Every day, more than 1,400 students attend Murry Bergtraum HS for Business Careers. Instead of a nurturing and caring environment that prepares them for college and citizenship, most children are greeted by chaotic hallways, mis-programming and general administrative apathy.
This academic year, teachers and students can conclude that the administration at Murry Bergtraum, led by Principal Lottie Almonte, is either stunningly incompetent or negligent.
Let’s examine the facts.
This school year, hundreds of students at Murry Bergtraum had no Earth-science teacher for several months. Then in November, they were given “Blended Learning” Earth-science classes — taught via computer, without a live teacher. The commercial courses give short video clips of lectures, followed by quizzes. These students will take the Earth-science Regents exam in less than a month and are completely unprepared.
Just last month, Almonte and her team of administrators were cited by New York state for failing to provide services to special-education students. Many classes that required special-ed co-teachers did not have them. One courageous English teacher who informed parents of this illegal denial of services has faced harassment by Almonte.
In an effort to cover up the fiasco, the administration programmed employees as special-ed teachers who had never before met or co-taught with the general-ed co-teachers. One was a day-to-day sub — unlicensed in special-ed — who showed up just twice in my co-teaching class.
Meanwhile, other staffers have been programmed as Blended Learning teachers unbeknownst even to them! That means no one is teaching the class. It’s a lie. That’s right, phantom teachers, fraudulent rosters and denial of special-education services!
Where is District 2 Superintendent Marisol Bradbury? Or Chancellor Carmen Fariña? Does anyone care about the students we teach? How many parents need to call or speak with Almonte, literally begging her to provide services their children lawfully deserve?
Where is Mayor de Blasio? What does the Department of Education motto, “Children first. Always.” really mean? How much more evidence does the Department of Education require to replace the entire administration at Murry Bergtraum with a competent and professional team that cares about student success, listens to parents and treats teachers with respect?
Need more?
– Blended Learning computer classes in all grades and subjects enroll hundreds of students “taught” by one teacher who merely administers the online classes. This goes on even after a front-page exposé in this newspaper.
– Two phys-ed vacancies have left areas near the student locker rooms unsupervised, creating an environment ripe for fights and mischief.
– The social-studies assistant principal changed the locks on the social-studies office, blocking teachers’ access to the copy machine and other crucial resources.
– The English assistant principal denies teachers the use of books, instead requiring them to use photocopies and her own lesson plans. This strips them of professional autonomy and the creative joy of teaching their subject.
- Teachers are physically assaulted and verbally abused by students, who go unpunished. Students frequently call teachers names like “homo” and “faggot” without consequence. One teacher had a large, hard-cover book thrown in her face. Violent incidents go unreported.
– Money was spent on new office furniture and a “brand manager,” Kian Brown, our community coordinator and “Minister of Propaganda,” who devised a school logo and runs the Web site — amid special-ed and science-teacher vacancies. Brown lets dozens of kids cut class and hang out in his office.
You might think Murry Bergtraum exists in a parallel universe where government accountability, whistleblowers and professional integrity don’t exist. Is this New York 1880, the age of Boss Tweed, rife with corruption and dishonesty? Is this madness? No, it’s Bergtraum.
No wonder almost every teacher wants out. Successes and messes filter down from the top in a school building. That’s where the cleanup at Bergtraum needs to start.