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Their is a teacher at UPREP right now that is under
investigation for having an affair with two students. The district of
course is keeping is hush hush!"
Wouldn't PPS be obligated to report something like this? And if authorities investigate and believe it to be true, there won't really be a way to hush it up.
Gates Foundation always stress Teacher Personal Development now we need to enforce SEXUAl BEHAVIOR CONDUCT among teachers No wonder PPS students can't LEARN . Also do the teacher consider this has a HEALTH EDUCATION CLASS I hope HE/SHE have CLEARANCE PAPERS how about that!!!!!!!! Oh better yet I think we should send all PPS students to CAPA at lease they can LEARN there and shut down all other schools I thought I put that out there
New Post: Can you please delete the old post like this an replace it with this please. I was half a sleep.
A staff member at UPREP send Linda Lane a long leter telling her the things that are happening at u prep. SO, she did send one superintendent over. They hid the superintendent Not one time were we or the kids asked what was happening at u prep. Well let me tell you!
1. multiple jump fights.
2. the kids are always in the hallway.
3. The kids are begging to leaver that are decent kids and are denied.
4. The kids cut class all day and hide in the music room or the gym.
5. The one administrator buys them pizza and junk for bad behavior.
6. The kids go to the store on the fourth florr that sells junk food and have the bad kids buy their candy and then kids roam the building.
7. Kids have been killed on the streets.
8. Men have came into the gym and socked a kid in the face.
9. You can not teach because of no consequences.
10. A police officer there just sits in his office with the door closed while the security get handle all problems.
11. The swearing is out of control.
12. The admins act like kings/ by the way they abuse staff.
13. An acting admin treats the staff like dogs.
14. unsafe environment!Mentally and physically.
Bells on the doors? What a waste of money!
15. No discipline
16. Staff depressed and in need of a new principal. Making staff ill!
17. Admins not leaders just sergeants! Leaders get their hands dirty!
18. How many u prep kids have been found dead? Do they you think they are safe after school from these people.
19. Where is a city police car? What can the Secupity and Officer that hides do with no gun to protect? Please do not give these PPS Police guns that would be scary!
20. Teacher has a rumor she slept with two male kids and no letter home to parents. What if their are other victims.
21. I could type till 300 and this is why we fail our kids, staff, parents and community! Turns my stomach.
SO IF YOUR KID IS FAILING AT U PREP NO WORRIES THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR GRADES AND HID THE ISSUES SUCH AS TEACHERS GETTING HIT, STUDENTS BEING TORMENTED BY STUDENTS AND GETTING JUMPED! IF YOU KID IF FAILING NO WORRIES THEY WILL HAVE THEIR GRADES CHANGED AND THINGS ARE HIDDEN AT THE SCHOOL NOW!
THESE ADMINS HAVE MORNING MEETINGS WHEN THE KIDS ARE COMING IN AND THE MEETING ARE DONE WHEN THE KIDS GO TO CLASS. THIS IS WHAT U PREP DOES ANYWAYS. IT MUST BE TOUGH GETTING PAID TO DO NOTHING!
Anonymous 8:54 that is amazing all the issues u pointed out at U Prep and none of them been address hiding the problems at that school there needs to b some legal actions from not confronting these issues. Or we can hide U Prep school where no one can see it .So that means EDUCATION LEARNING is HIDING as well.The bottom line is this PPS ADMINISTRATION is MIA .Another option we can close down all PPS SCHOOLS and all parents can go to HOME SCHOOLING instead of STATE give money to PPS it will go to all parents for HOME SCHOOLING enclosing might be better off than what we have now everything to GAIN and nothing to LOSE
A reporter wanted to write a story about U Prep, anyone ready to talk yet?
"She has permission from her editor to keep you anonymous.
Rebecca Nuttall Staff Writer Pittsburgh City Paper 650 Smithfield Street Suite 2200 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-316-3342 x. 175 rnuttall@steelcitymedia.com @PGHReporter "
The mentors that come in are on probation and always use that panther sign! PPS look how many white kids left for others schools, cyber school and that Hardy refused and your lucky if you have 12 white kids! You failed the white kids because your always catering the black kids. Cater them all! Hardy has friends I believe 5 on the budget and why is the school still the worse in behavior and scores. Because they hide in their office! The kid that comes in the wheel chair that is in court right now is not teaching stay off the streets. The mentors are we deserve this and that! The white are given the same opportunity! Come on now!
U Prep is certainly in distress--but the whole "reward" system that came in in 2006-- certificates for "good bus behavior" for BIKES!-- students dont even UNDERSTAND the concept-- those students are now hs age-- and the word "consequences" is the dirtiest word in PPS.Even hiding in an office, these adults shouldnt want to even exist in the environment that they created
There have been at least 600 comments now left about UPREP and most are very alarming about this school. What reaction has there been from the administration of UPREP? From Bellefield? From Thomas Sumpter or any other board member? From Hill District groups/churches? From A+ Schools? Can't you see this is why things are the way they are? Do you thin this would happen in surburban school district? Parents would be at the meetings shouting the house down? These watched dog groups/organizations do nothing and say nothing UNLESS it is a white/black issue.
Bring the community into UPREP. Form a coalition of community LEADERS, ministers, politicians, business owners, human services people, and parents.
Gather everyone in a UNITED effort to fill the building with the right people, doing the right thing, in the right way, to ensure a RIGHT education in that school.
Forget the one-at-a-time people/groups who can't do it by themselves. We don't need "heroes" who think they can do it alone. No competition here, just a united effort pressuring Central Office to get it RIGHT!
12:18-This is a Black/White issue! And lots of people are trying to do something about it. Did anything people did about Schenley change the outcome?
So, stop accusing leadership in the community of doing nothing! What do you know about what is being done? What makes you think this will get a different result by "shouting the house down" than the Schenley people did?
What watchdog group has gotten any result from PPS?
The beauty of this site is that when UPrep(the school's name is an absolute disgrace) falls, this site will be the only evidence the media, the secretary of education, Bill Gates, and lawyers need to attack this disgusting, weak, unethical district, starting with revoking Hardy's and Esoldo's certificates.
All of the people you would expect to stand up for what is right have been bought off in some way by Gates money. Many of the foundations, even the Urban Leauge, are in cahoots. Trust me as a teacher in this district, the ONLY thing PPS will respond to is bad PR. They employ many people and give money/ favors to local media and advocacy groups to keep the public thinking everything is great. They will not act on behalf of what is right for the children, that is why this has gone on for so long.
Now imagine these 600+ U Prep threads published in our local papers instead of on this blog. Now PPS would have a lot of people to answer to. Most city residents don't realize what is going on at the schools, they read the fake news that PPS approves to be published and don't question it.
This information needs to go public, if the stories shared on this blog were published in a local paper, it would probably become world news in less than 24 hours! For months a reporter has wanted to expose the horrors taking place a U Prep and no one will cooperate with her. The coverage woud bring so much scrutiny on PPS, Lane, and Central Office that many would be fired or resign.
With the whole city (and possibly world) watching, PPS would be forced to address these issues. It may even empower other schools to break their silence about the inequity and injustices in urban education.
We don't need any community leaders, administrators, etc. The ball is in our court! We have all the power to take this public and initiate real change and NO ONE will help her!! Central office has bullied teachers and staff and made them afraid to speak out. They count on this fear to keep us silent and we are ALLOWING them to bully and silence us!
If these stories went public, teachers and students would have the full support of the community as well as anyone who reads them. There would be such backlash and scrutiny against PPS central office they would not be able to target teachers without inciting even more outrage. No one from the outside in any position of power is going to help those children. PPS will not act until they are exposed for what they are doing and forced to correct things for the sake of turning around the negative publicity. That is the only way U Prep will get any help. Bring on the negative PR! Bad PR is kryptonite to PPS. Here is one thing everyone can do, each time you post about a negative U Prep experience, copy the post to
Rebecca Nuttall Staff Writer Pittsburgh City Paper
No keep the community out of UPREP! Let the PPS change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The people that come in do black panther signs and talk down about white people in front of staff!
No one will contact the reporter. In this world no one trust anyone. She knows what is said on here so just write about the blog and have people read for themselves. The parents know what is happening in the Hill and no parents seem to care! No protest yet or no petitions! The PPS are just losing great teachers and that is on them! We have admins having affairs on the job and thinking they are God just because your an admin!?
If what you are saying is true, that is very sad. From reading these posts it sounds like the children at U prep are in danger of being physically or mentally harmed or evn killed. At best they are in danger of not being educated. And that doesn't scare their parents more than talking to a reporter??! I'm sorry but most parents would put their life on the line for their children and these parents won't even stand up to a school district by talking to a reporter. This is why PPS can let U Prep run into the ground but would never try the same thing at Colfax or Liberty. You can be sure the parents would be running to the local media!
More RACISM by innuendo, blatant accusations, and outrage to a population that has no idea about what is being reported on this blog, if its true!
If its true, what is wrong with the school full of WHITE teachers who witness it first hand, if true, and WILL NOT REPORT it to ANYONE! For teachers, it is either true or not since they are on site. The word is that there is only ONE Black teacher in the building! Can that be true?
Please clarify what you feel is racist. Just because families at the school are African American does not mean that any statement about parents there is racist. And no one is saying that the many African American parents who have gotten their children into Liberty or Colfax would be any less likely than other parents to object if problems developed there.
3:34 Teachers & parents must speak out and get this information to the public. PPS will only act to correct what is happening at U Prep when they are no longer able to cover it up.
The fact that everyone is too afraid to talk to a reporter is truly incomprehensible. What can possibly be more frightening than your child being in danger day in and day out? Has anyone from PPS central office done one thing to improve the conditions or respond to the letters, phone calls, etc? PPS knows they don't have to lift a finger to help those children as long as they can silence the teachers and parents and keep what is going on hidden from the public.
I can't figure out what everyone is so afraid of. I am a white teacher and I teach in a school where 100% of the students are black. It is not about race, but it is about fear. I don't teach at U Prep but I have gone out of my way to contact anyone in a position to help the children and teachers at U Prep, including Ms. Nuttall. If there is racism involved, I would say it is most evident in the way PPS central office believes they can silence whole neighborhoods from speaking out about the inequities in their children's school experience. They have robbed the children of the Hill the chance of receiving a world class education and count on keeping the community silent and segregated to cover up what they have done.
What I don't understand is why we are letting them silence us? I spoke out because I fear for my elementary students who will have to attend U Prep when they leave our school! I absolutely do not want to see any of my students be robbed of the educational experience they deserve, or attend a school in culture of violence. Did I take a risk by speaking out and contacting reporters, community groups, etc to report what is happening at U Prep? You bet I did, I know how PPS can target those people who "make waves". PPS fears negative PR like nothing else. But how could I read the things posted on this block and not take action to help my colleagues, students, and the Hill District community.
Yes, there may be a price to pay for speaking out, but the price for keeping silent had been paid with the lives of our students. So, yes I have a serious problem with any parent of a child at U Prep, posting on this blog not reporting the same stories to Ms. Nuttall! What price do you think might pay for speaking out that is not worth your child's safety and well being? Teachers too, we are at a crossroads, we know things are only getting worse. A school district that will pay $200,000 in parade money to secure a few 30 min PR slots on WPXI is clearly only concerned with presenting an image to the public. What are you so afraid of? If these stories went public, the district would be under so much scrutiny from so many agencies, they would have to fix things if for no other reason than to save face, because we know they truly don't care.
We know we are at a crossroads, where we can let things continue to spiral downward and stay silent out of fear, or expose these things to the public and topple central office's house of cards. Central office will continue to blatantly and boldly segregate the children of the Hill and rob them of an equitable high school education, but we are allowing them to do it.
Imagine waking up to these 600+ post published in your local newspapers and PPS being able to carry on business as usual in regards to U Prep. If these stories went public, I would expect to see the likes of Jesse Jackson and Rev. Sharpton advocating for our children, but who will have the courage to spark the revolution for U Prep? Teachers & parents, the ball is in our court and PPS central office can't win this game when they lose control of the public relations machine.
3:34, Any person who has a child enrolled at U Prep should be aware of what is going on there. To be more afraid of talking to a reporter than protecting your child from what sounds like a potentially deadly environment is shocking. PPS central office will continue to ignore U Prep because they know they can get away with it, no one there will speak out. And I agree, it should not all be on the parents, the teachers should be speaking to the reporter as well. I am a teacher and I have contacted Ms. Nuttall and I don't even teach at U Prep.
Why are we allowing PPS to rob our children of their right to a safe and quality education and silence us? That is what I don't understand. Why should we expect someone else to step in and advocate for our children when their own parents won't? Please explain to me what is going to happen to a parent who speaks anonymously or even not anonymously that is worse than possibly burying your child?
There are two black teachers in the building, which is so hard to believe. Esoldo and Hardy are responsible for that. Esoldo was suspended last year because of comments made to the black teachers. As for Hardy, maybe Hardy has a new firing list coming out soon for the two black teachers left. When it is all over Hardy will be part of the GEEK SQUAD and Esoldo will be left with a useless piece of PELA paper.
I second Questioner's salute to you for your courage.
But it must be noted how much the deck is stacked against whistleblowers. The key here is the behavior of the PFT, the Pittsburgh teachers' union.
A supportive union would be a great force for positive change.
But even a neutral union would be acceptable. I say that even though unions are not supposed to be neutral; they are supposed to be advocates for their members.
Unfortunately, the PFT is not even neutral. It is firmly on the side of the Board. It will not advocate for teacher whistleblowers. It will not attempt to defend teacher whistleblowers.
I am aware of two cases where outspoken teachers (telling only the truth, without embellishment) were pressured into resigning: Resign, or have a "fired" on your record. Both were set up. Fake and misleading comments were put into their records by administrators. Then those comments were used as reasons for termination. Pure evil it was.
Neither teacher received the union representation they requested.
Why is that? The very best I can say is that the PFT perhaps misguided, and feels that the reputation of the PPS must be placed before the fate of individual teachers and students.
But it is more likely that the PFT leadership is simply lazy and apathetic. They are paid, and paid hamesomely, regardless of the chaos that is occurring in the schools.
Certainly there is much more to the tragedy that is today's PPS than just the union's behavior. But that behavior plays a large role, and people need to be aware of it.
I'm the 11:21 poster. I thought I'd add one more thing, an example of how out-of-favor teachers (whistleblowers, etc.) get fired.
Let's suppose there are two teachers, A and B. A speaks up at faculty and union meetings. B keeps silent.
Both A and B have difficult classes. Both need to take 10 minutes or so at the start of the class to get their students organized and on-task.
One day, both teachers are observed by administrators. Both take 10 minutes to get their students on-task. And both do so skillfully. Here's what the administrators might put in their reports (remember, Teacher A is the "troublemaker"):
Teacher A wasted 10 minutes of instructional time at the start of the class. She showed signs of being unprepared.
Teacher B has excellent classroom management skills. She was able to get a diverse group of students focused and ready to work.
Agreed. Subjective rise ratings happen all of the time. The amount of bias and subjective terms i have read in observations when helping others is ridiculous. I highlight this terms and statements and then discuss with new teachers and old teachers how to maneuver the conversation so that evidence needs to be added by admin to support these statements and if not they should be removed. However this was never suppose to happen. ..this process was for admin to show tag and provide all evidence. ..and it ends up being subjective and bias. Only if Charlotte Danielson knew what we did with her tool
What about a change.org petition? Link it to the u prep thread,explain that the district is ignoring our cries for help and ask people to sign to help u prep. It is way to spread word and get local and national attention FAST. I get change.org petitions though my email all the time and many are related to education. I just signed one a few days ago for a teacher that already has 100,000 signatures.
I still think those with direct ties to U Prep MUST speak with Ms. Nuttall, but this is another avenue to let the public know what is going on and present a united front to let the board know we stand together and we've had enough.
The union does seem to have become a lobbying group going to harrisburg and such. seriously, each fulltime union exec should be sitting in the main hallway at UPrep every day, all day long. Most of us only know what we read here, yinzercation, the paper or the A+ site. Just how often does anyone of any influence show up at the school?
1. Remain professional in all ways. 2. talk to staff kindly. 3. no meetings in the morning because your needed at the doors and in the cafeteria. 4. NO more pizza the kids are not dogs and do not need treats to behave. THE good kids are left out! 5. Close the store the school is dirty from the bags and the kids cut to go to the store and are noisy in the halls. 6. Do hall and stair well sweeps. 7. No changing kids grades! Have them work for their grades. 8. Organize things! 9. No one can look up to someone that is not professional and an upstanding person. 10. Do not play favorites! 11. ......................................................................................!
The following can not be confirmed, but there is a great deal of speculation that Mr Hardy will soon be joining his wife in Virginia. I was at a holiday function with at least 30 or more PPS teachers. Approx 14 were from PREP. There was a talk that he has decided to join her. She is a lawyer and has been working there for quite awhile now. Can anyone confirm this? There was one teacher from Obama who seemed to know the I side scoop.
Does anyone know what the Police Officer is suppose to do? I see our Security running to calls and fights while he sits in his office. I thought a police officer was suppose to protect and serve?
Why are the Officers at the Admin Building letting him just sit in the office? Didn't they take a good guard out of the building to put him there? It does not make any sense why does the district even need the police?
The administration doesn't want the officer to do anything, find anything. Shame on them. And as far as the investigation goes, if the district is investigating themselves, they'll say the children are of age. That's the shame of it. These children don't have a chance. It's all about the image and the cover up. Always is, always was.
I am shocked at the amount of special treatment the bad students get (pizza, gift cards, etc). but more shocking is the FREE stuff you are am regnant student at UPrep. Food, gift cards , car seats, cribs, diapers, transportation, child care just to name a few! What is going on???? Rewards for getting pregnant too? They employ a full time staff person to cater to these girls. Is this a Board employee with salary and benefits. This school is an absolute train wreck!!!
The entire district is a mess. My spouse was employed at PPS, worked & was hired by the superintendent. We had major issues a few years later with our child's saftey & school. Instead of fixing it or addressing it they were "let go".
Can't speak out because the Broad Network will blackball you if you do. Can't win.
49 comments:
Wouldn't PPS be obligated to report something like this? And if authorities investigate and believe it to be true, there won't really be a way to hush it up.
Gates Foundation always stress Teacher Personal Development now we need to enforce SEXUAl BEHAVIOR CONDUCT among teachers No wonder PPS students can't LEARN . Also do the teacher consider this has a HEALTH EDUCATION CLASS I hope HE/SHE have CLEARANCE PAPERS how about that!!!!!!!! Oh better yet I think we should send all PPS students to CAPA at lease they can LEARN there and shut down all other schools I thought I put that out there
We need help at this school please help us!
New Post: Can you please delete the old post like this an replace it with this please. I was half a sleep.
A staff member at UPREP send Linda Lane a long leter telling her the things that are happening at u prep. SO, she did send one superintendent over. They hid the superintendent Not one time were we or the kids asked what was happening at u prep. Well let me tell you!
1. multiple jump fights.
2. the kids are always in the hallway.
3. The kids are begging to leaver
that are decent kids and are denied.
4. The kids cut class all day and hide in the music room or the gym.
5. The one administrator buys them pizza and junk for bad behavior.
6. The kids go to the store on the fourth florr that sells junk food and have the bad kids buy their candy and then kids roam the building.
7. Kids have been killed on the streets.
8. Men have came into the gym and socked a kid in the face.
9. You can not teach because of no consequences.
10. A police officer there just sits in his office with the door closed while the security get handle all problems.
11. The swearing is out of control.
12. The admins act like kings/ by the way they abuse staff.
13. An acting admin treats the staff like dogs.
14. unsafe environment!Mentally and physically.
Bells on the doors? What a waste of money!
15. No discipline
16. Staff depressed and in need of a new principal. Making staff ill!
17. Admins not leaders just sergeants! Leaders get their hands dirty!
18. How many u prep kids have been found dead? Do they you think they are safe after school from these people.
19. Where is a city police car?
What can the Secupity and Officer that hides do with no gun to protect? Please do not give these PPS Police guns that would be scary!
20. Teacher has a rumor she slept with two male kids and no letter home to parents. What if their are other victims.
21. I could type till 300 and this is why we fail our kids, staff, parents and community! Turns my stomach.
SO IF YOUR KID IS FAILING AT U PREP NO WORRIES THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR GRADES AND HID THE ISSUES SUCH AS TEACHERS GETTING HIT, STUDENTS BEING TORMENTED BY STUDENTS AND GETTING JUMPED! IF YOU KID IF FAILING NO WORRIES THEY WILL HAVE THEIR GRADES CHANGED AND THINGS ARE HIDDEN AT THE SCHOOL NOW!
THESE ADMINS HAVE MORNING MEETINGS WHEN THE KIDS ARE COMING IN AND THE MEETING ARE DONE WHEN THE KIDS GO TO CLASS. THIS IS WHAT U PREP DOES ANYWAYS. IT MUST BE TOUGH GETTING PAID TO DO NOTHING!
Anonymous 8:54 that is amazing all the issues u pointed out at U Prep and none of them been address hiding the problems at that school there needs to b some legal actions from not confronting these issues. Or we can hide U Prep school where no one can see it .So that means EDUCATION LEARNING is HIDING as well.The bottom line is this PPS ADMINISTRATION is MIA .Another option we can close down all PPS SCHOOLS and all parents can go to HOME SCHOOLING instead of STATE give money to PPS it will go to all parents for
HOME SCHOOLING enclosing might be better off than what we have now everything to GAIN and nothing to LOSE
THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH
A reporter wanted to write a story about U Prep, anyone ready to talk yet?
"She has permission from her editor to keep you anonymous.
Rebecca Nuttall
Staff Writer
Pittsburgh City Paper
650 Smithfield Street
Suite 2200
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-316-3342 x. 175
rnuttall@steelcitymedia.com
@PGHReporter "
The administrators are the main problem!
Rebecca Nuttall I will mail you names and facts!
The mentors that come in are on probation and always use that panther sign! PPS look how many white kids left for others schools, cyber school and that Hardy refused and your lucky if you have 12 white kids! You failed the white kids because your always catering the black kids. Cater them all! Hardy has friends I believe 5 on the budget and why is the school still the worse in behavior and scores. Because they hide in their office! The kid that comes in the wheel chair that is in court right now is not teaching stay off the streets. The mentors are we deserve this and that! The white are given the same opportunity! Come on now!
$200 for pizza for bad behavior. Look at the budget! This is every other Friday! = $400 x 10 = $4,000
U Prep is certainly in distress--but the whole "reward" system that came in in 2006-- certificates for "good bus behavior" for BIKES!-- students dont even UNDERSTAND the concept-- those students are now hs age-- and the word "consequences" is the dirtiest word in PPS.Even hiding in an office, these adults shouldnt want to even exist in the environment that they created
QUIT with the rewards they are not dogs! Sit and get a bone! No, do it because it is what society is suppose to do!
Thank you 11:25!
The Skinner and Pavlov techniques are for rats and dogs NOT CHILDREN!
There have been at least 600 comments now left about UPREP and most are very alarming about this school. What reaction has there been from the administration of UPREP? From Bellefield? From Thomas Sumpter or any other board member? From Hill District groups/churches? From A+ Schools? Can't you see this is why things are the way they are? Do you thin this would happen in surburban school district? Parents would be at the meetings shouting the house down?
These watched dog groups/organizations do nothing and say nothing UNLESS it is a white/black issue.
Bring the community into UPREP. Form a coalition of community LEADERS, ministers, politicians, business owners, human services people, and parents.
Gather everyone in a UNITED effort to fill the building with the right people, doing the right thing, in the right way, to ensure a RIGHT education in that school.
Forget the one-at-a-time people/groups who can't do it by themselves. We don't need "heroes" who think they can do it alone. No competition here, just a united effort pressuring Central Office to get it RIGHT!
Why should anyone be required to have their kids in schools that are failing?
There are no options for the majority of people who live in the failing schools neighborhoods.
12:18-This is a Black/White issue! And lots of people are trying to do something about it. Did anything people did about Schenley change the outcome?
So, stop accusing leadership in the community of doing nothing! What do you know about what is being done? What makes you think this will get a different result by "shouting the house down" than the Schenley people did?
What watchdog group has gotten any result from PPS?
The beauty of this site is that when UPrep(the school's name is an absolute disgrace) falls, this site will be the only evidence the media, the secretary of education, Bill Gates, and lawyers need to attack this disgusting, weak, unethical district, starting with revoking Hardy's and Esoldo's certificates.
12:18
All of the people you would expect to stand up for what is right have been bought off in some way by Gates money. Many of the foundations, even the Urban Leauge, are in cahoots. Trust me as a teacher in this district, the ONLY thing PPS will respond to is bad PR. They employ many people and give money/ favors to local media and advocacy groups to keep the public thinking everything is great. They will not act on behalf of what is right for the children, that is why this has gone on for so long.
Now imagine these 600+ U Prep threads published in our local papers instead of on this blog. Now PPS would have a lot of people to answer to. Most city residents don't realize what is going on at the schools, they read the fake news that PPS approves to be published and don't question it.
This information needs to go public, if the stories shared on this blog were published in a local paper, it would probably become world news in less than 24 hours!
For months a reporter has wanted to expose the horrors taking place a U Prep and no one will cooperate with her. The coverage woud bring so much scrutiny on PPS, Lane, and Central Office that many would be fired or resign.
With the whole city (and possibly world) watching, PPS would be forced to address these issues. It may even empower other schools to break their silence about the inequity and injustices in urban education.
We don't need any community leaders, administrators, etc. The ball is in our court! We have all the power to take this public and initiate real change and NO ONE will help her!! Central office has bullied teachers and staff and made them afraid to speak out. They count on this fear to keep us silent and we are ALLOWING them to bully and silence us!
If these stories went public, teachers and students would have the full support of the community as well as anyone who reads them. There would be such backlash and scrutiny against PPS central office they would not be able to target teachers without inciting even more outrage.
No one from the outside in any position of power is going to help those children. PPS will not act until they are exposed for what they are doing and forced to correct things for the sake of turning around the negative publicity. That is the only way U Prep will get any help. Bring on the negative PR! Bad PR is kryptonite to PPS.
Here is one thing everyone can do, each time you post about a negative U Prep experience, copy the post to
Rebecca Nuttall
Staff Writer
Pittsburgh City Paper
rnuttall@steelcitymedia.com
@PGHReporter "
No keep the community out of UPREP! Let the PPS change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The people that come in do black panther signs and talk down about white people in front of staff!
The teacher is being investigated and letters should had been sent home this is abuse of a child!
Too, too much is wrong at this school! What else has to happen before there is change in administration?
For the sake of the students, heaven help them, someone with authority has to do something to put an end to this mess.
Yes, racism is the saddest, most pathetic . . .
It is all around us . . .
No one will contact the reporter. In this world no one trust anyone. She knows what is said on here so just write about the blog and have people read for themselves. The parents know what is happening in the Hill and no parents seem to care! No protest yet or no petitions! The PPS are just losing great teachers and that is on them! We have admins having affairs on the job and thinking they are God just because your an admin!?
7:36
If what you are saying is true, that is very sad. From reading these posts it sounds like the children at U prep are in danger of being physically or mentally harmed or evn killed. At best they are in danger of not being educated. And that doesn't scare their parents more than talking to a reporter??! I'm sorry but most parents would put their life on the line for their children and these parents won't even stand up to a school district by talking to a reporter. This is why PPS can let U Prep run into the ground but would never try the same thing at Colfax or Liberty. You can be sure the parents would be running to the local media!
More RACISM by innuendo, blatant accusations, and outrage to a population that has no idea about what is being reported on this blog, if its true!
If its true, what is wrong with the school full of WHITE teachers who witness it first hand, if true, and WILL NOT REPORT it to ANYONE! For teachers, it is either true or not since they are on site. The word is that there is only ONE Black teacher in the building! Can that be true?
Please clarify what you feel is racist. Just because families at the school are African American does not mean that any statement about parents there is racist. And no one is saying that the many African American parents who have gotten their children into Liberty or Colfax would be any less likely than other parents to object if problems developed there.
3:34
Teachers & parents must speak out and get this information to the public. PPS will only act to correct what is happening at U Prep when they are no longer able to cover it up.
The fact that everyone is too afraid to talk to a reporter is truly incomprehensible. What can possibly be more frightening than your child being in danger day in and day out? Has anyone from PPS central office done one thing to improve the conditions or respond to the letters, phone calls, etc? PPS knows they don't have to lift a finger to help those children as long as they can silence the teachers and parents and keep what is going on hidden from the public.
I can't figure out what everyone is so afraid of. I am a white teacher and I teach in a school where 100% of the students are black. It is not about race, but it is about fear. I don't teach at U Prep but I have gone out of my way to contact anyone in a position to help the children and teachers at U Prep, including Ms. Nuttall. If there is racism involved, I would say it is most evident in the way PPS central office believes they can silence whole neighborhoods from speaking out about the inequities in their children's school experience. They have robbed the children of the Hill the chance of receiving a world class education and count on keeping the community silent and segregated to cover up what they have done.
What I don't understand is why we are letting them silence us? I spoke out because I fear for my elementary students who will have to attend U Prep when they leave our school! I absolutely do not want to see any of my students be robbed of the educational experience they deserve, or attend a school in culture of violence. Did I take a risk by speaking out and contacting reporters, community groups, etc to report what is happening at U Prep? You bet I did, I know how PPS can target those people who "make waves". PPS fears negative PR like nothing else. But how could I read the things posted on this block and not take action to help my colleagues, students, and the Hill District community.
Yes, there may be a price to pay for speaking out, but the price for keeping silent had been paid with the lives of our students. So, yes I have a serious problem with any parent of a child at U Prep, posting on this blog not reporting the same stories to Ms. Nuttall! What price do you think might pay for speaking out that is not worth your child's safety and well being? Teachers too, we are at a crossroads, we know things are only getting worse. A school district that will pay $200,000 in parade money to secure a few 30 min PR slots on WPXI is clearly only concerned with presenting an image to the public. What are you so afraid of? If these stories went public, the district would be under so much scrutiny from so many agencies, they would have to fix things if for no other reason than to save face, because we know they truly don't care.
We know we are at a crossroads, where we can let things continue to spiral downward and stay silent out of fear, or expose these things to the public and topple central office's house of cards. Central office will continue to blatantly and boldly segregate the children of the Hill and rob them of an equitable high school education, but we are allowing them to do it.
Imagine waking up to these 600+ post published in your local newspapers and PPS being able to carry on business as usual in regards to U Prep. If these stories went public, I would expect to see the likes of Jesse Jackson and Rev. Sharpton advocating for our children, but who will have the courage to spark the revolution for U Prep? Teachers & parents, the ball is in our court and PPS central office can't win this game when they lose control of the public relations machine.
Thank you PPS teacher for your courage!
3:34,
Any person who has a child enrolled at U Prep should be aware of what is going on there. To be more afraid of talking to a reporter than protecting your child from what sounds like a potentially deadly environment is shocking. PPS central office will continue to ignore U Prep because they know they can get away with it, no one there will speak out. And I agree, it should not all be on the parents, the teachers should be speaking to the reporter as well. I am a teacher and I have contacted Ms. Nuttall and I don't even teach at U Prep.
Why are we allowing PPS to rob our children of their right to a safe and quality education and silence us? That is what I don't understand. Why should we expect someone else to step in and advocate for our children when their own parents won't? Please explain to me what is going to happen to a parent who speaks anonymously or even not anonymously that is worse than possibly burying your child?
There are two black teachers in the building, which is so hard to believe. Esoldo and Hardy are responsible for that. Esoldo was suspended last year because of comments made to the black teachers. As for Hardy, maybe Hardy has a new firing list coming out soon for the two black teachers left. When it is all over Hardy will be part of the GEEK SQUAD and Esoldo will be left with a useless piece of PELA paper.
7:47 and all,
I second Questioner's salute to you for your courage.
But it must be noted how much the deck is stacked against whistleblowers. The key here is the behavior of the PFT, the Pittsburgh teachers' union.
A supportive union would be a great force for positive change.
But even a neutral union would be acceptable. I say that even though unions are not supposed to be neutral; they are supposed to be advocates for their members.
Unfortunately, the PFT is not even neutral. It is firmly on the side of the Board. It will not advocate for teacher whistleblowers. It will not attempt to defend teacher whistleblowers.
I am aware of two cases where outspoken teachers (telling only the truth, without embellishment) were pressured into resigning: Resign, or have a "fired" on your record. Both were set up. Fake and misleading comments were put into their records by administrators. Then those comments were used as reasons for termination. Pure evil it was.
Neither teacher received the union representation they requested.
Why is that? The very best I can say is that the PFT perhaps misguided, and feels that the reputation of the PPS must be placed before the fate of individual teachers and students.
But it is more likely that the PFT leadership is simply lazy and apathetic. They are paid, and paid hamesomely, regardless of the chaos that is occurring in the schools.
Certainly there is much more to the tragedy that is today's PPS than just the union's behavior. But that behavior plays a large role, and people need to be aware of it.
I'm the 11:21 poster. I thought I'd add one more thing, an example of how out-of-favor teachers (whistleblowers, etc.) get fired.
Let's suppose there are two teachers, A and B. A speaks up at faculty and union meetings. B keeps silent.
Both A and B have difficult classes. Both need to take 10 minutes or so at the start of the class to get their students organized and on-task.
One day, both teachers are observed by administrators. Both take 10 minutes to get their students on-task. And both do so skillfully. Here's what the administrators might put in their reports (remember, Teacher A is the "troublemaker"):
Teacher A wasted 10 minutes of instructional time at the start of the class. She showed signs of being unprepared.
Teacher B has excellent classroom management skills. She was able to get a diverse group of students focused and ready to work.
Agreed. Subjective rise ratings happen all of the time. The amount of bias and subjective terms i have read in observations when helping others is ridiculous. I highlight this terms and statements and then discuss with new teachers and old teachers how to maneuver the conversation so that evidence needs to be added by admin to support these statements and if not they should be removed. However this was never suppose to happen. ..this process was for admin to show tag and provide all evidence. ..and it ends up being subjective and bias. Only if Charlotte Danielson knew what we did with her tool
What about a change.org petition? Link it to the u prep thread,explain that the district is ignoring our cries for help and ask people to sign to help u prep. It is way to spread word and get local and national attention FAST. I get change.org petitions though my email all the time and many are related to education. I just signed one a few days ago for a teacher that already has 100,000 signatures.
I still think those with direct ties to U Prep MUST speak with Ms. Nuttall, but this is another avenue to let the public know what is going on and present a united front to let the board know we stand together and we've had enough.
The union does seem to have become a lobbying group going to harrisburg and such. seriously, each fulltime union exec should be sitting in the main hallway at UPrep every day, all day long. Most of us only know what we read here, yinzercation, the paper or the A+ site. Just how often does anyone of any influence show up at the school?
Administrators what about this
1. Remain professional in all ways.
2. talk to staff kindly.
3. no meetings in the morning because your needed at the doors and in the cafeteria.
4. NO more pizza the kids are not dogs and do not need treats to behave. THE good kids are left out!
5. Close the store the school is dirty from the bags and the kids cut to go to the store and are noisy in the halls.
6. Do hall and stair well sweeps.
7. No changing kids grades! Have them work for their grades.
8. Organize things!
9. No one can look up to someone that is not professional and an upstanding person.
10. Do not play favorites!
11. ......................................................................................!
Seeing a tweet from Rep Wheatley about an event on a Thursday, Jan 13, at Grayson's Rec Center facility.
https://twitter.com/RepWheatley
The following can not be confirmed, but there is a great deal of speculation that Mr Hardy will soon be joining his wife in Virginia. I was at a holiday function with at least 30 or more PPS teachers. Approx 14 were from PREP. There was a talk that he has decided to join her. She is a lawyer and has been working there for quite awhile now. Can anyone confirm this? There was one teacher from Obama who seemed to know the I side scoop.
Does anyone know what the Police Officer is suppose to do? I see our Security running to calls and fights while he sits in his office. I thought a police officer was suppose to protect and serve?
9:35, shame on the police officer. But greater shame on the administrator who allows the officer to shirk his duty.
And pity the students who will suffer because of it.
Chief Novicki, Asst. Chief Brown and Commander Piasecki are aware of the situation from what we are told.
Why are the Officers at the Admin Building letting him just sit in the office? Didn't they take a good guard out of the building to put him there? It does not make any sense why does the district even need the police?
The administration doesn't want the officer to do anything, find anything. Shame on them. And as far as the investigation goes, if the district is investigating themselves, they'll say the children are of age. That's the shame of it. These children don't have a chance. It's all about the image and the cover up. Always is, always was.
I am shocked at the amount of special treatment the bad students get (pizza, gift cards, etc). but more shocking is the FREE stuff you are am regnant student at UPrep. Food, gift cards , car seats, cribs, diapers, transportation, child care just to name a few! What is going on???? Rewards for getting pregnant too? They employ a full time staff person to cater to these girls. Is this a Board employee with salary and benefits. This school is an absolute train wreck!!!
The entire district is a mess. My spouse was employed at PPS, worked & was hired by the superintendent. We had major issues a few years later with our child's saftey & school. Instead of fixing it or addressing it they were "let go".
Can't speak out because the Broad Network will blackball you if you do. Can't win.
What happened with the teacher at UPREP? Does anyone know?
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