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

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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

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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.