When I look at the New York City Public School System there are things that are being done that's hard to believe but its true. What follows is a list of items that" I can't believe it.... but"
That the DOE wastes $160 million dollars every school year by not placing excessed teachers, guidance counselors, and social workers in the overcrowded classrooms in the New York City schools.
That the news media fails to take Mayor Bloomberg to task when his policies have resulted in rising class sizes, a 14% reduction in school budgets since 2007, and a phoney graduation rate that is significantly inflated by the bogus "credit recovery system".
That Tweed can keep a straight face by using the slogan "children first, always"when its really Mayor Bloomberg first all the time.
That principals are hiring the cheapest teachers they can recruit and claim they were the best candidates for their schools.
That both the DOE and UFT bury their collective heads in the sand and allow teachers uncertified in subjects they are teaching in while excessed teachers in the subject area are treated as wandering gypsies..
That Chancellor Dennis Walcott has "zero tolerance"for staff sexual misconduct but hires a principal who was found guilty in a court of "sexual harassment".
That some naive parents really buy the false propaganda that "newbie teachers" are "quality teachers" that education reformers justify in their public education on the cheap agenda.
That some people don't understand why Bill de Blasio has a 45% lead over Joe Lhota
That the newspapers can't understand why the municipal unions are angry with Mayor Bloomberg and have embraced Bill de Blasio, the anti-Bloomberg for Mayor.
That the UFT leadership praises the flawed NYS Teacher evaluation System, complete with"junk science" that can cause a teacher to be 'ineffective" while rejecting it for their own charter school.
That Mayor Bloomberg considers his education policy a success while the racial/income achievement gap is actually wider than before he took office.
I'm sure there are many more "I can't believe it...but" these are the ones I am most familiar with.