Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Is There a Prescription for Advocacy?




        So I announce, solely to administrators, teachers, and staff (not parents or students) that I will be going on a hunger strike starting the first day of mid-winter recess, in order to bring awareness to the rampant abuse of power which no one seems to want to address.

        Notice how this results in a medical referral by the Principal to the Department of Education’s Human Resource Medical Office. In order to give weight to her reasoning for a medical referral the Principal also references my letters of advocacy, calling them “inappropriate” and “with strange titles”.
 
        Below I include Administration’s reasoning for the medical referral and my letters of advocacy titled, The Elephants In Our Rooms, and Speaking Without Words. All the other titles the Principal cited in her referral, (A Great Feeder, The Attention Span of a Squirrel, and Baseline of Disregard), are already posted here with their respected content.

        For this I was pulled out of class and the students were given a memo to give to their parents which says that my writing “has raised some concerns as to the safety of the school".



You be the judge.


I wish you all a healthy, loving, reflective, 
and abundant New Year for 2015.



Sincerely,

Luis Angel Perez




Seeking a Prescription for Advocacy


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

What do you see when you look outside your window?

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Emergency




Dear Human,

        Yesterday evening, Saturday September 13, 2014, approximately 6:40 pm a man, (in his late twenties early thirties, slim built, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, dark complexion, wearing dark colors), knocked on the door of my apartment. My brother opened the door. The man asked for Luis Perez and said that he is from the Department of Education. My brother reasonably requested to see some identification. The man refused to show his identification so my brother respectfully told him that he cannot help him unless he can show him identification. The man said okay you can close the door.
                        
        Today, approximately 12:30 pm, on her way out of my apartment, my mother discovers a stack of papers taped to my door.

        Note: The space between my door and the floor measures 1 ½ centimeters across. The stack of papers (22 sheets of 8 ½ by 11 inches) measures to less than ¼ of a centimeter.

        The man whom represents the Department of Education (and the Amistad Dual Language School Administrators) scotch-tapped to my door with no envelope, for all my neighbors (and people visiting the building) to witness, the 3020a charges by the Department of Education that were filed by the Amistad Dual Language School Administrators.

        The front page alone clearly exposed my name, date of birth, and social security number for over 17 hours, to my neighbors and visitors to the building. The front page also clearly exposed the name and address of the Amistad Dual Language School, the principal’s name, and the charges brought against me.

        There is clearly enough space beneath my door to slip the stack of papers into my apartment (or the man could have simply handed them over to my brother). Instead, this representative of the Department of Education and of the Amistad Dual Language School Administrators had tapped this document to my door without an envelope with malicious intent.

        This personal information was exposed to my neighbors and visitors to my building for over 17 hours, on a Saturday evening when there was a lot of people going in and out of the building due to several different special festive gatherings that went on to the late morning hours.

         What thoughts would be running through your head if you were the target to such vile harassment? How long before you find yourself on the brink?


Sincerely,
Luis Ángel Perez, Educator  

Immoral and Unethical Business Practices in the Public School System




RE: Immoral and Unethical Business Practices in the Public School System which
       Directly Contribute to a Hostile Work Environment and Poor Mental Health


                                                                                      

Dear Humans,


Please Help Us Create a Better Tomorrow
By Merely Enforcing Oversight and Accountability
Toward What Administrators Are Getting Away With
Within Our Children’s New York Public Schools

        I was born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx of New York under what many will consider really poor conditions. Spanish was the only language spoken at home. I experienced my entire academic years in the Public School System in the Bronx. Because English was my second language I really did not have a voice in the public school system. I recall the times I was scolded in front of my peers for speaking “that language”. The common rationale was that as long as I continue to “speak like that” I will never learn English. Imagine the impact this can have on a child’s perception of their Native language and cultural identity.

        I remember some of the forces that played a significant role in pushing me away from school, (isolation, humiliation, intimidation, attending class along, other classes, in a gymnasium of a scary abandoned school building in the Southern Boulevard section of the Bronx, with bright yellow “CAUTION” tape covering the stairs to the upper floors). I wonder how many students in the Public School System today are enduring similar circumstances.

        Eventually, I adopted “the street life” as my classroom, my teacher, and my guide. Coming very close to losing perspective in life, I eventually defeated the odds and proudly graduated from an Alternative High School where classroom seats were arranged in a circle and teachers facilitated more of a family based dynamic among faculty and students as opposed to the oppressed institutionally based model emphasized today which prepares our youth for the worst. As a teenager, still in high school, I was fathering a young child and shortly there after started my own family. My children actually saved my life. Around this time in my life I discovered an immense passion for learning.

        After high school, I went straight to college and fast forward to today – I own a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Human Behavior and a Masters in Science Education. I attained both degrees from The City College of New York.

        I spent many years working hard in the Social Service Field. I was a Counselor and Case Worker for several years in a well known Adolescent Runaway Shelter. I managed several Group Home Programs, facilitating the transition into community living for people with developmental challenges and their neighbors. For several years I was a Mental Health Worker for a Dual Diagnostic In-patient Psychiatric Program in a well known hospital serving adolescents and adults. I was a Caseworker for the Administration for Children’s Services, (ACS), and for the past nine years I have been teaching in a Dual Language Public School in New York City; mostly Mathematics and Science. I am a New York State Certified Science Educator.

        I have and continue to proudly give back to society but unfortunately pushing for moral and ethical treatment of others comes with a heavy price.

        I have always been a strong advocate for the people whom I proudly serve. Unfortunately, in the New York City Public School System I am currently paying a hefty price for this virtue. Sadly, I still do not have a voice in the Public School System. The saddest part of this circumstance is that no one seems to care about the impact which administration’s immoral and unethical business practices actually has on students and the learning condition. In fact, students are often used by administrators as pawns as they play their game of retaliation and intimidation against any advocates.


The Breeding of a Dangerous Culture

        The majority of working Americans are too afraid to speak-up against immoral and unethical violations in the workplace because they have a lot to loose and the forces against them are callous, meticulous, organized, and far more resourceful. Malicious smear campaigns are able to devour any modicum of good deed and permanently scar one’s future job opportunities. Working Americans, especially ones barely surviving from pay-check to pay-check, have become dangerously dependant on their jobs. Such fear and dependency isolates workers and stifles improvements from flourishing.

        After teaching six years of Middle School Mathematics and Science (8th and 7th grades) with favorable evaluations and student performance, for the school year of 2012-2013 I was forced by administrators to teach a first grade class and all subjects (English, Writing, Social Studies, Math, and Science). This move took place well into the school year and I had no prior experience teaching this age group and other subjects. I was told by administration that I will surely fail and they will then take my teaching license away. I grieved this injustice but since the evidence was not in favor of the Department of Education the result of the hearing fell through the cracks. 327 days later (today) I still have not been provided with the results to this grievance hearing.

        The following school year I was forced to teach fourth grade. Since testing became a greater priority in evaluating teachers, administrators were certain that I will fail because fourth grade students are formally tested in English, Writing, Math, and Science by New York State and I had no prior experience teaching some of these subjects and working with this age group.

        During this year I had to endure more of the wrath of administrators whom were clearly bothered by their failed attempts to get rid of me the year before. I had to endure more lesson disruptions, threats, lies, unrealistic expectations, bogus disciplinary write-ups, etc. The Principal of the school once even wrote a memo and gave it to all of my fourth grade students (and students from other classes) which depicts me as a safety threat to the entire school and informed them that I will be removed from the classroom. You have to wonder what this is all doing to the students and other professionals that want to advocate against immoral and unethical business practices.

        This year I am forced to teach a fifth grade class. Unfortunately, on September 8, 2014 I am summoned with a letter indicating that I am being pulled out of the classroom as of September 9, 2014 for allegations made against me. Later, I am told that I have to wait until I get the paper work for the details to the allegations.

        This is a mere glimpse of what I and students in the Public School System have to endure. There are more horrific details to the harassment but I do not wish to exhaust you with them just yet.
  
        What are we actually teaching our future minds? What are we actually teaching other professionals about advocacy and speaking-up for those without a voice?

        To learn more feel free to contact me at writing4light@yahoo.com or visit my blog at http://writing4light.blogspot.com/

        Thank you immensely for your time and energy in this very important matter and for everything that you do for the human condition. I wish you all the best always.


Sincerely,


Luis Ángel Perez
Mathematics & Science Educator / Student & Parent Advocate

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Timeless




Brightly colored powder rocks
slowly explode over different areas,
in different colors,
off of the radiantly blue canvas Sky,
the one that often brings us to ask, "why?".

Auroras and Auras intoxicatingly dance
in mirrors and candles,
you suffocatingly yearn to embrace
and forever follow.

As bigger pieces descend to the Earth in dry-snow formation,
air gently caresses the finer grains
into majestic swirls which harmonically frame
a whisper of love and a unique adorn
to the moment born.


 





Sunday, March 2, 2014

Baseline of Disregard



From: Perez Luis
To HZ (Acting Principal),RO (Acting Assistant Principal), NV, (Dean/UFT Representative), ML, MC
Nov 3, 2013

Baseline of Disregard

Addendum to Letter I Sent (via email)
on October 25, 2013,
Regarding Last Minute Schedule Changes.


Dear Z & O, (acting administrators),

        Z, Thursday, October 17, 2013 you entered my room approximately 11:15 am (during my lunch period) and O came in to join us several minutes later. You came to announce that during 6th and 7th periods (one period from the announcement) I have to administer the science baseline examination and adhere to the “usual testing conditions”.        You said that this exam is going to be compared with the end of the year Science State Examination in order to measure student growth across time and to evaluate me as a teacher.

        I asked, “What about the science information my students already learned with me from the first day of school to the present (38 days), am I not going to get credit for this in my evaluation?” At the absence of a response I then asked, “What about what we had planned to learn today? You responded, “I don’t know, at this point everything the DOE is telling us to do makes no sense but they don’t care.”, and you proceeded to hand me the examinations.

        O, you handed me several copies of the Spanish version of the test for the English Language Learners and said, “Tomorrow (Friday, October 18, 2013) you and your grade partner will be freed-up some time during the day, so that you can grade them.” You also said, “I will give you the answer key for the test tomorrow so they won’t later question whether you had the answers and went around helping or giving the answers to the students”.

        In the face of much distraction and discomfort generated by these encounters, I proceeded to prepare for my students.


        Later, Thursday, October 24, 2013, O you entered my room approximately 2:15 pm (during my preparation period), to inform me that tomorrow (Friday, October 25, 2013) I will be freed-up 1st and 6th periods so that I can grade the science test and transfer each grade into bubble sheets you were at this time providing.

        Additionally, you attempted to get me to sign a memo supposedly about this announcement. When I asked you if everyone else also had to sign-off, you responded, “No, only you.”  When I asked why, you responded, “Because in the past there were issues with you getting email.” I responded, “Sorry, I can’t.” You then asserted, “So you are refusing to sign? No problem!”, and proceeded to write notes on the memo you wanted me to sign.

        In the face of much distraction and discomfort generated by this encounter, I proceeded to prepare for my students.

        It is also worth mentioning here that on this same day, even more instructional time was compromised by the scheduling of “Picture Day” where students had to be taken to the auditorium for pictures, which was scheduled during our literacy block.

        Such abrupt, last minute directives to administer, grade, and transfer answers into bubble sheets of a science examination which students and educators never before had the opportunity to prepare for, which also at a glance seems to contain errors and very ambiguous language, manifests a complete disregard toward student learning, student attitude toward science, and completely undermines an educator’s efforts in planning and facilitating instruction. It also technically disregards the school’s language policy since we were mandated to administer an English examination during Spanish instruction time.

        In addition to disrupting instructional time, undermining an educator’s efforts in planning, and tainting student’s attitude toward science and investigations, the deliverance, timing, errors and ambiguous language of this examination, along with the actual testing conditions that existed the day of the test, directly confound the validity of the students results and thus rendering the entire ordeal as moot for the purposes of informing instruction.

Testing Conditions Day of Examination:

1. It was uncomfortably hot inside the classroom despite my calls to the main office to request the air conditioner to be turned on, especially because we were testing,

2. There was loud noise coming from students and teachers shouting and playing in the school yard adjacent to our classroom windows,

3. Some students reported that they did not eat their lunch and argued that they know they would have done better on the test if they were not hungry and argued that they would have probably eaten something if they knew that they were taking a test in advance.

4. Many students exhibited signs of anxiety. One student was in tears; another student complained about stomach pains; many repeatedly raised their hand to complain that they did not understand what they were reading or to ask for the definition of some words. Even high performing students were shaking, continuously looking at the clock, verbalizing loud sighs, and sucking their teeth in frustration of not knowing what to do. I literally walked around the classroom mirroring calmness, reassuring students to take deep breaths, try to relax, and do the best that they can.



In conclusion -

A. O, I wish to reference here the letter I sent you (and other administrators) on September 15, 2013, titled Speaking Without Words, regarding the humiliation I had to endure on Friday, September 13, 2013 in front of my colleagues. I wish to remind you that the disparate treatment of having me be the only one to have to sign-off on memos received by administration is quite suggestive, defamatory, and completely without merit. It is merely an extension of the harassment which I had to endure by this administration in “A” for the past two school years only for speaking up against unfair practices which directly affect student learning and teaching. I urge you to put an end to this campaign and instead join me in facilitating student growth.

B. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the nonchalant disruption of the quality and quantity of instructional time?

C. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the negative impact that such abrupt, last minute, directive to administer an examination, alien to everyone involved, actually has on teacher’s efforts in planning and student’s attitudes toward learning?

D. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the following: Since this science examination will be used as a tool to evaluate an educator and since the examination came in so late in the year, how are educators going to receive fair credit for what they have already taught in science from the beginning of the school year to the point when the examination was administered?

E. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the following: Where are the much needed corresponding science textbooks, curriculums, and resources, across grade levels, which are aligned with these new standards, in order to prepare both educators and students for this new caliber of inquiry and instruction?

Currently my class does not have a science curriculum or science textbooks of any kind.

F. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the following: What can we do to help the people in charge of the DOE make more “…sense” when delegating directives?

G. Is anyone actually monitoring and addressing the following: What can we do to help the people in charge of the DOE “…care” more about the negative impact their directives have on teaching and learning?

H. Is any one monitoring and addressing the errors and ambiguous language in this test?

I. Does anyone else care?
        This is not the first time I have raised to this administration my concerns regarding the substandard treatment of the subject of science, in comparison to other subjects in the building. I have faith that a positive change in this area will precipitate.

PS: The science examination and bubble sheets are completed and ready for pick-up.


Thank you immensely for your time and energy in this very important matter.




Sincerely,

Luis Angel Perez, Educator

Monday, February 24, 2014

Time Line




Time Line


Number of Years Employed


School Year

Evaluation

Grade Level

Event/trigger

1

8/30/06 – 6/30/07


Favorable

8th Grade Middle School


2

8/30/07 – 6/30/08


Favorable

8th Grade Middle School


3

8/30/08 – 6/30/09


Favorable

8th Grade Middle School


4

8/30/09 – 6/30/10


Favorable

8th Grade Middle School



5

8/30/10 – 6/30/11


Favorable

7th & 8th Grade Middle School

Advocacy against No Textbooks Scandal (second consecutive year) & against the repeated reckless classroom interruptions.

1/25/11 First Abrupt Surprise Classroom Audit Ever.

1/30/2011 I send out The Attention Span of a Squirrel**

1/31/2011 admin emails response to First Abrupt Surprise Classroom Audit Ever & schedules a day to discuss findings and the email I sent The (Attention Span of a Squirrel).

Since these administrators are well recognized to deceivingly change words and events around from what actually occurs, my advocacies almost completely where transformed into writings which I emailed.



*6

8/30/11 – 6/30/12


Favorable

7th & 8th Grade Middle School

Campaign against me worsens and threats of getting an unfavorable rating increased to the point where I had to make a desperate decision. The only thing that put an end to the harassment at this point was the moment I surrendered to their plan
for me to look for work at a different school.
Administrators said they would recommend me highly
to work at any other school.


*7

8/30/12 – 6/30/13


Unfavorable

First Grade


In early August I notified Principal that I will be returning to Amistad. In the beginning of the year I was told by the Principal that I will be getting an unfavorable rating for this year, that she will put me in the first grade where I know nothing, will be lost, and she will take my license.


*8

8/30/13 – 6/30/14

Pending but Surely Unfavorable


Fourth Grade

Harassment Continues

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Communal Responsibility and Solidarity?



        This Public School is housed with a great deal of warm hearted, caring, and brilliant teachers, staff, students, and parents.

        Unfortunately, the tyranny of administrators and the existing lack of accountability for their actions and inactions in creating a hostile environment directly hamper learning, stagnates growth, and forces great souls to leave or become complacent, abandon their sense of skepticism and advocacy, and perceive the art of teaching as merely “a thing to do to pay bills”. This directly asphyxiates the inspiration of teaching and the facilitation of inspiration in the classrooms. Students pick up on these subtleties and inevitably, themselves, become too immersed in fear to speak-up.



For Example:  

                 The letter below is my reflection concerning an incident that occurred
                 in the middle school, related to a topic which directly affected
                 the adolescent culture everywhere in the United States.

                 Unfortunately, administrators completely mishandled the situation
                  and missed the perfect opportunity to “…foster a sense of
                  communal responsibility and solidarity…”
                  (as per our school’s mission statement).

                  My voice here caused me to be summoned, reprimanded, and
                  continuously harassed by administrators.



From: Luis Perez
To: MP, BMc, JB, OR, VN, ZH, DL, JA, MR,

Apr 2, 2012
Somehow The Energy Will Come Out 

        In Amistad we try to foster a sense of community building and solidarity. In fact, such words are woven into the very fabric of our school’s philosophy. We hold several spirit-wear-days and engage in other activities that bring people closer together to plan and bring forth positive change.  
        Late in the day, Thursday, March 29, 2012, I learned that our middle school learners had congregated and organized to wear hoodie-sweaters, carry around a pack of Skittles (bite size candies), and Arizona ice-tea, in solidarity to the unfortunate conditions surrounding a teenager that was shot and killed in Florida by a neighborhood watchmen on February 26, 2012 (Trayvon Martin). 
         Our learners manifested growth in an area we try to foster and commitment to our school’s philosophy and they should have been appropriately recognized for such deed. They manifested a sense of peaceful organization, community building, solidarity, and even coordinated their own spirit-wear day for a cause they felt strongly about. 
        After learning about how poorly 802 conducted themselves with a particular teacher on Friday, March 30, 2012, I thought it essential for all teachers that have 802 next to express their disapproval with how they handled themselves. I had mix math with the 8th graders which consists of some 801 and some 802 students. This gave me the opportunity to direct everyone’s attention to two different groups of students claiming to have faced a similar conflict only dealt with it in a completely different manner and thus attained completely distinct results.  
        As several students expressed themselves I casually wrote down on the board some key terms that they mentioned, (“so we protested”, “some one cussed at the teacher”, “everyone was laughing at the cuss”). After listening to them for a short while and getting past their façade of bravery, I brought their attention to how everyone managed to, passively and directly, allow the situation to grow out of control. I then had them all consider for a moment how one person would feel in front of a large group that is protesting against them, talking uncontrollably, cussing, and laughing out of control. They listened to each other say the following words, “sad”, “alone”, “confused”, “embarrassed”, “hurt”, “angry”, “scared”... As they listened to themselves say these words I saw much remorse and shame in their faces.  
        I reminded them that together we are very powerful, that we have the potential to destroy or heal the spirit of a person. I reminded them that they destroyed the spirit of this person whom was only trying to help them and they managed to look like cold hearted individuals in the process. I reminded them that they are not cold hearted individuals. I reminded them that they are great people, that this teacher is a great person and did not deserve any of what occurred. I reminded them that under no circumstances does a student cuss at a teacher or laugh when someone else does this. I reminded them that they collectively owe this teacher and themselves a sincere apology and a promise never to do something like this.   
        All this actually reminded me that the learners in A were cued-up to protest and one way or another they managed to do so. I wonder if this incident would have occurred if we were more nurturing about what they set out to initially protest about.


         Note: Letter ended there but it is important to note that instead of supporting students or at least allowing them a different outlet to demonstrate their sense of solidarity for their adolescent community, administration abruptly trampled on their passion and motivation by mandating that they cannot come to school dressed with hoodies, that candy and cans of drinks are not allowed in the building and will be confiscated if seen, and that they should just forget about what they have been planning to do. When students asked for an explanation they were unsympathetically told that the orders are not negotiable.





School's Vision (Mission Statement) -

"A" Dual Language School is a community of learners
that embraces the unique path of each individual.
Together we foster a sense of communal responsibility and
solidarity through the celebration of culture, language, and diversity.
Our children will move forward ready to meet the academic, social, and
human demands of the larger community, taking with them the
magic of discovery and the power of two languages.