Removal of Eaton Principal Steven Eskay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You all are making wild assumptions. Are you Eaton parents? Were you on the call? Sounds like you are either s*** stirring or not paying attention.

I know it’s a shocker, but some parents at Eaton aren’t SAHM and need more than a few hours notice to make a meeting. The HSA president also said he couldn’t get on the call????

Having well noticed and public meetings isn’t just polite, it’s party of equity and inclusion, especially to working parents.

Again, the lack of time we have to analyze anything is what I am against personally. Feels like we are all getting railroaded.

[Anonymous]

Eaton parent here. The letter makes serious claims that deserve to be investigated. But the way the teachers have handled this makes me question their motives and the letter itself.

To the poster above, I was on the Friday call and it was an embarrassment. It was part witch-hunt and part trial by self-appointed judges. The HSA President got called out by parents and teachers and even though he was not on the call to defend himself.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

[phone]

Eaton parent who has experienced none of the claims. It is a personnel issue. Parents should stay out of it. It blindsided the parents because we didn’t experience it! If that changes and his interactions with parents are at fault, then we should get involved, but not before!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

+2

Also, the parents accusing the WTU rep of using their power to cajole teachers shows that they are unfamiliar with the WTU rep role.

That person is the exact one who should take the lead on something like this, where retaliation from leadership has to be a huge concern. I'd want my rep to take charge of the process to ensure that everything we were doing was within our contractual rights. This isn't like a old timey union boss, they have no real power whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

+2

Also, the parents accusing the WTU rep of using their power to cajole teachers shows that they are unfamiliar with the WTU rep role.

That person is the exact one who should take the lead on something like this, where retaliation from leadership has to be a huge concern. I'd want my rep to take charge of the process to ensure that everything we were doing was within our contractual rights. This isn't like a old timey union boss, they have no real power whatsoever.

I’m at a different DCPS, but it is not true that the WTU rep doesn’t have power among teachers at least in our building. She decides who gets real support for IMPACT appeals, whose complaints get brought to admin as from “the teachers” rather than the specific teacher and more. I absolutely agree that the WTU rep should be involved in an issue like this. But I also agree that teachers would feel pressure to fall in line behind the WTU rep.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t just a personnel issue. Parents don’t need to witness the allegations personally to have the behaviors affect their kids. Eaton’s therapists and counselors have left or are leaving due to the issues described in the letter. Anyone with a kid on an IEP is going to be affected, if they haven’t been already.

The posters casting doubt on the teachers here make me sick. 100% of teachers support the letter! These are people who watch and care for our kids day after day after day. And some of you all are going to doubt the allegations even though literally ALL the teachers are together on this? You people have trust issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

+2

Also, the parents accusing the WTU rep of using their power to cajole teachers shows that they are unfamiliar with the WTU rep role.

That person is the exact one who should take the lead on something like this, where retaliation from leadership has to be a huge concern. I'd want my rep to take charge of the process to ensure that everything we were doing was within our contractual rights. This isn't like a old timey union boss, they have no real power whatsoever.

I’m at a different DCPS, but it is not true that the WTU rep doesn’t have power among teachers at least in our building. She decides who gets real support for IMPACT appeals, whose complaints get brought to admin as from “the teachers” rather than the specific teacher and more. I absolutely agree that the WTU rep should be involved in an issue like this. But I also agree that teachers would feel pressure to fall in line behind the WTU rep.

Sounds like you are either a very new teacher or need a new WTU rep. I've been in multiple schools and have never seen that. Complaints typically get brought to Admin from the SCAC, which is multiple teachers, not just the WTU rep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eaton parent here. The letter makes serious claims that deserve to be investigated. But the way the teachers have handled this makes me question their motives and the letter itself.

To the poster above, I was on the Friday call and it was an embarrassment. It was part witch-hunt and part trial by self-appointed judges. The HSA President got called out by parents and teachers and even though he was not on the call to defend himself.

Wasn’t on the call… What did they call out the HSA President for? I thought parents weren’t involved at all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

+2

Also, the parents accusing the WTU rep of using their power to cajole teachers shows that they are unfamiliar with the WTU rep role.

That person is the exact one who should take the lead on something like this, where retaliation from leadership has to be a huge concern. I'd want my rep to take charge of the process to ensure that everything we were doing was within our contractual rights. This isn't like a old timey union boss, they have no real power whatsoever.

I’m at a different DCPS, but it is not true that the WTU rep doesn’t have power among teachers at least in our building. She decides who gets real support for IMPACT appeals, whose complaints get brought to admin as from “the teachers” rather than the specific teacher and more. I absolutely agree that the WTU rep should be involved in an issue like this. But I also agree that teachers would feel pressure to fall in line behind the WTU rep.

Sounds like you are either a very new teacher or need a new WTU rep. I've been in multiple schools and have never seen that. Complaints typically get brought to Admin from the SCAC, which is multiple teachers, not just the WTU rep

SCAC membership rotates except for the WTU rep. I have nothing against our WTU rep and actually think she seems good, but because she’s the constant, she definitely has extra juice among the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t just a personnel issue. Parents don’t need to witness the allegations personally to have the behaviors affect their kids. Eaton’s therapists and counselors have left or are leaving due to the issues described in the letter. Anyone with a kid on an IEP is going to be affected, if they haven’t been already.

The posters casting doubt on the teachers here make me sick. 100% of teachers support the letter! These are people who watch and care for our kids day after day after day. And some of you all are going to doubt the allegations even though literally ALL the teachers are together on this? You people have trust issues.

100% this. Talk about missing the forest for the trees. To the late posters casting doubt on the teachers: read and then re-read the allegations against Mr. Eskay. You really want that kind of man leading our school?

I highly doubt any teacher was “forced” to sign the letter. They could’ve submitted this with names missing, so what? It would still contain the same message. But the fact that they all signed it shows strength and solidarity for the ones Eskay targeted. I’ll bet there are many teachers and students Eskay didn’t target. But he did abuse others, and that’s what matters.

Also - why would dozens of adults sign a letter that would be made public and likely be entered as evidence in a proceeding, if they were lying? They were afraid to come forward earlier because Mr. Eskay admitted to delaying the existing grievances through his cronies at DCPS. Going public to the community was the last resort if teachers were going to be heard. Y’all want to blame the victims for waiting til then end of the school year? How would it have been better to have this come out mid-term, and ruin the students’ year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone is trying to get the parents involved. It's the teachers with the direct complaints; their letter is more powerful without diluting the issue.

+2

Also, the parents accusing the WTU rep of using their power to cajole teachers shows that they are unfamiliar with the WTU rep role.

That person is the exact one who should take the lead on something like this, where retaliation from leadership has to be a huge concern. I'd want my rep to take charge of the process to ensure that everything we were doing was within our contractual rights. This isn't like a old timey union boss, they have no real power whatsoever.

I’m at a different DCPS, but it is not true that the WTU rep doesn’t have power among teachers at least in our building. She decides who gets real support for IMPACT appeals, whose complaints get brought to admin as from “the teachers” rather than the specific teacher and more. I absolutely agree that the WTU rep should be involved in an issue like this. But I also agree that teachers would feel pressure to fall in line behind the WTU rep.

Sounds like you are either a very new teacher or need a new WTU rep. I've been in multiple schools and have never seen that. Complaints typically get brought to Admin from the SCAC, which is multiple teachers, not just the WTU rep

SCAC membership rotates except for the WTU rep. I have nothing against our WTU rep and actually think she seems good, but because she’s the constant, she definitely has extra juice among the teachers.

NP who is also a DCPS teacher and this WTU rep situation at your school seems problematic. I’ve had many Union reps at my schools and it’s never felt like a powerful position or like they had sway over teachers. Honestly it seems like a sh***y position where they always have to go to bat for teachers with admin.

[Anonymous]

What I want to know is - did DCPS investigate? If so, what did they find? Or if DCPS only learned about the complaints now, why weren’t they given the chance to investigate before parents were dragged into this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t just a personnel issue. Parents don’t need to witness the allegations personally to have the behaviors affect their kids. Eaton’s therapists and counselors have left or are leaving due to the issues described in the letter. Anyone with a kid on an IEP is going to be affected, if they haven’t been already.

The posters casting doubt on the teachers here make me sick. 100% of teachers support the letter! These are people who watch and care for our kids day after day after day. And some of you all are going to doubt the allegations even though literally ALL the teachers are together on this? You people have trust issues.

And you have anger issues. You need to chill out and let the process take place. Mob justice is not justice. I realize that emotions are running high as this entire thing came a real shock, but everyone needs to calm down and take a breath. Give the process a chance.

[Anonymous]

Another Eaton parent here.
I will say that the Eaton teaching staff to me is a solid group of professionals that seems to really support and respect each other. I don't think anyone would feel pressured to sign the letter. Judging from all the allegations, many people were directly insulted/abused which means that probably each grade level team had at least one teacher (or support or specials teacher) involved who may have confided in their team members (each grade of teachers seem to work closely together) who felt allegiance to the abused teacher. So every teacher had a direct day-to-day colleague to support, which makes it personal for everyone.

I'm not sure about the parent petition thing. Do we want him on admin. leave which will likely drag on and on, or do we give the kids the benefit of the doubt and ask for him to be removed? Do parents even have any say in personnel issues?
This is a lot.
Will there be a parent meeting for everyone?

Just my thoughts.