Submitted by Betsy Combier, Oct 15, 2007 07:39

The majority of teachers who are held in the re-assignment centers - nick-named "rubber rooms" - are, by their performance records and student accounts, dedicated and beloved people who are good at what they do. These men and women have been removed from their jobs for no reason related to either their jobs, how well they teach, or anything to do with them personally, and, as is accurately quoted in your article, do not know why they are told to report to a re-assignment center. Charges often come later, after someone makes them up. We have documented cases where a child who was unhappy with his or her grade went to the Principal and made up a false report of "gesturing" during a class, touching an arm or shoulder, pushing, etc., when none of these occurred. A simple sneeze has become grounds for termination. Now that Principals have more control than ever before over budget lines, older, experienced teachers who have the highest salaries are the first to go, the first to get, after 20-50 years of satisfactory ratings, sudden "U"s for unsatisfactory performance, or worse - accusations of corporal punishment that never happened. Teachers are being handcuffed and arrested before anyone documents a good reason. And, to make this situation even worse, the Department of Investigation holds secret investigations that include citing crimes witnessed by unnamed suspects who are never brought to the table. This is not what American law and government ever stood by or for, and we must end this despicable process right now.

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