BTF TO BUFFALO SCHOOL BOARD, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AND BOARD OF REGENTS – END DEGRADING, DESTRUCTIVE AND HURTFUL ACTIONS AGAINST STUDENTS AND PARENTS  

The Buffalo Teachers Federation today called upon the Buffalo Board of Education, Commissioner of Education and Board of Regents (attached) to ensure that the destructive and hurtful actions (directives) against parents and students as outlined in the attached resolution cease immediately.
“The Buffalo School Board, Commissioner of Education and Board of Regents must take immediate action to ensure that the degrading, destructive and hurtful actions/directives against opt-out students and parents are ended prior to the next 3-8 State Standardized test in May 2018.

I ask how you would feel if you put yourself in the position of a third grade (or 4-8) student who is being told that he/she cannot attend a school trip, go to an ice cream social, have a ticket for a mountain bike raffle or is being pressured by the principal to take a test that your parents, in your best interest, don’t want you taking (the 3-8 State tests).

It is obvious, since these tests provide no timely information that can be used by teachers to help their students, that administrators are not taking
these degrading, destructive and hurtful actions in the interest of students’ education but rather to make themselves “look good” by having a high percentage of students take these tests and therefore fewer students being opted-out.

We understand that similar actions are occurring in other schools districts.

If the School Board, Commissioner and Board of Regents don’t act to prevent these actions (directives), in my opinion, they are condoning child abuse”, stated Philip Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

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BTF/SCHOOL DISTRICT SET CITY HONORS ARBITRATION AND NEGOTIATIONS DATES   

“While it is difficult and time consuming to find an arbitrator who can accommodate a speedy arbitration date, the BTF and District have found and agreed upon an arbitrator who can hold an expedited hearing on the City Honors arbitration.

The BTF and District have also now agreed on a date to resume negotiations.”, stated Philip Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

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BUFFALO TEACHER TRANSFER PROCESS – AN IMPENDING DISASTER

“The Teacher Transfer Process is a disastrous demonstration of Incompetence, Falsehoods, a complete willful disregard for BTF/District agreements and attempts by the BTF to work with the District to correct the many serious problems that will result in having to re-do the transfers of hundreds of teachers”, stated Phil Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

The BTF today outlined its many attempts, from June 6, 2017 to May of 2018, to alert the District of the severe transfer problems and the BTF’s efforts to correct them. The BTF also pointed out false statements made by the District designed to mislead all concerned.

A timeline was presented containing events and eight (8) written communications to the District, Superintendent and Board of Education outlining the year-long efforts of the BTF to identify and correct the serious problems to avoid the District’s having to re-do hundreds of teacher transfers.

The District ignored the many communications and as a result, if not corrected, will have to re-do hundreds of teacher transfers.

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DISTRICT FOUND GUILTY OF TEACHER REPRISAL AND HARMING THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS AT CITY HONORS

An arbitrator has ruled that the Buffalo School District retaliated against the teachers at City Honors for prevailing in an arbitration against the District and harmed the students’ education by eliminating 5.5 teacher positions to fund the restoration of teacher aides.

“The District has once again shown its vindictiveness against its dedicated and hardworking teachers and in doing so has harmed the education of our students.

This and other recent actions indicate that the era of good will and statements of support for teachers is but a mask for attacks on them.” stated Phil Rumore, President of the BTF.

“I find that the BTF has established by a preponderance of the credible evidence that the District has violated Article V E. (2), Article II B., and Article I B. of the Contract. I find for the BTF because the District’s decision to eliminate 5.5 teaching positions to finance the hiring of the sixteen teacher aides was not narrowly tailored to meet its economic needs and was not applied in a union membership neutral manner. I find that the District’s decision to eliminate 5.5 BTF positions affected the quality of the City Honors’ Music program and English department.”

“The remedy is for the District to cease and desist from future acts of reprisals of any kind against the BTF for the implementation of the Award in PERB Case number A2011-142. The District shall also rescind its decision to eliminate 5.5 teaching positions at City Honors. Those cuts affected the quality of educational programs afforded to students and violate Article I B. which guarantees the “finest educational programs possible.”

To View the Arbitration Award, Click Here

To View the Entire Arbitration Decision, Click Here

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CONTINUED UNACCEPTABLE SAFETY AND LEARNING CONDITIONS AT MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL

January 2018 – the first ever vote of No Confidence for a principal, Marck Abraham, McKinley High School, signed by over 60% of the faculty. Note: Many were afraid to sign because of the fear of reprisals, attached here.

Issues raised – January 2018 – One Year Ago

“Many of our teachers feel that McKinley has become an unsafe environment for teaching and learning as a result of the Acting Principal’s leadership.”

• “Unacceptable student behavior, unsatisfactory or no resolution to student discipline referrals.”
• “Lack of student supervision in hallways and staircases.”
•  “Students are not held accountable for their whereabouts during the school day.”
•  “Students not in compliance with district code of conduct (i.e. dress code, electronics policy, food/drink) are not held accountable, which has resulted in student defiance and belief that they are exempt from school rules.”
•  “Bullying and intimidation of teachers by Acting Principal Abraham.”
•  “Security presence and response inadequate to provide support to teachers.”
•  “Student arrival times are currently recorded on the attendance record for homeroom/1st period only, to artificially inflate attendance data.”

This document was sent to the Superintendent and members of the Board of Education.

Since the January 2018 vote of no confidence for Acting Principal Marck Abraham, nothing has been done, so teaching and learning conditions get worse.

Since then, the BTF has received constant concerns relating to Principal Abraham’s refusal to address the urgent, unsafe teaching and learning conditions.

Since then, 12 grievances have been filed.

The conditions, since the loss of Principal Crystal Barton, have now resulted in a student, who was previously involved in extremely disruptive acts and threats of violence, body-slamming a teacher causing serious injury.

Much to teachers’ dismay, students continue (see January Vote of No Confidence) to arrive very late at McKinley High School with no consequences as the detention room was disbanded by Principal Abraham.

Based upon information available, one of the District’s portals at McKinley High School:

• on January 7, 2019, 170 students were late.
• on January 8, 2019, 151 students were late.
•  22 students were late 40-64 days since September 6, 2018.
•  over 130 students were late 20-40 times this year. 

A teacher at McKinley High School reported that three students barged into her room while she was working with other students. After she advised the students to leave:

• “They would not leave and instead said inappropriate things to me: ‘F** this, we don’t have to do any f**king thing.’”
• “One of the boys mimicked kissing with his lips towards me while another moved towards me and asked if I wanted a hug and more from him, I backed away and told them I would be calling security. They said, ‘f*** security! We’re not afraid of them. They can’t do anything to us!!’ I was able to shut the door on them and called security. A guard came and said he would review the camera and to write this incident up.” 

The students did not receive a formal suspension – only a three-day suspension.

This, what is considered Inappropriate/Inadequate Discipline, was reported to Superintendent Cash by BTF President, Philip Rumore (attached here).

As a result, the teacher was demeaned, insulted and humiliated by Principal Abraham who at a meeting also had his secretary/clerk present.

During the meeting, the teacher states:

• Mr. Abraham does not feel the action of the three students rises to a Formal Suspension since I was not physically attacked.
• He continually asked me why I ‘feared’ for my life. I corrected him saying I said ‘I feared for my safety’. He asked me what I was afraid of: being raped, groped, touched, thrown to the ground, or being beaten up by these three boys? I explained that I did not know these students, their grade level, or what they were capable of. They were very aggressive, both physically and verbally, coupled with sexual harassment caused me to ‘fear for my safety’.
• Mr. Abraham said the wording in my referral was sensationalized because ‘I feared for my safety.’ He questioned that fear as unfounded. After all, ‘there were a dozen students in my classroom and surely they would not stand by and let me be raped.’ He repeated that my wording was sensational numerous times throughout the meeting.
• He referred, five to six times, to the fact that the three students were African American teenage boys and that they are disproportionately formally suspended in city schools throughout the U.S. He asked me if I was aware of recent research which states that suspension for teenage African American boys does not change the behavior and instead disenfranchises them from the school community. I said that ‘actions have consequences’ and ‘students that commit sexual harassment toward a teacher need to be dealt with accordingly”. He wanted me to cite reports that support his opinion.
• Mr. Abraham asked me if I knew what ‘implicit bias’ was and I said ‘yes’. He stated that we all have it and inferred that I am guilty of it like everyone else. I refuted that claim completely. I said, ‘that if the three students were white, had acted in the same manner as the three students I wrote the referral for, I would not have changed my report.’ I do not see my students as black, white, Asian, African, or Hispanic. My love is dedicated to all my students and my passion is teaching. He did not believe me. Instead he pointed out that he is black and so is Ms. Cottam the school secretary who was told by the principal to be present. I said ‘yes and I’m white… are you treating me differently because I’m white?’ No answer.

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BTF ACCUSES SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD OF COVER-UP AT MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL

““In response to our February 4, 2019 Press Release, apparently the Superintendent, School Board and Principal are attempting to cover-up the downward spiraling graduation rate and dangerous teaching and learning conditions at McKinley High School.”, stated Phil Rumore, President of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

The BTF released a copy of correspondence from Marck Abraham,McKinley Principal and Elena Cala, Special Assistant to the Superintendent for Public Relations(click here).

“The 81% ‘school’s accountability graduation rate cited by the McKinley Principal, Special Assistant to the Superintendent for Public Relations and Chief Accountability Officer is the 2016 graduation rate when Crystal Barton was principal not the 2018 graduation rate which is 77% when Marck Abraham was principal”, concluded Phil Rumore.

Using the District’s 2016 NYSED statistics (click here) reveals the severe downward spiral of student performance since the appointment of Acting Principal Abraham.