By resisting almost any change aimed at improving our public schools, teachers unions have become a ripe target for reformers across the ideological spectrum. Even Hollywood, famously sympathetic to organized labor, has turned on unions with the documentary "Waiting for 'Superman'" (2010) and a feature film, "Won't Back Down," to be released later this year. But perhaps most damaging to the unions' credibility is their position on sexual misconduct involving teachers and students in New York schools, which is even causing union members to begin to lose faith. [emphasis mine]Because due process is only for alleged criminals when Campbell says it is, I guess. Besides, everyone knows that collective bargaining has given perverts the freedom to abuse kids, right?
Right...
In response to a growing sexual-abuse scandal that has roiled the Horace Mann School, a prestigious Bronx private school, two distinct nonprofit groups are forming, including one helmed by a current trustee.
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In June, allegations surfaced that multiple teachers sexually abused children while they were students at the school in the 1990s and earlier. Alumni have flooded social media sites with expressions of outrage and to exchange their own stories. No charges have been filed.
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Several of the alleged Horace Mann victims have sought advice from Kevin Mulhearn, an attorney who is representing 12 people who claim they were abused while students at Poly Prep Country Day School, a Brooklyn private school. The school has asked a judge to dismiss the case. [emphasis mine]I'm sure the UFT had something to do with this pattern of abuse in NYC's private schools; Campbell just needs a little time to figure it out...
ADDING: I had a cold this week so I must have missed this:
Just like SF's Michelle Rhee wishes she hadn't massively exaggerated her students test scores on her resume. These people are full of regrets, ain't they?Since the op-ed, Brown has become the subject of heightened attention, both positive and negative. She appeared that morning on Morning Joe, whose host, Joe Scarborough, is a vocal critic of teachers unions. Then she took to Twitter, where she reached out to Weingarten.“Why is teachers union protecting teachers who commit sexual misconduct?” Brown tweeted to Weingarten.Weingarten responded by accusing her of doing the dirty work of an advocacy group that supports many policies that teachers unions oppose. Weingarten suggested that Brown had gone on the attack because her husband, Dan Senor, is a board member of StudentsFirstNY, which jumped into the fight to defend Brown on Twitter.Speaking today, Campbell acknowledged that her campaign against the teachers union could have been handled better, beginning with a full disclosure of her relationship with Senor, a top advisor to presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and his role at StudentsFirstNY.“You know what?” Brown said today in a phone interview. “In retrospect, I totally wish I had.”
ADDING MORE: Gotham Schools reported on the proposed bill in NYC that Brown is pushing.