Educator Fights Back

How many DOE attorneys does it take to do the right thing? Answer: Just one. Her name is Courtenaye Jackson-Chase and she is the top lawyer who replaced Michael Best last year. If she has her hands bound, then that means the decision to keep me in exile comes from City Hall. That would be [...]

  DOElemma: When a NYC Department of Education attorney, or official, has to decide between what’s right and violating a regulation, contract, law or policy. Usually their own. I lost count as to how many policies, regulations and laws the largest school system in the country has violated in an attempt to silence me, prevent [...]

See updated (5/15/13) information at the bottom “This conversation may be recorded for quality control purposes.”  In this modern-day David vs Goliath, my smartphone is my sling and I wield it very well. A very vague and confusing SCI report came out on April 25, 2013. In case you have not seen the report it [...]

Quick recap: A very vague and incomplete SCI report came out on me April 25, 2013. It basically unsubstantiated 20+ allegations against me. You can see it here. I was called in to OSI for a new investigation yesterday. It’s crazy. I attended the OSI conference yesterday. I was told that on March 11, 2013 Principal Linda Hill made [...]

I received word that I’m the subject of a “new” investigation. This time it’s not SCI (external), but rather the DOE’s internal Office of Special Investigation (OSI). The investigator’s words to me, as they handed me the letter, were “Well this should be of no surprise. You are the subject of an investigation.” My response [...]

You read my story and may think, “This is crazy.” Unfortunately my story is nowhere near unique. I’m just very good at publicizing the blow by blow attacks from my employer, NYC DOE. Imagine, if you will, the countless educators abused on a daily basis and all those sent to the Rubber Rooms and terminated. [...]

  I’m working on a post where I share my rather interesting history with bullies from 1st grade to present day. For now check out two sites that featured my story of fighting back with a short documentary to follow. 1. EHS Today http://ehstoday.com/health/beyond-playground-when-bullying-elbows-its-way-workplace I’m on page 3. I always wanted to be in Environmental Health [...]

As I write this post I sit in my usual seat. Classroom teacher’s desk? No, but rather at the end of a long row of tables in solitary confinement situated in conference room 307 (see picture below). I have a Masters in Education, Bachelors in Engineering, a US Patent, published articles and here I sit [...]

“I have to call DOE Legal.” “I’ll let you know after I speak to Legal.” “Well… Legal is investigating it.” “They said contact Legal if the teacher continues to resist” “Legal will know what to do” “Legal will send the form and we just have to put our letterhead on and sign.”   Have you ever heard a [...]

The buzz on the street is that these high stakes tests are being tampered with and may be soiled with cheating. Why would anyone want to cheat on a test? I mean don’t let the words high stakes fool you. It’s not like these scores are tied to graduation, promotions, termination and bonuses? Oh wait…yes they are. Take a [...]

Principal Linda Hill and Assistant Principal Joanne Aguirre order the changing of locks “during” a NY State Standardized Test on April 26, 2012.

  Apparently placing the Gadsden Flag on my STEM Lab Door was not enough to warn those plotting against me to “back off” and tread carefully. I placed it on the door as soon as I felt like something was brewing. I remembered my Social Studies teacher Mr Bruns at Port Richmond High School slam [...]

UPDATED: 04/12/13   If you are an avid follower of this blog, then you are well aware that many of the issues I raised revolved around the School Leadership Team or SLT. I was naive when I joined and thought it had something to do with being part of a team and helping lead the school.  Boy was I [...]

On October 14, 2009 Johnathan Halabi, of New Action caucus, made a motion to endorse Bill Thompson for NYC Mayor. As you can see in the article below, UFT Leadership stepped in and the delegates voted not to endorse him. Bill Thompson wound up losing by only a small margin. I’m surprised they published a [...]

NYC Educators, you have a voice, even if for a brief moment. Before you cast a ballot… Watch and listen so you can make a more informed decision. Michael Mulgrew endorses Race to the Top and evaluation based on testing and one size fits all observation Michael Mulgrew endorses mayoral control. Mulgrew refuses a debate [...]

Took a little break from running the talk show, but I’m happy to report that it’s back…and with a vengeance. Check out the last two amazing interviews (6 and 7) if you can’t see them all. Email me at mrportelos@gmail.com if you are interested in being on the show. Check this page for updates. Guests Lined [...]

App Featured on Channel 11 News – Greg Mocker Are you a NYC teacher who might be having a bad day? Do you need a little pick me up? Now there is an app for that! I left the environmental field and took on the arduous and noble task of educating the youth of this great [...]

I have the pleasure of hosting a workshop on using social media to mobilize. It is this Sunday March 24, 2013 at UFT headquarters 52 Broadway, NY NY. Information on the cost for the day for this and many workshops is here: http://www.organizing20.org/event/organizing-new-york/ My workshop is titled “SOCIAL MEDIA IS OUR MEDIA” and starts at [...]

Wrapping up What Would — Do? Week with what would you do? What Would Dennis Walcott Do? What Would David Weiner Do? What Would Michael Mulgrew Do? What Would Karen Lewis Do? Dear educator, What would you do? I know you have seen things that are not right. I know it’s easier to look away [...]

Continuing with the alternate universe segment of “What Would — Do?” here is one Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis. What if I was in Chicago and going through this saga? What if I came across the same exact situation here in NYC, but Michael Mulgrew  wasn’t president of the UFT and instead Karen Lewis [...]

Continuing with “What would — Do? Week, we bring up UFT President and former chapter Leader of Grady HS, Michael Mulgrew. What if in a parallel universe he was sent to the Rubber Room while a Chapter Leader at Grady HS? See below how is current bio might be different. Would he be upset with [...]

Continuing with “What Would — Do?” Week. Yesterday was Chancellor Dennis Walcott and today Deputy Chancellor David Weiner. His bio can be found below. I met and heard of David back in November. I was at an Educators4Excellence event at Baruch and he briefly spoke about the new evaluation. We broke out to smaller break [...]

Kicking off  ”What Would _____Do Week?” here at ProtectPortelos   What would happen if in a parallel universe, Mr. Walcott, kindergarten teacher, witnessed misconduct in his school? Would he have said anything? Would he have reported it? Would he have been publicly vocal about it? Would he have been sent to the Rubber Room in [...]

I’m trying to write about this based on a blurred memory of the events that I think transpired this week. Monday March 11, 2013, I attended the Panel for Educational Policy meeting at Brooklyn Tech High School. There were many upset educators, students and parents present and I sat with my fellow MORE group. I [...]

Follow on Twitter  -   Like on Facebook If you know my story, you know that my UFT Chapter leader offered the school administration a helping hand in derailing my young career in education. On top of that, my emails and calls to my union leadership appeared to fall on deaf ears as the attacks [...]

Dear students of my last year classes (623, 633, 619, 710, 720, 730, 819, 838) and the students of classes I should have had this school year (630, 617, 633, 713 and 712), I’m sorry, but I have failed you. If you are reading this, then you probably know how hard I have been trying [...]