Sunday, December 16, 2007

no punishment for principals doing the wrong thing?

Mr. Klein determined that principals are accountable for "good performance" based on "good scores."
However, what if these principals are cheating?
In PS215, in Far Rockaway, Queens, NYC, all standards for promotion for special education students are being changed. THe special education classes of this school accounts for 30% of the grades reportable. These children are getting special accommodations they do not need -- but they are getting them to make their scores go higher.
Also, the promotional standards are being altered to a level where a 5th grade student will be meeting their eduational goals for promotion even if they are reading at a 1st grade level!!!

This is cheating, equivalent to stealing. This principal is stealing the chance the children have to really learn, the chance for the teachers to really teach them what they need to become productive citizens in the future.

To add to the disaster, the principal makes the workplace so toxic that all who can leave the school, leave. There are many children who are in need of services, but no matter what their needs are, the principal will hold the referral back -- based on her personal like and dislike for the teacher AND PARENT!!!
In fact, if a parent acts upon their rights and request the evaluation, bypassing the principal, there is revenge. The principal will interfere with the process and pressure everyone in the school NOT to give that child services -- even though the child may need it. This is particularly true with bilingual children.

This principal at P215 has already been removed from two other schools due to her horrible treatment of staff including targeting, torturing people with meetings lasting one to two hours about petty issues, she is unreasonable and neurotic, secretive and sneaky. Beside micromanaging, she is disrespectful even to teachers, staff, children, and parents who she tries to bully. She constantly acts against parent's rights. We need an advocate in the neighborhood, but our parents are hard working people who also take her toxic behavior because they are afraid of her retaliating against the children. And I assure you, reader, she does.

Quite literally, this principal runs the school like a concentration camp.

Ever since this woman principal has arrived at P215, everyone that can leave DOES.
This is a neighborhood in need of support. We need an effective HONEST principal who will work on behalf of the children instead of fudging the scores -- and trying to shut out the staff that wants to act ethically.