Submitted by Elba Rivera, Mar 16, 2008 18:08

I am one of those educators that has been sent to the so-called "Rubber Rooms," because I reported a teacher who violently abused a special education 10 year old child. I also reported her horrible conduct towards me as a Teacher's assistant on a number of occasions. After having to get fingerprinted, take a two hour long course on child abuse identification and reporting and another one on violence in schools, and pay out for these courses out of my pocket, I was sent for reassignment by the schools principal just a few weeks after I made the madatory report of corporal punishment by this teacher. The principal is a "Tyrant," principal and two days before she terminated me, she called me into her office and told me that I was FORBIDDEN TO SPEAK TO ANY OF THE CHILDREN IN THE CLASS THAT I FORMERLY WORKED IN AND SHE ALSO WARNED ME ABOUT SPEAKING TO ANY STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL. Then two days later she called me back into her office and told me that I had been terminated from working at her school and for me to go to my regional office for reassignment. I got really sick behind this and ended up in a mental health clinic with severe anxiety attacks. I have not yet been to report to this so-called rubber room because I was admitted to the hospital, but I know that I have to go and I am afraid of what is going to happen to me now. I am 51 years old and cannot go back to school and I have no idea why I am being forced to reassignment when I did what I had to do. The teacher in question, (Ms. Sorkin) is still working in the school with the same group of children that she has been abusing for two years. The children are terrified of her and I really feel badly for these children and all of those who will be in her class next year. I am seeking legal representation on a contigency fee basis and I am planning to sue the City of New York, Joel Klein, and the UFt because the UFT told me that I should have just turned the other way and minded my business. I am being sent to prison for blowing the whistle on a teacher and Assistant Principal who knew what was going on and covered it all up. IT IS A SHAME THAT OUR GOVERNMENT DOES NOT REALLY CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND THAT THE DOE MAKES ALL IT TEACHER'S AND PARAPROFESSIONALS TAKE THESE COURSES AND PAY FOR THEM, FOR NOTHING BECAUSE AS A MADATED REPORTER I HAD TO REPORT THIS ABUSE.

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