelet and Ms. Elaine Gorman continue to work until they are rewarded with retirement.

It is ironic that in a country where free speech is the law of the land, I have been targeted for termination simply for speaking out against alleged wrongs committed by the administration of this school, and for committing the “crime” of giving birth.

Sincerely,

Angela M.Corre Guidance Counselor Bayard Rustin Educational Complex

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