Friday, February 11th, 6pm - Support Bronx High School of Science Teacher Harassment Law Suit

THIS CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT LAWSUIT.

YOU CAN'T SEPARATE THE PETER LAMPHERE CASE FROM THE BATTLE OVER LIFO.

Unfortunately, the UFT doesn't go there.

AS LONG AS ONE EVEN ONE TEACHER IS U-RATED FOR POLITICAL REASONS ALL U RATINGS BECOME SUSPECT. DOE POLICY SUPPORTING ANYTHING EVERY PRINCIPAL DOES MAKES IT HARDER TO REMOVE TEACHERS WHO MIGHT BE INCOMPETENT.

HOPE TO SEE YOU FRIDAY OR SEND A CONTRIBUTION

Former Bronx High School of Science chapter leader and math teacher Peter Lamphere received U ratings as retaliation for the role he played as union rep. Outrageous one would say. I was told by a teacher who was mentored by Peter that he is one of the best. That teacher was also forced out of Bronx High but landed at one of the top schools in the city. Peter should be the poster boy for why Last In First Out should be defended with every ounce of energy. He is suing the DOE and I hope the Principal of Bronx High. Peter is holding 2 fundraisers, today in the Bronx and next week in Brooklyn (I'm going to that one.) If you can't make it you can donate online.


I'll keep my mouth shut about a union allows chapter leaders to be attacked which undermines the union at its root level and instead works out deals to arrange a transfer to a small school, thus in the process also removing an opposition chapter leader from a large school. Ooops! It slipped out.

Defend Teachers Against Harassment

A teacher holds a sign at a June 2010 picket near Mayor Bloomberg’s house about the Bronx Science case

Help raise funds for a lawsuit to reverse Peter Lamphere’s unfair U rating. Come to one of two fundraising parties:


Friday, February 11th, 6pm
40 Clarkson Ave., Apt. 4K, Brooklyn (B/Q to Parkside)

On April 16th of last year, fact finder Carol Wittenberg found that the teachers of the Bronx Science math department were harassed by their supervisor. These twenty teachers (in a department of twenty-two) filed a special harassment complaint in 2008, because of repeated incidents in which the Assistant Principal had reduced teachers to tears, criticized them in front of their students, and even at one point called a teacher “disgusting” in a meeting. This bullying was combined with unjustified disciplinary actions against the staff—all the untenured teachers who signed the complaint were forced to leave within a year—and now only seven of the original twenty still teach at Bronx Science. Nevertheless, the Department of Education continues to defend the indefensible actions of its administrators, sustaining a retaliatory unsatisfactory rating in 2008 against then UFT Delegate (and later Chapter Leader) Peter Lamphere.

Join the struggle against arbitrary and capricious decisions by supervisors.

While the national conversation focuses on questions of “teacher quality”—the actions by principals retaliating against whistle-blowers and union activists goes unscrutinized. These actions lead to high turnover and difficult working conditions at our schools, even at nationally acclaimed institutions like the Bronx High School of Science. A legal victory in this case will send a message to teachers everywhere that their rights can be defended against abusive management.

Checks to assist with legal actions can be made out to the Teacher's Defense Fund, and mailed to 305 E. 140th St. #5A, Bronx, NY 10454. Donations are not tax-deductible.
Donate online at http://defendteachers.bbnow.org/