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We Knew It: Sex in the Teacher's Lounge
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 5, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 5, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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We posted about how difficult it is to fire a NYC public school teacher, but today's story demonstrates that the administration itself is pretty crazy. Richard Gallo, a teacher in the Bronx, is suing the Department of Education to teach again. Why hasn't he been able to teach? Well, his lawsuit alleges that he was disciplined for drawing attention to the fact that the sex ed teacher was having sex with a teacher's aide in the teacher's lounge. And they apparently did it during school hours. Hello, recess!
Apparently a video camera filmed one of the encounters (it's unclear who placed the camera there) and somehow Gallo got his hands on it. He sent the tape, which also showed the sex ed teacher and other special education teachers laughing at their students and "joking about their disabilities and sexuality," to the principal, anonymously at first but then admitted he sent it. Principal Ilisa Sulner, in turn, had Gallo transferred and reported that Gallo has "anger issues [that] may continue to fester and possibly explode into a dangerous situation." Like possibly putting a video camera in the teacher's lounge to record other people - not that Gallo did do that (but who did?!).
Gallo had to be examined for "anger issues" and was found fit, but still hasn't been able to teach. Gallo's lawyer Richard Krinsky says his client was concerned about the behavior of his fellow teachers and is being unfairly unpunished. Plus, Krinsky says, "For these two teachers to go at it on a couch is wrong. What are the kids supposed to think if they see that?" Well, what are they supposed to think now that this lawsuit is out in the open?
Tagged
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education
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News: NYC
nyc
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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