The reassignment centers known as rubber rooms may be a thing of the past, but the city's Department of Education has yet to fully eliminate the number of teachers awaiting disciplinary proceedings. And most of those who were in limbo are now back in schools.
The department said 83 teachers accused of misconduct or incompetence are still waiting for final decisions and are working in district offices. But that's down from the 744 teachers who were doing nothing while continuing to receive their full pay in rubber rooms, or reassignment centers, as of last fall. The city and the union agreed last year to get rid of the rubber rooms and to speed up the hearing process.
Of the 661 teachers whose cases were settled, the department says 181 are no longer employed by the city for various reasons, including resignations, terminations or signing stipulations. Another 474 were returned to service and six were permanently reassigned. About 150 of those teachers who kept their jobs had to pay fines and many must attend additional training sessions.
According to Department of Education spokeswoman Barbara Morgan, “Ending the rubber rooms was certainly a critical step. However, we have much more work to do to ensure we put in place policies that allow us to keep our best teachers, quickly move the worst out of the system, and put our kids first. That includes ending Last in, First out.”
Beth Fertig is WNYC’s Contributing Editor for Education. She previously covered politics, which included City Hall during the Giuliani administration, and the U.S. Senate campaigns of Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton. She also covered transportation and infrastructure.
Comments [5]
Oh come on, are you guys adults? Do you even know how frivoulous some of these charges are? Some of these teachers have done such microspcopic things and others are wrongfully accused! I am sure less thatn 8/9 are actually guilty of something major. Read www.rubberroomreporter.com first, and then let me know what you think!!! Do not judge a person, if you dont know them!!!
Do these rooms still exist in New York at all? What about other states?
Do these rooms still exist in New York at all? What about other states?
Laura are you kidding? These arent the teachers who shape our kids. These are the teachers who have committed some sort of misconduct. Google rubber room and see some of the offenses of the people in there. 661 fully paid teachers not teaching? Cmon now.
Shame on us for scapegoating teachers for the pains we are experiencing in this economic crises,.... when we should be honoring and supporting the people who help shape and educate our children and future, ......while we let go free the people and institutions that caused and allowed this economic diseaster. It is easier to bully and squeeze nickels out of the teachers than go after some of the most powerful economic industries as well as the government that should be held accountable for not protecting their citizens with regulatiions.
This is scapegoating, and it is cowardly and deeply unfair.
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.