Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I Didn't Hear It Through the Grapevine...

One of the few things I liked about the UFT website, other than the laughs, was the Grapevine. It started when the dreaded Open Market replaced seniority transfers. It was a place where teachers could anonymously (we hope) post what they thought of their school, good or bad. The idea was to help teachers steer clear of transferring to a school with an awful principal or non-existent parking (the DOE still doesn't realize how important parking is to drawing people in).

Now, I don't think anyone even knows the Grapevine exists. It's buried pretty deep on the UFT front page, on top of a link for Grief Counseling, which, trust me, you will need when you try to get a transfer. I think that's a shame. People don't dare talk about the plusses and minuses of their schools even in the teacher's lounge anymore because virtually all admins have spies scurrying to and fro.

I still think something like this needs to exist, if for no other reason than the entertainment value. And if that doesn't float your boat, watch this video of one of the great singers of all time.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's only a drop in the bucket, but I've assembled "Do Not Apply" lists of schools, based on comments from teachers.

So far I only have high schools in Manhattan and the Bronx. And it needs some updating.

Do Not Apply and, adding Bronx Science (!) Do Not Apply: Bronx Science