Letter To The Editor: "Locking Up" Re-Assigned Teachers

The following letter to the editor comes from a Rye resident.

Letter to the Editor:

"Locking Up" Re-Assigned Teachers Is Tantamount to Adult Bullying

I have been standing up at Rye City School Board of Education meetings religiously the past few months because I am deeply concerned about how our Board is handling the case of the re-assigned teachers in our District.

I feel compelled to keep speaking up, because of the incredible costs associated with this case, the complete lack of respect by the board for the teachers, the silent treatment our board is gi...ving parents, and because I think the consequences the administration is imposing on the teachers far surpass what is reasonable based on the allegations.

We will be spending close to $400,000 this school year on replacement teachers alone. Where is this money coming from, and how is it going to affect our school budget for next year? In November - after six months - one of the teachers was charged. Is the Board actually willing to spend what will be at least $250,000 in legal fees on a case based on questionable obtained information through interviews with 9 and 10 year-olds?

The treatment our teachers are receiving can only be described as disrespectful. Mrs. Topol has been teaching at Osborn for 25 years and has an outstanding record according to the school and parents alike. The same applies to Mrs. Mehler, who has been teaching here for 13 years. Apart from keeping them reassigned without a mandate from the state, the Board is making the teachers report to a tiny room (10 x 9) on a daily basis. They have been assigned a task that is far from appropriate for such highly skilled teachers. Does this show any respect, care, or dignity? Is this how we wish to treat one another in Rye? 'Locking up' our teachers in a rubber room without any information or communication and without actively seeking a resolution is what I consider bullying for grown-ups.

Our administration is currently spreading a culture of fear, unease, and silence. This will have a negative impact on the education of our children. We want and need our teachers, administrators, and parents to remain critics of our own system to make sure our schools keep excelling.

It is good to know that our District takes testing irregularities very seriously. But why don't they just stop the bleeding? Even though not formally, our teachers have been punished severely already. I strongly believe that the Board has the opportunity to use this case as a learning experience and turn it into something positive to make our schools and community even stronger.

All leaders make mistakes, but good leaders admit and correct them. As John Wooden once said: "If you are not making mistakes, you are not doing anything."

Sincerely,

Boukje van den Bosch-Smits