Yes. As a teacher at P.S. 9 in Manhattan respondent obtained computer and other equipment from Donors Choose, an organization that solicited the equipment from public donations.
“As she was preparing to leave DOE for a new teaching position in Westchester County, despite being told by her DOE Principal that the donated equipment was the property of DOE and not hers to take, she removed approximately $10,000 worth of the donated DOE equipment, including multiple iPads, iPods, MacBook laptops, printers, robots, and Nook e-readers, to use at her new job.”
Respondent returned the items and since she was going to use the items for an educational purpose in a school in Westchester the COIB agreed to impose a fine of $6,000. Respondent agreed to fine.
That’s a tough one. Did Donor’s Choice give to the teacher or the school? I guess the arbitrator decided. You’d think Donor’s Choice would have a policy about that.
Two things. Donor Choose makes the “gifts” to the school explicit in their agreement with receiving teachers although interestingly the “gifts” do not go through the Mayor’s Office, the Chancellor or the COIB as is required under the Charter. This point was not raised in the COIB letter. Secondly, there is no arbitrator and one could argue that the fine is impermissible under Section 3020-a which provides the exclusive method to fine teachers. Since the teacher agreed to the fine both of these issues are moot but they are unanswered questions.
Funny how frequently rules apply only to working people. I didn’t know that about Donor’s Choose. I was very put off by their support of reformy Waiting for Superman so I’d crawl through the desert before turning to them for help. I wonder if they threatened her with 3020a if she didn’t pay.