'Explosion' in New York City teacher probes may lead to hiring of more investigators

Richard Condon

Now I see what is going on at Tweed. Someone mentioned to the higher ups that the so-called "investigators" at SCI, OSI, and OEO are incompetent and are making the NYC Department of Education look bad. 

I have watched these agents come into 3020-a hearings for 9 years, and as an investigative reporter, I have to say that these people scare me. Not because they worked for the New York City Police Department for 20 years, then retired, but because these people (most of them) worked for the NYPD for 20 years and never learned a thing about how to investigate anything!!!

Then there are the newly hired folk who dont know what they are doing. Take OEO (Office of Equal Opportunity)  "investigator" Nancy Pak, for example. She is the new breed of agent: young, inexperienced, pretty, and learning how to create a false claim against someone. Her first case was to "investigate" a boy's basketball coach who allegedly said something nasty to the coach at another school when his team lost the game.

The accused coach was, by all accounts, a terrific coach and the best math teacher the school ever had. He was given his charges by the AP at the school one day after the school received notice from the EEOC that he had made a complaint against the AP for physically abusing kids in the school.

Nancy Pak was assigned to "investigate". She went to the other school, had the three accusing students come into the principal's office, asked them if the statements that she handed them with their names signed at the bottom were their signatures, and left. She substantiated the charge, and testified to this at the subsequent 3020-a hearing against the accused coach, defending the charge against him based on her 5-minute conversation with the students, all of whom were asked to write their statements by their coach. The DOE brought in one student as proof that the charge was valid. The Arbitrator ruled that the Respondent, my client, was completely innocent of the allegations and must be returned to his position at the school within 15 days. A huge win (thank you, Arbitrator Robert Grey).

 Anyone can substantiate anything in today's New York City world of "false claims can be proven true if you want them to be and you work for Mayor Bloomberg". REMEMBER: outside of any agency funded by Mayor Bloomberg and the New York State, New York City Board/Departments of Education, or any major media, a person is presumed innocent unless they have been convicted and found guilty in a court of law.

Please keep this in mind when you read stories in the newspapers about teachers,  staff of schools, parents!

 See below for hiring information.  If this is you, then read the article about how Condon needs more of the people I just described following the job announcement, and I'll be writing about you:

Job Details

Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Attorney

Tracking Code 7052

Position Summary: Under the supervision of the Director of the Office of Special Investigations, with latitude for independent action, performs reviews of investigative reports related to highly confidential and sensitive investigations concerning the corruption, misconduct, or other illegal, unethical, or improper activities of agency officials or employees, and the development and implementation of plans and programs for the control, tracking and prevention of such corruption, misconduct, or other illegal, unethical or improper practices. Performs related work.

Reports to: Director of the Office of Special Investigations

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviews investigative reports, both substantiated and unsubstantiated, to ensure that all allegations have been addressed, all necessary witnesses have been interviewed, and that the investigation was thoroughly conducted.
• Reviews investigative files to ensure that all necessary documentation has been filed in accordance with Office of Special Investigations (OSI) investigative policies and procedures.
• Provides guidance to investigative staff regarding report quality and content.
• Conducts comprehensive searches of the OSI database.
• Confers with Department of Education (DOE) subject matter specialists, technical experts, and administrative trial attorneys.
• Conducts research and prepares legal briefs and memoranda on education law issues.
• Reviews complex, important, or highly technical laws, rules or regulations.
• Acts as liaison with executives within the DOE and with other City agencies.

Applications will only be accepted through the New York City Department of Education Career Opportunities website at:

http://tinyurl.com/4tzwne

Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume to be considered for this position.

Resumes will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.

NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

Admission to the New York State Bar AND three (3) years of progressively responsible United Sates legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar.

NOTE: Selected candidates must remain members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of their employment.

Preferred

• Overall knowledge of the NYC school system and ability to advise and render legal opinions on educational policies and practices.
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication capabilities and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organized.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

It is the policy of the Department of Education of the City of New York to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, alienage and citizenship status, age, marital status, disability, prior record of arrest or conviction (except as provided by law), sexual orientation, gender (sex), and to maintain an environment free of discriminatory harassment, including sexual harassment, or retaliation as required by civil rights law. Inquiries regarding compliance with this equal opportunity policy may be directed to: Office of Equal Opportunity, 65 Court Street, Room 923, Brooklyn, New York 11201, or visit the OEO website at http://schools.nyc.gov/OEO

Job Location - 65 Court Street

Position Type Full-Time/Regular

Salary $75,962+ US Dollar (USD)

 

'Explosion' in New York City teacher probes may lead to hiring of more investigators

Special Investigation Commissioner Richard Condon says it's his 'busiest three months in 10 years'

Comments

BY BEN CHAPMAN / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Sunday, April 15, 2012, 4:00 AM

 

LINK

The special schools investigator may need to hire extra staff to help probe the “explosion” in reports of wrongdoing by teachers, aides and administrators this year, he told the Daily News.

“It’s the busiest three months I’ve seen in 10 years,” said Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon, a former commissioner of the NYPD who was tapped to keep an eye on city schools in 2002.

In the first three months of 2012, whistleblowers came forward to report misbehavior to Condon’s office 1,275 times — up from 967 cases during the corresponding period in 2011.

The result is that his office is looking into 34% more cases than it did last year. Condon said he has no idea what’s caused the dramatic jump in the number of cases.

Condon’s team investigates all manner of wrongdoing in the city’s public school system, from aides who fake illness to teachers who are accused of sexually abusing students.

Most of his tips come from city school staffers who notice bad behavior on the part of their co-workers — and want to put a stop to it.

“There’s been a lot of publicity as to the kind of allegations that we deal with, but I don’t know if that’s (leading to the spike in cases),” said Condon, who added that the number of employees and students in the system has remained stable.

The rise in investigations by Condon’s office mimics a dramatic increase in the number of Education Department employees arrested so far in 2012.

At least 18 department workers have been collared by cops this year, including at least seven workers who were arrested for alleged sexual abuse of children.

The number of Education Department workers arrested in 2012 already dwarfs the number of employees arrested in 2011, when at least 13 workers were pinched, the Daily News reported last month.

City education officials can’t explain the disturbing increase, but agency spokeswoman Barbara Morgan urged whistleblowers to continue coming forward.

“We firmly believe that our students deserve a safe learning environment, and we encourage any family who suspects misbehavior from staff to report it to their principal immediately,” said Morgan.

The United Federation of Teachers declined to comment.

bchapman@nydailynews .com

Reading, writing & Rikers! City Education Department staffers arrested 14 times in 2012