Rubber Room

This entry is an attempt to create awareness and get out information about the rubber rooms in NYC DOE

Names have been changed to protect those involved.

Sue Smith * 10 Central Park South, Apt. 12 * New York, NY

____________________________________________________________________________________

January, 2006

To whom it may concern, Re: Linda Brown

Between October 28 and December 21, 2005, I was ‘stationed’ at the Manhattan Regional Office 9 &10 Eighth floor ‘Suspension Center’ at 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001.

It was a dangerous, volatile, environment. We were treated in a degrading manner that served to devalue the self-esteem of many. While many staff-members kept to themselves and kept their spirits up, as did I, many more, assuredly, did not. There were many who succumbed to the atmosphere of almost constant disgrace, to the assumption of stigma that permeated the place. It was hell, especially for the vulnerable.

Many staff-members in that room were angry, paranoid, lacking in physical and/or emotional self-control, possessive, and vindictive. The room kept filling up while I was there, causing a furious, mean-spirited, territorialism. I felt physically at risk, and remained in a quiet corner during my stay. This was one at-risk environment.

Yet, there was no way to avoid witnessing events as they occurred. I witnessed screaming fights (as the room became overcrowded, these were almost every day); I witnessed verbal abuse; I heard people physically threatened; and I witnessed peoples’ chairs pulled out from under them.

During this time, I became acquainted with Linda Brown, who, unlike me, wasactually assigned to the Eighth floor. There was something innocent about little, tiny, Linda that seemed to attract bullies. She was singled out. For no reasonthat I could determine, Linda was the victim of ridicule, mockery, verbal abuse, and social rejection.

While I was there, the people who ran the place, apparently concerned for her safety, moved her to a small staff cafeteria on that floor. She had been there for at about four weeks when I left, and that is the last I saw of her.

Given the supervisory staff’s knowledge that Ms. Brown had been the subject of bullying so dangerous it could have become violent, that they knew of her previous suffering, (indeed -- as indicated by the fact that she had previously been moved to the cafeteria, a safer environment), it would seem strange that, after Ms. Brown winning her court case, she would be returned to the ‘Suspension Center’ at all. One would think she would simply return to work, her ‘U’ rating automatically reversed. That she was not only compelled to return to 333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 8, but forcibly placed in the main room of that ‘Suspension Center,’ seems irresponsible.

I cannot imagine why this was done. It would appear predictable that she would, once again, become the subject of bullying, verbal and/or physical abuse.

Yours truly,

Sue Smith File #: 742391

212-799-7435 h. 646-85d1-9786 c. 1866856-9432 efax

____________________________________________________________________________________

This letter never makes the television news or newspaper. Please send it to TV stations and News Papers asking them to print it. You hear about the "Rubber Room" but not this.

In Memory of Nixmary Brown and four year old Quachaun.

LIFE:

January 2010 Update: Some of the news below was confusing. Comments below were made before conclusions were made regarding each terrible incident. Homework:

Check Saint Barnabas Hospital site to see if statistics have changed since March 2007.

If statistics have change up or down, we may know where we stand with care of our children within NYC... Public Schools

March 2008 Update: My mom killed me.

Update: Four children thrown off a bridge by their father? Teacher did everything??? Where was the support around the teacher???

Update: Daycare Saftey/4 yr. old raped

One year later+ Saint Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx- 3 children a week in New York die of child abuse. See St. Barnabas Hospital Child Advocacy Center ______________________________________________________

Now an echo from Quachaun; there is a program that can facilitate a safer net to protect these children. The following message went unanswered.

Nixzmary calling my teacher for help.... Still, as of March 2008 the court finds that our understanding as outlined here was off, in that Nixzmary says, "It was my Mom who killed me."?

Nixzmary has been praying in Heaven in no pain watching as we continue our soap opera down below. Will her prayer be answered? Will this "ridiculous" soap opera go away by listening to the bottom written below. Her prayers may help the following changes come closer to the perfection of Heaven in caring for and protecting our children instead of being players in this "stupid" current soap opera...

What child called(s) Miss Gabriel -(list teachers)- please help me. All these teachers have tried to engage support but have been left with escalated behaviors passing on from year to year without an answer to help their student. Why? There is a program which, by the end of the first six weeks of school, enables teachers to have a list of children they are concerned about. Many of these concerns could be addressed by fluid (osmotically nucleic) classrooms (regular ed) connected to therapeutic resources within the school that maintain consistent engagement with the people in these children’s' home lives on a daily basis at school. There needs to be a safe room where this occurs. Where ACS can direct itself and network crisis intervention. A room where people are trained in Lee Cantor’s Assertive Discipline because this is the program that trains the entire school family including Administration, Guidance Counselors, Social Workers, Therapists, Aids, Bus Drivers/matrons etc. It teaches how we safeguard who in the school family the child is comfortable with regarding abuse and neglect issues. Surely, ACS can be trained and connected also. Reform needs to begin connecting from the classrooms out in a cutting edge fashion facilitating an inclusive structure of critical crisis intervention. Socio economic factors play a part also with many of our needy children. Lee Cantor & Associates outlined this program,Positive Assertive Discipline, years ago, yet it goes unimplemented in the schools. School families are untrained and do not know how to work empathetically as a team providing safety in a child’s life. Top down, or Administrator, Social Worker, Guidance Counselor, Family Worker, or Parent threatening a law suit, control need not replace the empathetic team facilitated from the classroom teacher out. Why? because this is where the children are during their day. Because of this children can feel the safest. Teachers as mandated reporters should present the documentation as outlined in this program to protect children by law they are suppose to protect. School Administration, ACS, and Government should connect appropriately to facilitate better care of our children. People who have given their life work to study this approach such as Lee Cantor should be utilized to help children from being killed and harmed. A network and an accountability of follow through of mandated teacher statistics should be followed through with appropriately from the teacher on up. Isn't that right Mayor Bloomberg? If in Pre-K or Kindergarten Nixzmary, on a daily basis in the above outlined environment, had been part of an engaged in therapeutic intervention where, if the step father had been a victim of abuse, there might have been a diffusion of what actually took place. When parents or caretakers are engaged and accountable via a connected network from year to year ongoing from grade to grade via the classroom teacher we might save children from death by facilitating safer communication regarding the problems the parents were having. Also, teachers need not be threatened when presenting their concerns. The "system" needs to see to protecting teachers in doing this job, not disenable such communication on the part of teachers through fear of reprisal such as being fired (perhaps "rubber room" consequences). Just last year (2004) my immediate supervisor said to me when I tried to engage support for several of my Kindergarten students, “Miss Gabriel why are you the only teacher with concerns?” She meant, ignore it, or you will reap the consequences. When I did have an initial conference with one of the children’s’ parents, both my principal and assistant principal did not discuss my concerns and told me not to meet with the parent regarding them. The parent hugged me and had wanted to meet. I felt she might need to meet to talk about possible frustration she felt about having more patience with her child. Maybe she had a parent who was not physically patient with her. What do I say to Rachel? She kept hitting children and when two parents approached her mom, she was upset because the principal had told me to tell her everything had been Ok. When she went to the principal again, instead of engaging to help the parent and child ongoing and therapeutically, he transferred Rachel into another Kindergarten class. Especially since Rachel was hitting children in Pre-K also. So Rachel may say, “Why did you not help me?” Lee Cantor teaches how to recognize and connect respectfully with the child in need. Right now our team is not a team. It is a mass of people who are disconnected from the children they need to serve. Lee Cantor's work is the only intervention I have studied that actually facilitates the team we need. A village beginning from within the classroom stemming to ACS, Administration, Government, and whoever that child feels confident and bonds with. People can be trained to be sensitive to the child’s bonding whoever that is. Again, it is facilitation to the child that Lee Cantor's work will teach everyone to be collaborative about. Maybe the matron on the bus recently would have stopped the student from banging his head if she had a team to respond to. Maybe she reacted like many others in a system where rubber rooms exist. Be tough!!!!!!!!!, not at all mild managed like Miss Gabriel, or you will be the pointed to one who got caught, possible definition of rubber room placement. A montra I have been hearing and living with professionally for almost 20 years. You’re not tough enough but behind closed doors I won’t be the one within the Dept. Of Ed who gets caught.

Sincerely concerned for life,
Alena Gabriel
BA Research (Chem. Premed/Natural Science)-Top Honors-
MS Learning Technology-Top Honors-
-Researcher/NYC Public School Teacher for 18 years. I taught in many elementary and several junior high schools in Manhattan and the Bronx.
-Board Representative/Asst. Adm.
Children Of Today

Please call David Hafetz at the Post and ask him to do a story on this e-mail: (212)430-8086.

The media has not responded to this e-mail?

Mayor Bloomberg's office responded although 3020a arbitrator Ms. G and Administration and false witnesses/misguided “professional” witnesses classroom teacher, Ms. F- subsequently promoted by principal/Administration to school coach and then AP, and not confidential, Ms. R, guidance counselor- henchman for Principal Y, PS --. DOE attorney prosecuted me for kicking, joking and slapping of which I was not found guilty of. It did not happen. These were accusations made by the above for their own power and gain. The collaborative team was selective in the care of the two boys testifying in the 3020a although there was probably ODD behavior involved. Point is, it is a terrible behavioral job Mayor Bloomberg.

ACS responded after contacted by Mayor’s office but did not get back with their agenda..

Someone in DA Richard Brown's office responded.

Dr. Ritchi Morris and others are responding.

Will you respond too?

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Functionality

What does the community, parents and

& children

have to

gain

without education?

Why Can’t NYC Public Schools Be Run For

Children?

Where are teachers’ records depicting accountability of

intervention and positive learning environments?

(i.e. Lee Cantor’s Assertive Discipline Teacher Documentation).

Children are suffering and there is no record of them. Teachers as mandated

reporters are not allowed to maintain records of students in need because they are told

they will be fired when presenting such documentation to administrators………….

This is why parents and others need to hold administration accountable for not

implementing such.

Even 3020a arbitrator Ms. G miss quotes the use of Lee Cantor’s Positive Support of Children

It is unbelievable to think that arbitrators do not support teachers as mandated reporter, but Ms. G does not. She makes between $1600-1900 a day, I guess that is more important than supporting a teacher as a mandated reporter.

There are statistics of need but there is no accountability for them.

Implement: “It takes a village” and “Leave no child behind “

Help to enable the above to happen!

Ask for the documents.

Lee Cantor outlined them years ago. Why haven’t they been utilized?

Where is the curricular workshop model of team collaboration and authoritative learning environments as it pertains to facilitation of NYC public schools today?

Why aren’t teachers evaluating school environments and choosing the best facilitator/administrator for their schools?

Isn’t the time thus?

Why not give power to Networking a truly “Professional” school environment As Mayor Bloomberg has Claimed He Has so well outlined in his business financed finesse. Where lies our racial and cultural workshop Models facilitated within our schools? Should parents take control to see this occurs?

Lee Cantor Associates, has a program that encompasses the needs to facilitate teachers as mandated reporters but it is not being implemented, attempted or used seriously in NYC Public Schools. Why are children suffering?

Former Chancellor, Dr. Joseph A. Fernandez, tried to implement this program. He left his position without being able to follow through with it's implementation. Children stillsuffer.................................

Blog- post your opinion and /or story…..http://childrenoftoday.blogspot.com

Web Site: childrenoftoday.org

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