During the Bloomberg era the DOE repeatedly failed to discipline administrators and when they reluctantly did, they gave them a mere "slap on the wrist" for actions that would have led to termination if it was a staff member. With a change in the Mayor's Office and a more "progressive" and friendlier person at the helm, we all hoped his new Chancellor would "clean house" and change the tone at the DOE from a "gotcha mentality" to a more collaborative agency. Even the UFT President, Michael Mulgrew, claimed he saw a new tone at Tweed and even hugged the new Chancellor. However, nothing has changed, its still the same old DOE as the new Chancellor failed to "clean house"and retained many of the high and mid level architects of the destructive Bloomberg years. Sure, there has been some changes at the top but most of them left because they were frustrated with the lack of focus and leadership from the Chancellor not because she wanted them out. Unfortunately, many of the people who remained are the implementers of the hostile Bloomberg policy and it shows in the just completed contract with the UFT that makes ATRs "second class citizens" and makes ATRs who won there discipline hearings an "untouchable".
One of the policies that appears to have not changed is the DOE "double standard" when disciplining administrators and staff members. In many cases, administrators are either not disciplined or given a mere "slap on the wrist" for actions that would have led to the DOE to file 3020-a termination charges against a staff member. The latest examples of this "double standard" is the Assistant Principal who changed 11 grades from failing to passing for his son at "Bread and Roses" High School. His punishment? He is now an ATR Assistant Principal, no 3020-a charges. Another recent case is the Assistant Principal at Automotive High School who dismissed two teachers from scoring because they were too strict on his seniors who he was trying to graduate out of the school.and apparently, in violation of the intent of the City's and maybe State regulations re-scored them His punishment? None. Finally there's the case of the Principal of Murry Bergtraum High School who abused the credit recovery program that pushed seniors out of the school without themappearing in class to get the undeserved credits to graduate. Rather than go for termination charges, the DOE made her a Principal at another school two years later. All three cases can be foundHere, Here, and Here.
Moreover, what happen to these two leadership academy principals in the Bronx who proved to be poor role models and parents demanded their removal? They still are principals in their schools! Here. and Here. If it was a teacher the DOE would have not only removed the teacher from the school but would most certainly have filed 3020-a termination charges.
I guess nothing changes when it comes to the DOE "double standard".