Unhappy Parents and Teachers at PAVE

This comment was left at Gotham as teachers and parents at PS 15 reach out to teachers and parents at PAVE:

I just want to correct the record regarding the PAVE parent’s comments above. Yes, there have been lies and omissions. The DOE and PAVE administration were legally required to inform parents about the new process per law as a result of the State Education Appeal. PAVE administration and the DOE failed to keep their word in doing this and did not inform parents, particularly incoming parents, of the current issue regarding their space. Furthermore, I reviewed the survey results myself, and not only did teachers report less than 50% regarding their lack of trust of PAVE administration, among other less than stellar data, so did the parents! Anyone who wants to review this themselves, can find the report easily on the DOE website. Finally, I have spoken directly with several PAVE parents on many occasions, they have informed me that PAVE teachers participated in a silent strike against the PAVE administration and that they are unhappy with the lack of accountability and transparency. Furthermore, when a group of PAVE parents tried to challenge Mr. Robertson on this issue and asked him what the plan b was if PAVE is in fact required to leave PS 15, which ultimately they will be because there have been several violations of the law regarding this issue, Mr. Robertson’s response to this parent was, ‘This is a done deal. We are not going anywhere. There is no plan be and if you don’t like it, take your child out of my school.’ Comments like these highlight what charter school parents are dealing w/ across the city; a climate and culture of using and manipulating parents into supporting a movement and agenda they have been duped into supporting, thinking it is what is best for their child, when really they are just being used to propagate a privatization agenda and personal business venture. Could you ever imagine a public school principal saying this to parent!?!?! It is disgusting. It is an abuse of power. You will get no argument regarding the committed teachers at PAVE, but considering that more than 50% of them left last year, teachers who left directly encouraged some of their parents to remove their child from PAVE and they have even lost teachers midyear; I think it is safe to say that they do not want to be a part of this educational nightmare either. Charter proponents are all about numbers right? Well, in this case survey numbers and teacher attrition numbers speak volumes… if anyone would be actually willing to listen.