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Never mind the kids who are being murdered by violent parents or drugged to death by foster mothers, the Administration for Children's Services is busy checking up on the home environments of kids who skip gym class too many times, even though that's not technically a violation worthy of an ACS home visit.
Like her son blowing off gym class, Karen Dussack skipped a meeting at Bronx Science to talk about her progeny having 8 unexcused non-consecutive absences and his danger of possibly failing gym. So the school called ACS and reported Dussack as a possible abuser via "educational neglect." Caseworkers spent about two hours in the Dussack home making sure that the kids were well fed and housed and uninjured. The agency followed up with a call to the family doctor.
City regulations require that schools report absences of 10 consecutive days or 20 days in a semester, which will result in an investigation by ACS. Michel Dussack only missed eight non-sequential days due to family emergencies, like funerals, but Bronx Science decided to be proactive after his mother skipped the interventional meeting regarding his aversion to gym.
ACS is probably in full ass-covering mode after several high-profile incidents where children who were obviously injured and abused wound up dead within hours of visits by agency caseworkers. It has to be thankless work that is never noticed until a kid dies horribly and then the large volume of their good work well done is buried in bad press.
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In all fairness, childcare workers can never win publicly. If they do their jobs well, no one notices. If they do them badly and a child gets killed, they're excoriated for being incompetent. If they're over-protective of kids, they're outed as being intrusive busybodies. There is almost no way that a childcare worker can be portrayed in the media positively. That being said, I'll say as an aside that I appreciate all the great work that most ACS workers are doing that never get any publicity, which is effectively protecting NYC's kids. Thank you ACS workers.
Unfortunately, Karen Dussack and her son are only one of a number of Bronx High School of Science families facing this type of harrassment.
Many seniors are battled similar threats this year, despite high achievements throughout the past four years.
Perhaps it is the school--not the parents or students--that should be investigated for abuse.
Knowing what I do about Bronx Science's administration, it wouldn't surprise me if the threats and reports to ACS were pure maliciousness.
The school is at fault but ACS is too. This is why the ACS has a bad rap. If the caseworkers are spending time investigating nonsense like this, they're probably not spending time where they need to be. There's no way anyone with common sense would think that a high school senior who cut a few gym classes and missed a few days of school here and there would be an abuse case.
Ed neglect allegations against parents whose kids are in high school are bogus anyway -- who seriously thinks they could get a teenager to go to school when they don't want to be there? Ed neglect cases for younger kids are usually indicative of other problems in the home, but ed neglect with teenagers usually just means the kid is a pain in the ass.
Children's Services is required to investigate a child's circumstances no matter what the allegation, because the educational neglect may be the "tip of the iceberg" in terms of the home situation. Teens are often kept home, for example, to manage a home which is chaotic and care for younger children because of parental deficiencies. "Bronx Science", "honor student", etc., shouldn't impart a teflon shield from such investigations.
However, if the published report is accurate as to the specifics of the report--a few absences and cuts by a senior--and there's nothing else, it would appear that, as archtype indicates, this may be a campaign of harassment against the families of certain students, including Michel Dussack, who have publicly protested the policies of the current Science administration. Principal Valerie Reidy and her henchpersons may well believe that it's neglectful behavior to allow one's child to protest the administration.
One has to wonder what would have happened during my Science years in the late sixties/early seventies, when skipping school to protest outside for the Vietnam Moratorium were a regular occurrence. (I guess the difference is that LBJ, the person aggrieved by the protest, was too busy to call "the BCW").
There is no doubt this is retribution.
Michel organized a walkout to protest the treatment of senior teachers being harassed by Ms. Reidy, the principal, and to make sure that everyone currently at Bronx Science was made aware of what happened to me, one of the highest rated teachers at BxScience, four years ago, when I had Michel as a freshmen. I was surprised to hear that my course (all of five weeks long) was still ranked as one of his favorites. (Her comment to me, "We can do this the hard way or the easy way but I'll win.")
Ms. Reidy reportedly photographed all of the protesters and has systematically harassed them. Another protester was reported to ACS for alleged drug use but passed urine tests. Another served a day of suspension.
The point not made except in the Riverdale Review is that Michel is 17 and not subject to ACS. He could have dropped out of school. Instead he is accepted to college with a scholarship. Also, ACS keeps a file open for TEN YEARS!
Reidy is the one who needs to be investigated and removed from her post. In later years "senior year" should bring back fond memories, not this type of vindictiveness.
(Dr) Bob Drake
former BxScience chemistry teacher
ACS does a lot of good work, is stretched thin, and shouldn't have to deal with people sending out false leads repeatedly, like Reidy.
It's like calling prank calling 911. She should be investigated, and fined for the time the investigators had to spend with bogus cases, when they could be following up on serious cases.
Please don't call ACS on people as an intimidation tactic. Shame on you Reidy.
"[R}eported to ACS for drug use"? One reports the parents of neglected and abused children to ACS, not the kids. If they really believed intervention was required, one has to wonder why they didn't just take the gloves off and call the police on that kid?
By the way, even if the Riverdale Review said otherwise, kids are required to attend school in NYC until the end of the school year in which they turn seventeen.
Reidy will probably not be called on the carpet for what appears to be unethical practices. Calling ACS on unwanted families is standard procedure in many public schools. It is a bit shocking to see it used at Bronx Science. This does nothing to raise their reputation as the bottom of the top three.
The DOE fosters a culture of intimidation and punishment from top to bottom - K - 12.
Posted FOR Karen Dussack:
My name is Karen Dussack - I am the parent of the 17 year old senior, Michel Dussack, who you reported on.
I was not reported to ACS by Bronx Science for EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT not for Michel being a 'gym skipper'. I was reported to ACS for EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT because I declined to attend a meeting to discuss my son's gym but not because he was skipping gym but because he was in danger of failing due to his lack of participation which was due to his Asthma.
You noted that my son had 8 unexcused absences but those absences were excused by ME as he was home either due to family funerals or illnesses which was due to his Asthma.
Look up the definition of EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT - my not attending 1 meeting with the Guidance Dept is not EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT. Look at ACS's own webiste about EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT while you keep in mind that my son is 17 years old. Even if you take in account your account of 8 'unexcused' absences which were not consecutive - that is not EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT EITHER.
Its a shame that Bronx HS of Science has used the ACS for their own nasty revenge methods of harrasing me and my family for their own purposes. There are real ABUSE cases in this City and State that unfortunately are not being attended to and taken care of the proper way partially due to there lack of time/funds/man-power of the ACS and to have a such a pretigious/specialized school as Bronx High School of Science to file a bogus/frivilous/false claim as EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT is disgusting.
You have no idea of the stress and embarrasement that I am presently going through knowing that Child Services is investigating me.
ACS is doing there job - I understand that - but it is only because Bronx HS of Science has decided to abusively use their powers to harrass my family and I.
What is also a shame is that Ms. Reidy thinks that the harrassment and/or treatment I am receiving by ACS is not Bronx HS of Science fault - Ms. Reidy has tried to shift the blame on ACS as Ms Reidy stated during my meeting with the School on May 20, 2008 "We just file the appropriate claim forms to ACS and it is up to ACS, who are the deciding factor, if they will follow up and who they decide to follow up on". Excuse me but ACS would NOT have been in that position to have investigated me at all if Bronx Science had a better method of what to file in regard EDUCATIONAL NEGLECT CASES.
SHAME ON BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE ADMINISTRATION (MS. REIDY, MS. CHANG, AND MR. NGUYEN) WHO REPORTED ME - SHAME ON THE DEPT/BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT ALLOWS SUCH A REPORT TO BE FILED.
Do you have any idea of the City Tax Dollars that have and will be spent on my investigation by ACS?
If Bronx HS of Science has taken the time to discuss Michel's gym progress with his gym teacher, they would have found out that his gym teacher had sent me a letter on 4-29-08 about Michel. They would have also learned that from that date (4-29-08) Michel was on his way to passing her class and there was never a need to contact me to even try to set up a meeting. I had already taken care of the gym situation.
If anybody needs to be investigated and interrogated - it is Ms. Reidy and her co-horts for having MY LIFE and the life of my family investigated and INTERROGATED.
The reason I bolded INTERROGATED is because that is what Ms. Reidy stated ("if I am going to continue to be 'interrogated' by you, I am going to have to contact the legal dept) - that comment was made by Ms. Reidy at a meeting at her school last Tuesday, May 20th, as we (my husband and I) were rightfully fuming to her, Ms. Chang and Mr. Nguyen while a ACS worker was there about this ACS report. She has no idea of what INTERROGATING IS until you have ACS in your house, going through your house, questioning your children, gathering paperwork from your kids doctors, and younger daughter, Deborah, school records. You have no idea of how it feels not knowing who or what is going to come next.
I am a good parent. I am a concerned parent. I have always been an advocate for BOTH my children's education. I have attended each and every Parent Teacher conferences for both my children. I even attended Parent Teacher conferences when my son was passing and doing well in a class - just to let the teacher know that I was there, I was concerned, I was always available if there was ever a need/problem. I have always been attentative to all their needs/concerns in regard to school.
Ask Ms. Reidy how many times I have spoken to her on the telephone and/or been at the school in regard to any issues/problems and/or concerns about my son. As she was asked at the meeting by my husband, also named Michel, "considering my wife's history at the school and her participation in regard to our son's education, how do you justify contacting ACS for her not attending to 1 meeting?" Ms. Reidy had no answer to that question - she kept trying to change the subject - Michel my husband told her that she was not answering his question and she stated again changed the subject. All this was noted by the ACS worker who attended the meeting.
SHAME ON THE ADMINISTRATION (MS. REIDY, MS. CHANG and MR. NGUYGNE OF BRONX HS OF SCIENCE FOR WASTING VALUABLE CITY TAX DOLLARS, TIME AND MAN-POWER WHERE IT COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO HELP SAVE AND PROTECT A FAMILY THAT IS NEEDY
HOW LONG IS BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO CRY WOLF - AS IF YOU HAVE READ THE RIVERDALE REVIEW ARTICLE PRINTED LAST WED, MAY 21, 2008 - I WAS NOT THE 1ST PARENT OR THE 2ND PARENT REPORTED AND I CERTAINLY WONT BE THE LAST IF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IS NOT CHANGED AND CHANGED IMMEDIATELY
"..[W]hy they didn't just take the gloves off and call the police on that kid?"
Because reporting the kid would generate a police report, something Ms. Reidy avoids. When a dean was put in a headlock by a student and pummeled with a fist so hard that facial bones were broken, and the dean was hospitalized, the matter was hushed up.
Also, filing a false police report would have more repercussions for the administration than filing a false ACS report clearly does. All that does is waste taxpayer money investigating parents.
If there were any justice in the DOE I would still be at BxScience and Ms. Reidy wouldn't be. But there isn't. Of course then I wouldn't be making the huge salary I'm being paid in CT. (I'm barred for life from teaching in NYC -- thanks to Reidy.)
JanetG--as per the New York Education Code, the law requires children to attend school full time between the ages of 6 and 16. A 17 year old has no legal obligation to be in school; accusing his parents of "educational neglect" for failing to keep up with his progress.
Considering that Bronx Science allowed a teacher who was a NAMBLA member to remain on staff for years and has had many vindictive, malicious individuals on staff, I'm not surprised this is happening. If Reidy and her cohorts are actually charged with filing false reports, as they should be, I WILL be surprised. Bronx Science doesn't have a history of standing up for its good students or teachers.
That should have been: accusing his parents of educational neglect for failing to keep up with his progress or attend a meeting should have been dismissed as a totally baseless claim.
FYI:
New York State Education Law Section 3205(3):"In each school district, the board of education shall have power to require minors from sixteen to seventeen years of age who are not employed to attend upon full time day instruction until the last day of session in the school year in which the student becomes seventeen years of age."
The NYC Dept. of Education is a school district which has elected to require attendance of seventeen-year-olds.
Oh, and what does the employment as a teacher of "a NAMBLA member" have to do with any of this?
Let's hope Mayor Bloomberg is up to the challenge of fixing this school. Bronx Science is fabulous in so many ways. Silly and frivelous vindictiveness shouldn't be allowed to tarnish it.
Oh, and what does the employment as a teacher of "a NAMBLA member" have to do with any of this?
What does it have to do with it? It's another example of how the administration of Bronx Science really does not have the students best interests at heart, and has a long history of indifference. They allowed someone who actively advocated and endorsed criminal harm to children to remain on staff, while at the same time systematically driving away good teachers and principals and failing to protect good students. This has been an ongoing issue at Science for at least 15 years.
Despite what the Board of Education may opt to do, 17 year olds can and do drop out of school all the time, and none of their parents are hauled in on "educational neglect" charges. Back to the original complaint, a high school senior who is missing a few days is a wildly different situation than repeated absences by a grade school or junior high school child. For high schoolers, it's an academic issue, not an abuse one, and is easily solved or reprimanded through academic means: if the kid's not there and doesn't have a good excuse, they fail the class.
If they'd learned to sniff glue at a young age, none of this would matter.
I worked for ACS as a Child Protective worker for over ten years. Schools often call in these ridiculous reports. First off the State Office of Children & Family Services 1-800 operator probably spiced up the report to make it a valid looking one. I had many cases in which I interviewed the person who allegedly made a report to them (they send them on to ACS) and many times the reporter would say something like "wait a minute I called but I didn't say what you just read back to me." In a logical world I would then be permitted to close the case, but no ACS is not part of the logical world. We must investigate the report that really never was made to begin with. I mean here if someone calls OCFS and what they tell them does not constitute abuse or neglect or maltreatment of a child under the law they are supposed to not take the report and not send it on to the local CPS (in NYC that is ACS).
ACS and OCFS however live breathe and are justified by as many reports and cases as possible. Who cares if a family is disrupted, even traumatized? Not ACS.