David Pakter: A rant...Containing great passion & great pain

[tonysam]

This is a post over at Teachers.net NY Teachers board. I am posting this in its entirety:

I have been following this discussion for some time and am
deeply touched and moved by the high degree of passion and
pain contained and expressed in the remarks.

Having taught in the NYC public schools system for over
four decades, since 1968, I can say that the entire system
is corrupt to the core. I am now involved in two lawsuits
in the Federal Courts, which contain evidentiary documents
regarding these remarks.

I was a highly decorated NYC Educator but once I became a
Whistle-blower I immediately rose to the top of the
system's "hit list" in 2003 and the NYC schools system has
been trying to bury me ever since.

There is no depth to which the NYC schools system will not
sink once it decides to destroy a Teacher's career - and
this is a nation wide situation and phenomenon.

On Sunday, March 21, the NEW YORK POST, on page 8,
published a statement about me that I had been "charged
with sexual misconduct".

This is an absolute bald faced lie and knowing
fabrication.

Where do you think the two NY POST reporters got the idea
and this libelous false information to include in their
March 21 story ? If your IQ is above 10 you likely
guessed correctly.

Obviously the NY POST will pay dearly for this Libel.

The point is, for those poor babes in the woods, still wet
behind the ears, you have as much chance fighting the
egregiously corrupt public school systems in America as my
Grandmother's sister's family had hiding in the woods in
Russia as the Nazi killing squads came barreling through
the countryside, raping and murdering during the
Holocaust. She, like most, did not survive.

For those who believe the analogy is overly dramatic, wait
until your number comes up and it is decided it is time
for you to go. Wait till the system causes you to lose
everything, your career, your house, the ability to feed
your family, your health insurance, your economic security
in old age- literally everything that one needs and
requires to sustain a normal life and remain a viable
human being.

I salute those and praise the courage of all those
Teachers in NYC and nationwide who have refused to go down
without a fight. But all such fighters for their simple
human dignity and employment rights should know that the
deck and all the odds are stacked against you.

You are battling forces that violate the Laws of the land
everywhere and all the time and usually succeed in getting
away with doing so.

Will they succeed in my case/s ? I have spent a fortune
and will continue to do so to make burying me and my
career as costly for them as possible.

I could have retired long ago at a Pension far larger than
my current contractual salary, after 42 years as a NYC
Teacher. (The contractual salary the system has been
illegally refusing to pay me since October of 2009.)

But I refuse to retire until my State Education Law 3020-a
Teacher trial concludes and the Hearing Officer, a highly
respected State Arbitrator and Attorney, who is
unswervingly honest, has rendered his Decision in this
trial that includes the charge that I "brought a plant to
the school without Official permission". Believe it or
not!!

Again, to all those Teachers who have refused to go
meekly, like lambs to the slaughter, I salute your courage
and your passion to defend your simple human dignity and
your careers.

My Grandmother's family did not survive their battle
against unspeakeable odds. But that is no reason for
American Teachers or for any human beings on this Earth to
capitulate to evil just because the odds are against them.

In the end that is what differentiates one human being
from the next. The individual who goes along to get
along, and the individual who has the courage of his/her
convictions who cannot be bought at any price.

Indeed, in the end, if one's only goal is to just to
survive at any cost, then what is the point. Sometimes
sheer survival can come at such a cost to one's dignity as
a human being, it is not worth the price.
_________________________________________________

WHISTLE-BLOWER AXED - AGAIN

[yellerpup]

1. Stay strong.

You make an excellent case and I hope you win. :kick: & rec

[tonysam]

2. He has resources I never had as a teacher

That is critical in fighting school districts with their unlimited funds. I wasn't able to fight them since Nevada administrative law is completely stacked in districts' favor, and the unions don't pay for appeals. The civil courts offer little recourse for sacked teachers, and there are time limits for EEOC and DOL, which naturally the union didn't tell me anything about.

[yellerpup]

3. I empathize.

I've lived in NY for over 30 years after growing up in Oklahoma. I will never understand why some of the western states fight so hard to maintain the pitiful inequality of the status quo. Education is the most essential ingredient to our future success as a nation and teachers are and always will be on the front lines of that struggle.

[tonysam]

4. A comment following the Pakter post

Mr. Pakter,--you're situation is well known and I believe
we all admire your persistence and determination. Unfortunately,
many teachers do not have the financial resources to combat
the formidable power structure which seeks to crush into
silence all who oppose it. Your story is incredible although
not unusual. Many talented,dedicated teachers have flown the
system because of -dare I say it-downright illegal and immoral
administrative abuse. This is no fabrication,-it's the scary
truth. I've seen it over and over and yet the insanity
continues. The casual passer by on these chatboards might tend
to chalk up these 'rants' to the last salvo's of disgruntled,
mediocre or incompetent teachers but,-there is iron clad truth
in all of these sad tales. What can be done? Like you said,-
standing up for one's rights is a start. However,-when 100+
teachers stand up for their rights behind closed doors--who
will know? Who will care? We need activists who will find ways
to take the fight outside-to the people-and let the public
at large examine the facts. Take the fight straight to the top
and petition Barack Obama himself to innitiate an investigation.

Know Mr. Pakter that your convictions frighten the right people
and serve as a model for us all. Thank you. J.Vitali

[tonysam]

5. More from Pakter

STOP DEBATING AND AGONIZING OVER HOW BEST TO PROTECT YOURSELVES

In four decades as a NY Teacher I never received a single
Unsatisfactory Lesson Observation. Not just due to the Excellence of
my lessons but because I kept a video camera in the back of my room.

One AP was actually ordered by the Principal I exposed, to visit my
room and rate the lesson Unsatisfactory regardless of the quality.

When the Principal's stooge entered my room and saw the camera she
exited the room faster than a speeding bullet.

The system finally removed me on totally trumped up charges as payback
for my Whistle-blowing. (Something they will pay for in due time.)

But here is the kicker. After the Principal committed serious Perjury
during my current State Education Teacher trial in NYC, my defense
attorney let her know that everything she had said was contradicted by
a recording in my possession. She let out an audible gasp and almost
fell off her chair. I thought they were going to have to call 911.

On May 10, 2010 Teacher History will be made in NYC as that recording
is officially entered into evidence in a State trial.

Any teacher in America who does not keep a Digital Recording device in
their shirt or blouse pocket whenever they are within 25 feet of a so-
called supervisor or school Principal is just as stupid as a soldier
in Iraq or Afganistan who would be too lazy to put on their bullet
proof vest before going out on a patrol.

Does the vest guarantee you will not be killed anyway ? Of course
not. It certainly will not stop a bullet between the eyes. But it
will sure as Hell increase your odds of getting back to your base
alive each night.

The climate in which American Teachers must now work dictates and
requires that you do what is necessary to protect your career and
chief means of livelihood and simple human dignity.

For anyone in NY who wants to see Education history being made in
America, Google my name and attend my Open to the Public Teacher Trial
on May 10 and 11 at 49 Chambers Street, Manhattan, 6th Floor at 10 AM.

The people at Reception may tell you there is no Trial taking place to
keep you from attending- they do this frequently. Just state you are
there for the Trial of DAVID PAKTER, Defense Counsel, Christopher M.
Callagy, Esq., Prosecuting Attorney, Philip Oliveri, and Hearing
Officer, the Hon. Douglas J. Bantle, Esq.

Be a Witness to history, protect your job and your dignity and stop
going like sheep to the slaughter. Stand up and defend yourself. You
are only a victim if you choose to be a victim.

Hope to see you all on May 10 and May 11. Stand up, stand proud and
remember that an American Teacher is an American Hero.

Act like a Hero. Act like what you are and teach your students by
your example that no one in America is above the Law including the sad
excuses for human beings that more and more frequently masquerade as
school Principals who think they can bully hard working, dedicated
Educators with impunity.

Like Hell they can and only if Teachers allow such pathological and
sadistic behavior to take place. If your Union will not protect you
then you must learn to protect yourself.

And Yes, --- You Can.

A BIG regret is I didn't secretly record my investigative interview. I had mentioned tape recording it to the others there, and I was chewed out by my corrupt union executive director--who ended up taking a bribe in the form of a job working for the very person in human resources who targeted me for termination.