Perusing the quirky Life in the Rubber Room blog sent me to an article about (What else?) the rubber room, and Georgia Argyris, a young teacher caught in its clutches. It chronicles her misadventures as she lingers there.
For those who haven't heard, New York City sends teachers awaiting or facing charges to places called "rubber rooms" where they wait and see what will (or will not) happen to them.
Theoretically, teachers must be charged within six months. If not, they must be returned to the classroom. That was not the case with Ms. Argyris, and I'm told it's often not the case at all:
Meanwhile, she passed her sixth-month mark in the rubber room without charges, but that milestone didn't, as her contract promised, put her back in a classroom. Instead, the UFT told her to keep showing up.
Now, let's not jump all over UFT leadership for failing to enforce its own contract. After all, they were embroiled in contract negotiations designed specifically to relieve rubber rooms. As a direct result, city teachers can now be suspended for months based on unsubstantiated allegations. However, despite their great enthusiasm for the contract that provided that option, the UFT seems to no longer care for it:
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