the story of mr. portelos and his encounter with white
TRANSCRIPT
The Story of
Mr. Portelos and
His Encounter with
White Chalk Crime
Dear Taxpayer,
I am very sorry, but apparently I am robbing you. It’s not on purpose though. You pay your taxes and in turn I should educate the students of New York City. I think I was doing a pretty good job for 4.5 years so your money was probably well spent. Today I still get paid with our tax dollars but instead of educating the children in the classroom, I am in the Rubber Room with other educators awaiting charges and an explanation of why we were removed. Most of us sit there for weeks or months without knowing why we are there. So imagine this….we are getting paid, the substitutes covering our classes are getting paid, the investigators investigating our cases are getting paid, the lawyers working against the teacher and for the teacher are getting paid, the arbitrators hearing the cases are getting paid and all with your tax dollars! Each case may cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of dollars. Now there are instances where this is necessary to protect the taxpayer from potential fraud and employee theft. This is also necessary to protect the children from pedophiles etc. However there has to be a better way. So what caused me to go from teaching in my STEM Lab to sitting in a basement copy/mail/cafeteria storage room at 8201 Rockaway Blvd in just 3.5 months?
Oh I know why. Yes I remember the day. After 4.5 years of back breaking work to help make my class and school what it is with technology I woke up one day, looked at my watch, and said, “OK, it’s time to be insubordinate. It’s time to start cursing at teachers, taking over Union meetings, and shutting down the school’s website I owned. It’s also time to stop planning engaging lessons. It’s Bad Teacher time. It’s Loose Cannon time.” That must have been what happened because there is no other explanation…or is there? I will let you decide with this list of detailed events in chronological order. I cannot really tell you the reasons, because as I write this I have not been charged with anything (2.5 weeks later) yet. Please comment below and tell me what you think.
Had I not cared…I wouldn’t be in the Rubber Room right now. Had I kept my mouth shut…I wouldn’t be in the Rubber Room right now. Had I not wanted the school to improve…I wouldn’t be in the Rubber Room right now.
But I do care, I won’t keep my mouth shut and I do want the school to improve…and here I am…
From this S.T.E.M. Lab I created
to this basement copy room of the reassignment center 8201 Rockaway Blvd
How? Read Below….
I cannot really tell you the reasons, because as I write this I have not been charged with anything (2.5 weeks later). I could show you documentation prior to removal and let you make your own assumptions. Please comment below and tell me what you think.
The short abridged version (The long version is twice as long):
■ December 13, 2011 I asked an innocent question about discussing the school’s $7.7 Million budget as was our responsibility on the School Leadership Team (SLT). I discovered that SLT Chairperson Susanne Abramowitz and Principal Linda Hill violated NY State laws and regulations by not having the team discuss the budget and school goals. I informed Susanne Abramowitz and UFT Chapter Leader Richard Candia of the situation.
■ January 2012 a hostile work environment was created around me. UFT Chapter Leader Richard Candia then began texting me that I was thrown “under the bus” because Principal Linda Hill was told about my inquiry pertaining to the SLT and CEP issues. Principal Hill emailed me she would like to discuss my class instruction methods which were never brought up before. More text messages from Richard Candia to me continued stating “dont trust her [principal]…this is cuz she was told that u emailed
slt issue”, “I think this is Lindas reaction to bein told that…when did she ever question ur teaching b4?”, “now that QR is over…now there are new targets..there are always new targets.”, “I think she is afraid of the problems u could cause her.” Richard Candia continued with texts relating to Principal Hill’s after school per-session activity and made some serious allegations pertaining to potential financial misconduct. He made further comments about calling the Special Commissioner of Investigation, Richard Condon and text me “212 510 1500 whistleblowers are protected”, “y is timecard hidden if there is nothing to hide?”. The harassment continued. I was kicked under a table by Richard Candia, when my coworkers were being misrepresented at a meeting, I was asked to resign as union delegate, I had my email account suspended by the Principal Hill for a website I owned (I had given her access), I was berated and called a “hindrance” to the school, “divisive” by the principal and “unprofessional” by an Assistant Principal Joanne Aguirre. This is even though I rallied to keep the PS 14 down the block open. I was smeared in an email to the staff. I all of a sudden had my class lessons that were praised for years now questioned and criticized. I believe this was in an effort to shut me up. It was a BIG MISTAKE and it backfired because
I dug deeper and found things. This was my school community and I was not backing down!
■ On January 26 2012 I put in an anonymous complaint (later I stated my name) that was brought to our attention by UFT Chapter Leader Richard Candia. It involved potential double dipping and financial misconduct by the administration. We needed to know if it was true and I was hoping it was not. I emailed the Special Commissioner of Investigation (SCI) giving them 3 years worth of after school activity to cross reference with time sheets. It was sent to the DOE’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) Case #2012-1950 R-OSI 12-533
■ Their attacks became more fierce and all parties involved avoided any eye contact with me. All of a sudden I went from not having ANY disciplinary letters in my file to having THREE in just 10 days!
■ I only told union representatives that I called in the allegations about potential financial misconduct, but in a meeting on February 14, 2012 Principal Linda Hill told District 31 Superintendent Erminia Claudio that she knew about it. That still puzzles me how she knew. Maybe she realized Mr. Portelos is the only one in the whole school who had the guts to investigate.
■ On February 28, 2012 Two investigators from SCI and Assistant Principal Joanne Aguirre came to my class while I was teaching. They unplugged and took the desktop that runs my lab (Still missing as of May 15). They then came to my house to take the DOE Macbook and iPad I was using for a grant. My lawyer later told me that I was being investigated because I took back my access to dreyfus49.com, the site I own, and allegedly took away access from Principal Linda Hill. [One second.... so I put in a request to investigate about 30 days of per session and activity on January 26 and as of May 15 have no results, but an investigation about me allegedly suspending an account on a website I own was started immediately??]
■ That evening after Parent Teacher conferences I held my son Alexander and thought to myself “If they come after me and my job, then they come after my family!! Now it was my turn…
■ I created a website to collect my documentation showing 4.5 years of excellent service to Berta Dreyfus Intermediate 49. On March 7, 2012 it went public. www.protectportelos.org I was absolutely disgusted by their actions and the public needed to know what happens to their tax dollars.
■ The hostile work environment continued though. On March 16, 2012 I returned to work after being out for 4 days for jury
duty. I found my room a mess. My first period back Mrs. Joanne Aguirre and Ms. Sharon Mahabir of CFN 211 walked in with clipboards. Since I always received Satisfactory ratings (even up until December ’11 before budget talks) and students and parents loved my class, they had to try to get me really off guard. The special education students still learned about engineering principles despite the interruptions made by the observers. The 90 minute observation led to my first ever Unsatisfactory in 5 years of teaching. It was very poorly written and anything positive was strategically omitted by Ms. Aguirre.
■ At the March SLT meeting I was out deliberating as a juror and attended the meeting late. Would you believe that SLT Chairperson, Susanne Abramowitz and Principal Linda Hill, who were involved in the State Law and Chancellor’s Reg violations, tried to vote me out? They lost the vote and I remained.
■ On or about March 20, 2012 a coworker asked me how I am handling all this while we were in the hallway. I put my fist up and proclaimed “Staying Strong!” At that point AP Joanne Aguirre passes me and mimicked me to the staff member repeating “Stay Strong…Stay strong!”.
■ Since I had called in and did not appear to see any movement for the allegations I put in back in January, I exercised my
rights and sent the following FOIL request Notice the date (4 weeks before I was removed from IS 49)
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From: Francesco Portelos <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, Mar 24, 2012 at 9:24 AMSubject: FOIL REQUEST – Principal TimecardsTo: [email protected]: [email protected], [email protected]
Dear Mr. Baranello,
Pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law, please send me copies by Email of the following records:
1) Principal Linda Hill’s (R049) time cards for all per-session activity from January 2009 to February 2012.
2) The periodic time sheets, or equivalent records, that were submitted to the Per Session Payroll Unit (or wherever they may have been submitted), and that reflect, or contain, the number of per session hours for which Principal Linda Hill had been paid
during each reporting period from January 2009 to February 2012.
3) Assistant Principal Denise Diacomanolis’ (R049) time cards for all per-session activity from January 2009 to February 2012.
4) The periodic time sheets, or equivalent records, that were submitted to the Per Session Payroll Unit (or wherever they may have been submitted), and that reflect, or contain, the number of per session hours for which Assistant Principal Denise Diacomanolis had been paid during each reporting period from January 2009 to February 2012.
The time cards are probably located at IS 49 in Staten Island, and the periodic time sheets are probably located at both IS 49 and 65 Court Street.I would appreciate a response within five business days of receipt as required by law.
Thank you for your cooperation.Sincerely,
Francesco Portelos
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(They responded that they were collecting that data and I should have it by April 20, 2012 and later pushed it back to May 30, 2012)
■ *Note-The reason I also requested the information pertaining to Assistant Principal Denise Diacomanolis is because in April of 2011, I personally witnessed her punch her time card in at 2:30 for an ELL program, heard her say she was visiting a family member, leave the building and was somehow punched out 2 hours later. As per the recommendation of UFT Richard Candia, OSI was notified about that. More recently this year she has been observed taking several time cards from a locked drawer, punching them all through the time clock and locking them back up. Does that sound right taxpayer?
■ On March 26, after fighting an army solo, I called the NYC DOE Office of Equal Opportunity and informed them of the harassment and retaliation. I also informed them of the fact that one assistant principal was was harassing me at school also made very inappropriate comments to me back in the
fall and continued to harass me since then. Notice the date (4 weeks before I was removed from IS 49)
On April 11 I attempted to go higher to finally get some results on all this wrong doing. I received this in the mail. Notice the date (2 weeks before I was removed from IS 49
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■ My intentions were and always will be for the improvement of the school, so I would report more wrongdoing. Call me a whisteblower, a trouble maker,or a boat rocker…It doesn’t bother me because we have the education of children at stake here and that supersedes all. On April 19, 2012 I contacted SCI about how AP Denise Diacomanolis placed an 8th grade honors student in a 6th grade ELL class for two weeks stating “if you want to act like a baby, then we will treat you like a baby“. Does that sound right? Case was referred to OSI case # 12-2251. As of May 15, it was still not assigned.
■ On April 19, 2012 I also reported the false accusation allegations against Mr. Richard Candia and Mrs. Susanne Abramowitz. They corroborated on a story and stated that in a private meeting I showed professional misconduct and made up lies about me cursing. They are in violation of NYC Charter § 1116. Fraud; neglect of duty; willful violation of law relative to office. a. Any council member or other officer or employee of the city who shall wilfully violate or evade any provision of law relating to such officer’s office or employment, or commit any fraud upon the city, or convert any of the public property to such officer’s own use, or knowingly
permit any other person so to convert it or by gross or culpable neglect of duty allow the same to be lost to the city, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and in addition to the penalties imposed by law and on conviction shall forfeit such office or employment, and be excluded forever after from receiving or holding any office or employment under the city government.b. Any officer or employee of the city or of any city agency who shall knowingly make a false or deceptive report or statement in the course of duty shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, forfeit such office or employment. Case was referred to OSI case # 12-2291. As of May 15, it was still not assigned.
■ APRIL 26, 2012 I WALKED IN TO BERTA DREYFUS IS 49, WAS HANDED PAPERS BY PRINCIPAL LINDA HILL AND AP JOANNE AGUIRRE AND TOLD NOT TO COME BACK BECAUSE I WAS BEING INVESTIGATED. FOR 20 DAYS NOW MY STUDENTS HAVE BEEN MISSING OUT AND I SIT IN A BASEMENT RUBBER ROOM WITH NO CHARGES FILED AGAINST ME.Now do you see why I was possibly removed? The UFT Chapter Elections are also under way and they wanted me out before I could win the seat as Chapter Leader. Does that sound like Union Busting? I am still on the IS 49 payroll and
still running for Chapter Leader anyway. I have learned so much in the last 4 months that I can handle any situation that comes my way.It’s not enough that I was removed though. Those who oppose me continue after my reassignment:1. They disabled my DOE official email access so I cannot communicate or receive official communication nor access my payroll/benefits online2. They blocked my private email [email protected] from emailing any schools.nyc.gov account. I tested it and it happened after I sent them an email they did not like.3. They moved me out of my district to Queens (1 hr away) in violation of Chancellor’s Regulations C-770 . Yes they are violating their own rules. Can you believe that? There reasoning is that they moved me from Petrides because …ready for this?…According to Gary Laveman, the grievance officer, who received this information from the Director of Human Resources, Andrew Gordon, I was “out of control” the 2.5 days at Petrides. Instead of being in my room I was “out on the ball field”!?!??! I was the “opposite of cordial”. Me? I really thought he had the wrong report. I asked to face my accusers and still request a disciplinary hearing to find out who is accusing me of these erroneous acts. It wasn’t my supervisor there. I know because I asked her. They are not
responding to my requests. In fact Gary Laveman told my union rep that there are 6-7 investigations on me and my location is the least of my problems.4. The won’t even allow me to go and get any of my belongings that I have collected in my lab for 5 years.5. The DOE continues to scour every corner to find things on me. Maybe they will find what they need to terminate me. Perhaps they will find a Jaywalking ticket I may have received when I was 23. Perhaps they will find I may not recycle properly. Someway they will find a way to try and terminate me. In the mean time people are seeing what is happening and I am gathering large but silent support.Speaking of support :Why hasn’t the CEC for District 31 responded? Where is the superintendent? Where are the community Parent Groups? Why hasn’t anyone responded to my formal complaints about Chancellor’s Regulation violations? What about the NY State Education Law 2590h that was broken by not allowing the SLT to take part in the CEP goals and budget alignment? What about how the schools goals were certified and put online in March without the SLT signing and approving?I’m waiting for Superman to fix this because apparently I can’t…What you can do to help until he arrives:
1. Sign the Petition they started and leave a reason why you signed2. Like the Facebook Page the students created3. Share this story using buttons below, Facebook, Twitter, Google+4. Contact OfficialsChancellor Walcott [email protected] Bloomberg [email protected] Deputy Commissioner [email protected] for Educational Policy [email protected] Erminia Claudio [email protected] Linda Hill [email protected] Education Council District 31 – [email protected]. Contact the media.
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