Teacher keeps job despite ‘unsatisfactory’ rating 6 years in a row

Teacher keeps job despite ‘unsatisfactory’ rating 6 years in a row | New York Post
Six strikes and she’s not out.
The city Department of Education has failed to fire a teacher rated “unsatisfactory” for six consecutive years.
Ann Legra, 44, a first-grade teacher at PS 173 in Washington Heights, racked up “six years of failing her students,” the city ­argued in a 16-day termination hearing.
Hearing officer Eugene Ginsberg upheld charges of Legra’s “inability to supervise students,” excessive lateness and absence and poor lesson planning in the 2012-2013 school year.
But Ginsberg dismissed evidence that Legra was a lousy instructor, saying she didn’t get enough coaching.
He imposed only a 45-day suspension without pay.
Legra keeps her $84,500-a-year salary, but is now assigned to a pool of 1,400 teachers who serve as substitutes.
Gov. Cuomo last month called the teacher-evaluation system “baloney” after the latest results revealed that fewer than 1 percent of the state’s teachers were rated ineffective.
Legra’s case shows the problem runs much deeper.
Even years-long poor performers can escape the ax.
“Six U-ratings is an outrage.
It’s a black eye on the system,” said Michael Mazzariello, a former chief prosecutor for the DOE.
He faulted administrators and current lawyers..."