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Sunday, March 26, 2017

Santiago ("Santi") Taveras is Demoted/Removed As Principal at DeWitt Clinton High School For Misconduct, But Gets a Higher Salary. Payoff?

I can almost hear the despair of Carmen Farina behind closed doors at the stupidity of Santiago ("Santi") Taveras. She placed him in one of the New York City Department of Education failing Renewal Schools - ALL the Renewal Schools are failing as well as the program/policy itself - namely DeWitt Clinton HS, thinking that his dumb moves would or could be excused, if someone found out and exposed it, by blaming it on the program itself rather than him, personally. He is protected. I call his actions the "arrogance of immunity".

Here is the OSI report on Taveras' misconduct:
Taveras OSI Report
He knows too much, so the Department will never fire him which might force him to reveal his little black book.
Santiago ("Santi") Taveras

Carmen as usual misunderstood the media, the public, and the distaste for wrongdoing that she enjoys. For her, doing things the "right" way means taking alot of time to follow rules and procedures, which Carmen never has. When grades are changed, when records of attendance, class assignments and numbers of IEP students in ICT classes can be erased and replaced, that's good and fast. All Carmen has to do is have a statement of fake news to accompany whatever the fraud/forgery is.

Santi is all over the internet. But he will never be fired, because that would mean a probable lawsuit, and he would name names of "important people" at the DOE who told him to do whatever he could to make them look good. I betcha he has been promised immunity for his wrong-doing more than a few times. My opinion.

Pushing for Change, Bronx Principal Is Undone by Investigation


Santiago Taveras


The Career of Santiago ("Santi") Taveras Comes Hopefully To A Crashing Stop

De Witt Clinton High School Principal Santiago "Santi" Taveras Removed From His Position


The random and arbitrary protection of certain individuals in the public arena who are paid with public money, is disgusting, unfair, and a liability for the Department when exposed. Let's start getting this system straightened out.

Let's get rid of the main protector first, Carmen Farina.

The New York City Rubber Room Anti-Teacher Charging Process Shows How Corrupt the Carmen Farina-Bill De Blasio Department of Education Really Is. by Betsy Combier

A Question For Carmen Farina, NYC Chancellor: Where is the Money?

The Arrogance of Immunity and the "Resignation" -or Retirement - of NYC DOE Deputy Chancellor Carmen Farina

Betsy Combier
betsy.combier@gmail.com

Principal in grade-fixing scandal loses gig — but spared ax

, NY POST, March 26, 2017

Veteran educator Santiago Taveras has been stripped of his high-profile job as principal of DeWitt Clinton HS — one of the biggest schools in Mayor de Blasio’s stumbling “Renewal” program — but spared the ax for academic misconduct.
Taveras was demoted to “educational administrator,” with a $5,000 pay cut from $154,826 to $149,826.
“Mr. Taveras is no longer a principal,” a DOE spokesman said.
Taveras changed the grades of students from failing to passing without the knowledge or consent of their teachers, and threatened an assistant principal who refused to pass a student who didn’t deserve it, a city probe found.
A report by the city’s Special Commissioner of Investigation quotes a school source saying that Taveras “may have made more than 900” grade changes over three years, but mentions no effort to probe that accusation. The Department of Education would not comment.
Taveras agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for “academic impropriety.”
Based in a Bronx field office, Taveras will “develop and implement strategies to improve school climate and promote positive behavior among students,” the DOE said.
Last school year, Taveras collected $198,150 — $48,000 on top of his salary. Officials would not explain the extra payments. He did not return messages.
Taveras’ downfall is an embarrassing blow for the mayor’s Renewal program, which is pumping an extra $754 million into struggling schools. The program started in 2014 with 96 schools, including DeWitt Clinton, but after closings and mergers will continue with 78 in the fall.
Known as “Santi,” the burly, boisterous ex-deputy chancellor under Mayor Bloomberg took the principal’s job in 2013 to save the declining high school, once a powerhouse with star alumni like attorney William Kuntsler, actor Judd Hirsch and playwright Neil Simon.
Supporters say Taveras injected new energy and school spirit, while getting rid of scores of teachers he deemed ineffective.
“He was gung ho about bringing Clinton back, and we were so disappointed when we heard what happened,” said John Barbarette, a 1964 graduate and president of the alumni association.
Clinton’s academic performance remains poor. Last year, only 46 percent of seniors graduated, with 19 percent deemed college-ready.
In November 2015, an anonymous whistleblower sent SCI records of four cases in which Taveras changed grades. The Post exposed the tampering and Taveras’ installation of a shower for his personal use.
In one case, Taveras changed a girl’s failing grade of 55 in physical education to a passing 65, and a “no-show” in global history to 75. The history teacher told probers the girl had “horrendous” attendance, and failed to complete even a make-up assignment.
Another student admitted she rarely attended or completed assignments in a summer algebra class. Taveras changed her failing 55 to 65, telling SCI she passed the Regents exam. But DOE academic policy says Regents exams may not be the only reason a student passes or fails a course.
Taveras asked an assistant principal whether any changes could be made for a student who failed algebra with a rock-bottom 45. The AP found the student was absent much of the semester and did not complete the course work — and told Taveras nothing could be done.
Two days later, he ordered the AP to speak with the student’s teacher about a way to “fix” the grade. The teacher agreed to raise the grade if the student completed a packet of work. But when the student turned it in, “everything was wrong.” The AP refused to change the kid’s grade.
Soon after, Taveras gave the AP an “unsatisfactory” rating for the year, but promised to reverse it to a “satisfactory” if the AP left. When the AP joined another school, Taveras drafted an “S” rating and backdated it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Santi Taveras is a bully. I worked at a school his kids attended he attempted to bully teachers and staff.