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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Francesco Portelos Appeals His Rubber Room Assignment To Chancellor Walcott

Greetings Chancellor Walcott,
    I would like to appeal my capricious reassignment from Berta Dreyfus IS 49 (R049) to 8201 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park (CFN211). After I left the environmental engineering field and took a $20,000+ cut in salary, I was considered an excellent and effective teacher for 5 years.  I have plenty of documentation from the administration to prove it and some is posted on protectportelos.org. I also have testimonials from the public, parents and students. I have been mentioned in the news in positive articles as well as having my own innovative methods of teaching recently published. I made history by becoming the first person to win a UFT Chapter Leader position while sitting in the "rubber room" for 50 days. The school staff wants me back. I recently filed a US patent for a website I designed and working on a second for an educational e-portfolio site I call fridgework.com. I am also halfway done with my leadership in education class to become a principal or superintendent. Are these qualities not good enough for public education?
What Happened?
  As a taxpayer and community member I brought up issues pertaining to the budget, potential financial misconduct, misappropriation of funds, corporal punishment by an assistant principal and sexual harassment by another assistant principal. Just weeks after my complaints, I was prevented from entering the school building and reassigned to do nothing. That was 123 days ago. 
  Through my own investigation and FOIL requests I have found that criminal activity has taken place at my school and possibly my network office where I was placed. My reward?- An empty cubicle an hour and a half from my family! SCI has about 15 absolutely ridiculous allegations about me they are investigating. They were all made by the 3 people involved in misconduct. I ask you, the mayor, PEP and the politicians copied in this email to help rectify this sad situation.  I received notice that on September 4th I am to return back to an empty cubicle. There are a lot of people who wouldn't mind getting paid $ 75,000 to sit and play solitaire, but that is not me. By all means let SCI continue their investigation, but there is no reason for me to be out of the classroom especially when none of the allegations are about harming children.
  Unfortunately, I had to bring a federal lawsuit against the DOE and Principal Linda Hill. September 11, 2012 will be our first date in court. The students are not the only ones suffering as my family has been hit hard by this. 
Below are just a few of the many comments left on my petition site and blog.

1 comment:

Francesco Portelos said...

Thanks for the post Betsy! I sent an appeal months ago but never really received a response besides an automated type talking about the Office of Equal Opportunity.