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I have been a teacher at PS90 for many years, and an educator for many more years. Teaching has been a passion of mine since I was little and it brings me great joy to see young minds excel and grow. However, as the years go by, the circumstances and work environment at PS 90 have deteriorated drastically. The conditions have worsened not due to any budgetary cuts or staff changes but due to a consistency that has grown like a malignant tumor in the administration of PS 90, at the hand of one single individual, Greta Hawkins.   

 It is with a heavy heart and under fear of retaliation that I am anonymously writing this letter on behalf of many members of the staff, who have come together to address the issue at hand. Anyone who has ever spoken out at this school has lost their ability to teach, has been ostracized and placed into DOE limbo. Chancellors Regulation A-830 sets forth the procedures for employees to file complaints of unlawful discrimination or retaliation. All procedures were always followed, however, retaliation came about to the entire staff upon doing so.   

Teaching is our identity and passion and the fear of losing that identity has kept many silent over the years. However, the ongoing mental and verbal abuse that takes place on a daily basis from administration is affecting the entire staff and the well-being of the children. The abusive behavior has escalated over the years and periodically spilled over not only to the staff but also the children of the community.   

The staff have been bullied, abused, and belittled for years, and disciplinary action has been taken against anyone who speaks out and retaliatory tactic are enforced. Because of this toxic work environment, excellent teachers are seeking other teaching opportunities annually, creating a staff shortage year after year. Just going into the following school year, over five staff members have announced that they will not be returning. Why is it that excellent educators are forced to leave for the sake of their mental health, but our administration is still here?  

The only goal of our administration is to maintain a positive image in order to secure funding. Only on days of observations and visits, is the school brought up to hygienic code and transformed and decorated by outside professionals.  However, this is not an accurate depiction of what is going on the administration consistently falsify a positive learning environment.   

The perfect school image is an illusion known only to non-staff. Children at PS 90 are not put first in any way, their education has never been the priority. The priority has and will always be to look good from the outside and secure funding. Yes, it’s great to have a garden and be a green ribbon school, but does this matter if the students cannot read and are not receiving the support they need? Yes it sounds great that we are a vegan school, but in reality, the students' don’t eat their lunch and go hungry all day. Even the cafeteria worker does not allow her own grandson to eat the school lunch and makes him a different meal on the side. It is our responsibility to make sure these students are well fed and receiving the nutrients they need.   

Over the I years I have seen teachers’ eagerness and excitement to teach fade all because of Ms. Hawkins. Teachers have been personally targeted and forced into retirement. They have been called names in group meetings, berated, harassed and told they are worthless, stupid and should “fall down the stairs”. They have been intimidated to write false letters of misconduct about their colleagues. They have even been told not to make recommendations based on the students' needs, but the needs of the school and which classrooms need to be filled.   

If you are not a “favorite” by Ms. Hawkins, then you will be targeted, verbally harassed, and made mockery of. This corrupt school needs to be changed for the better! As we are on the topic of being corrupt, I will provide you with direct examples. Our payroll secretary, Elisabetta DiGeronimo, was able to have her friends and family be apart of the PS 90 community. Remo DiGeronimo (her husband), has been nominated and hired as one of our permanent paraprofessionals,  Angela Lanzadoro (her sister), has been hired as a school aide, and Grace Work (her best friend), has also been nominated and hired as a permanent paraprofessional. Fortunately, PS90 has had a handful of knowledgeable, qualified and reputable paraprofessionals enter our school building; however, due to the dynamic of our school, it appears they are not hire worthy and don’t fit the “criteria.” Some have been let go and others remain to this day as substitutes, in hopes of becoming nominated and hired in the near future. In addition to having her family/friends hired, Ms. Digeronimo was able to have her son-in-laws company hired to create trophies and awards for all PS 90 functions (spelling bee, award ceremony). The COIB prohibits using “City position to gain private advantage for yourself or a close family member”. But I am sure that you are familiar with all the laws.   

Here at PS 90, we do not acknowledge or celebrate any holidays. Our children are deprived of having fun school culture where they can come together as one. Does everyone celebrate the same holidays? Of course not, but we are a multicultural diverse school consisting of all different nationalities and religions. We should be educating our students to respect the holidays of different cultures and religions. Instead, the beliefs of our administration are placed upon us and we disregard everyone else. Those individual staff members who share the same beliefs are favored and even given special treatment. For example, our school aid Junior Espinoza, went to Ms. Hawkins to inform her that he will resigning due to the low salary of school aids. He was then promoted to a paraprofessional to receive an increase in salary, but was able to keep his same duties as a school aid. In the past, many aids have tried to become paraprofessionals, but unfortunately have been denied.  

Individuals who are members of Ms. Hawkins Jehovah Witness Congregation are prioritized in all aspects including the hiring and promoting process. The following individuals were recruited from the Congregation and have been hired/promoted without any openings posted for the general public: Diana Saco, Junior Espinoza, Valerie Ferguson, Justin Ferguson, Ashley Edwards, Danielle Chervin, Sasha-Miller Marshall, Jacqueline Brathwaite, Katherine Angelucci, Michee Calixte, Arnel Joseph (cousin of Ms Hawkins), Elisabetta DiGeronimo, and Remo DiGeronimo.  

The goal at any school is to educate students to their full potential and provide as much support as possible. That being said, here at PS 90, we have non-licensed teachers teaching classes. Yes, you read that correctly. For almost half the school year we had two teachers teaching a third grade Dual Language ICT class, Mr. Roberto Poveda and Ms. Ashley Edwards. Neither of who have any license or experience in such setting. How is this justifiable? Ashley Edwards, a paraprofessional, was moved from classroom to classroom to teach where needed. This paraprofessional is compensated for her illegal work as a teacher by being put on payroll as working the after school program, when in fact, she leaves the building at dismissal. Why are the children not provided with the support and care which they are entitled to? The children should always come first, and we have been failing them. The children are never put first here at PS90. Only on days we have observations of course. Ms. Hawkins once said “I can get in so much trouble for this.” These “teachers” are still teaching our children till this day.   

At PS90, nothing is done in good fate for the students or the staff members. Students are moved around throughout the school year and their program recommendations are changed (ICT, General Education) based on Ms. Hawkins’ needs, not the students. Students are robbed of the services which they require and do not receive the support they need. Something needs to be done, it has been too long that this unprofessionalism has been going on and it saddens me that next year we will once again have a new staff and new students that will be subjected to this animalistic behavior. The proof is in our annual turnover, our low enrollment rate, and our high transfer rate. Our turnover alone of everyone from teachers, paraprofessionals, even school safety is proof of the injustice and toxic work environment which occurs. Many staff members have contacted superintendent DiMola previously, pleading for help, only to find out that all correspondences (letters, emails) were forwarded and ended up on desk of Ms. Hawkins. Once again causing retaliation to the entire staff. Additionally, Ms. Hawkins was overjoyed that she would be “left alone” since the test scores and ratings have gone up in our school. One must ask, how did our test scores go up when nothing has changed? Well, when teachers are encouraged to “coach” students during state exams, and parents of those who will not score well are suggested to opt their children out of exams, that is how.   

I urge you to do the right thing and do what must be done for the staff and most importantly the children. Please complete a thorough and unbiased investigation so that you understand and are aware of what is actually occurring at PS90.  We do not want to turn this into a class action lawsuit or go to the local news, as it will negatively impact our school and community.  Just one change can make this school the best in the district. We truly have the best students and staff in all of Brooklyn.  To the parents use your voice.  To the staff stop being afraid!!!!!!