Chapter I: Doomed & Deceived from Day One
- Baba Eric
- May 2, 2021
- 12 min read
The following story is a firsthand account of my ordeal at Kid’s Community College Southeast - a charter "school" located in Riverview, Florida. My experience with this raggedy company was traumatic to say the least. So much so, I was about to take my story and pain with me to my grave. It was the second time the field of education had broken my spirit and left me hurting in every sense of the word. When it was all said and done, the "school" and its leadership pulled no punches as they attempted to decimate my livelihood, attack my teaching license, and set out to ensure that I never have the opportunity to teach again. I was then banned from the school and campuses and informed by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office that if I ever returned to the school or any of its sister's campuses, I would be arrested. I was humiliated in front of my students and made out to be a villain, a criminal, and a degenerate.
What began as a six-page letter to the parents of my students explaining my sudden departure slowly transformed into a manifesto for education and those who call themselves educators. This book should be received as a warning to any person or persons who make it their business to harm Black children in any capacity. Furthermore, the indifference to the suffering of Black educators at the hands of their racist white colleagues must also be called out. The threat of legal action by my former "school" has no bearing on me when those involved are Black people and specifically Black children. I have been advised to seek legal counsel. I have a Counselor - and HE is wonderful. I am a teacher but I teach history. I wrote this how I talk. To judge My grammar is to judge your granny - so keep it cute.
This is my story. This is my truth.
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My introduction to kcc was under the shadiest of circumstances. When I took the interview in February of 2018, I was told that I would be replacing the Individuals and Societies instructor - a fancy word for social studies teacher in the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. The teacher I would be replacing had not been informed that he was being replaced. I was told that the district office wanted him out because of all of the noise coming from his room and his inability to manage his classroom. During my interview, I was informed by the director and assistant director in a separate follow-up interview that I could earn extra income by coaching, advising a club, or hosting a fundraiser. This is key.
The administration at the time told the teacher I was replacing that he had ”a special training session” at the school’s sister campus He did not. The truth was, Unbeknownst to him, I was teaching a sample lesson for one of his classes for the director while he was in “training.” I had developed my very own lesson plan for the interview and did my thing. As I was wrapping up my sample lesson interview, the teacher I was replacing walked in on me interviewing for his current teaching position; that poor man was forced to look his replacement in the face. As he came into the classroom, a student blurted out, “Mr. C****, you’re fired!” and the entire class laughed. I was mortified. He was mortified. The director at the time seemed indifferent to the whole fiasco. I had never in my life been a part of such an uncomfortable and MESSY ordeal in the “professional” workplace. However, it would be this level of incompetence and gross lack of professionalism that would come to characterize this "school" for the next 2 years. A few days later, I was offered the position of Individuals & Societies instructor and felt horrible about the entire situation. Still, I needed a job so I accepted my position. My introduction to kcc is very important. Keep this iin mind!
In August of 2019, I was informed by the administration that I would no longer be the Team Lead but instead be the new “student engagement” person. The position of Team Lead came with a job description, raise, and email communications informing parents that I was a Team Lead. The removal from my position confused me considering my performance from the previous year. However, the administration framed my new move, not as a demotion but a unilateral one (they did not use that verbiage but its how they attempted to explain it). This new position did not have an official name and did not come with an additional raise. Instead, I would be able to keep my $750 increase that came with being Team Lead.
My single function at the time was that I would be in charge of pep rallies. Then, in another meeting, all “level 1 discipline problems” for the entire school was added. Then, in a text message from the director, I was informed that I would use my new position“to support new teachers and students discipline " Then, the assistant director added “teacher culture " in a one -on - one meeting with her. In a series of 3 meetings and a text message, I was now responsible for student culture, teacher culture, engagement, discipline, and new teacher support and development. I was still responsible for my Individuals & Societies classes (now 4 sections of civics instead of 3 from the previous year), 2 history sections, and a public speaking class.
kcc received a school letter grade of a D going into the 2019-2020 school year. However, 81% of my students passed the state of Florida End of Course (EOC) exam in the field of civics. I was the only teacher to receive a passing rate on a state exam in the school that year. (More on this later). The director told me that my test scores "saved the school"from being an F and as a result, I received a one-time $750 stipend. I later found out that another teacher received the same stipend for her performance despite the 40-point difference in our scores. I'm not one to watch another person's pockets so... get it how you live.
August 2019 - about a year and half after I began working for kcc - would be the first time I tried to offer my resignation. The previous summer had been financially straining and more physically, mentally, and emotionally taxing than I was prepared to handle at that in my time. This would also serve as the first time the director would use the love I had for my students against me by declaring "the children would be crushed." I eventually relented and used the opportunity to renegotiate my salary with the director based on the belief that I felt my impact and significance to the stability of the "school" deserved to be fairly compensated. The director assured me that the “board” would never consider my salary request of $56,000 - a number I requested based on my previous teaching salary (More on “the board” later).
This conversation between the director and I was also the first time I brought to the table the position of Dean of Culture. Based on the new responsibilities expected of me, I thought that the title was befitting of not only my new role but also took into account my prior contributions to the school. This was also taking into account that I would be serving as both a teacher and Dean - both of which have two distinct roles and require the time, support, and resources to be successful. A Dean of Students position at a charter school here in Tampa offered a maximum salary of more than $125,000. I offered to do both of these positions for a combined salary of $56,000 and then $48,000. The director told me that was even more than the assistant director made on campus and again, the board would never approve the request. I never saw this in writing. She said the best she could do was get my base salary to $40,000. She later text me that evening that the best she could do was push my salary upwards of 41,000 - $43,000 and that would NOT include stipends from extracurricular activities, coaching, my two annual bonuses, or annual raise. All 3 screenshots have been forwarded to the Department of Education).
The director also said she would have to put the terms of our "agreement" in writing for the board to justify my salary increase. She said in our meeting and again she reiterated in text. I never saw this in writing. I never saw the terms of any type of contract. I never saw the terms of what was presented to the board on my behalf. When I checked the minutes submitted for Board Meeting scheduled the following month, no mention was made of my new position or salary requests (The minutes for that minute are located here, here, and here). I have no reason to believe anything was ever submitted on my behalf. I have never seen any contract about my duties as the Dean of Culture. I did not know what I was paid for versus what I was supposed to be doing. I just know that I did it all. My 2019 earnings came to just above $38,200. My salary increased by just $488 from 2019 to 2020.
The entire text read:
Hey there. Just an update on what I am try to push for....
40k now. I had to submit a justification.. I indicated that you would be utilizing your planning period to support new teachers as well as students and support discipline. I am also going to move forward with your annual raise even if this is approved. 1. If it is denied right now, I will ensure you get the max raise in September, which will take you over the 40k mark somewhat. 2. If it is approved now, I will still petition for your merit raise on top of this. So by the end of September, you will be looking at a base salary between $41,000 and $43,000 depending on how far they let me slide. This amount does not include your 2 annual bonuses or any additional stipends received. - Director, Sent August 7, 2019 at 8:00PM.
According to the director's own words, she said both in the text and in our in-person meeting that she guarantee me a base salary of $40,000. The director also indicated that my new position would require me to support new teachers, new students, and discipline students These new duties would allow her justify paying me a base salary as high as $43,000 and that total would NOT include our annual bonuses (Holiday bonus, etc) or stipends from coaching, bootcamps, or advising clubs.
The Dean of Culture position never existed. It was entirely constructed based on tasks, assignments, duties, and responsibilities the administration did not want to deal with or was equipped to deal with. In retrospect, I feel the Dean of Culture position was a tool used to keep me busy with students and out of the decision-making and policy-making conversations that could genuinely improve this "school." I was frozen out of school culture discussions despite being responsible for the culture of the school. I was rarely consulted on the disciplinary decisions that resulted in suspensions even though most if not all disciplinary problems came through me. Many of my suggestions to improve teacher culture were dismissed or squashed in backroom meetings between the administration and team leads.
I played the role of Dean of Culture, dean of discipline, principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, mentor, nurse, mom, dad, big brother, and coach. This was all on top of teaching. This administration will argue that they “compensated” me for my dean position. They gave me a $750 stipend to be paid out over 12 months (about $60 a month) to do the work of 5 administrators and a teacher.
Although I was a Dean, in the absence of the director and the assistant director, I was still not the designated administrator on duty as that distinction belonged to a white male teacher. I was never provided with a job description nor chain of command as it pertained to my position. Nothing to my knowledge ever went out to parents or the staff informing them of my new position and my duties. The Dean of Culture was not recognized on any paperwork that I ever signed nor was it acknowledged on my work badge even though I wrote what contents should be on my work badge. The only “assurance” I had of my new position was a nameplate on my door- a nameplate that I am almost certain came down the day I left. I was deceived and lied to by omission when it came to my pay at every turn. I was offered the after school teaching position for $11 an hour in August 2019 when the same position at the high school was offered for $15 an hour (I knew the teacher who accepted the position. He was a literal first-year teacher with no experience. I was a 12 year veteran with 5 years experience in after school programming ). The director agreed to just $13 an hour. After taking the position I still was not paid for 3 months.
Both the director at the time and the assistant director told me in my interview in February of 2018 that I could earn extra income by being the advisor of a club. In August of 2018, the assistant director reiterated this. The current director also reiterated that to me right before the 2019 school year began. If I chose to be the advisor of a club, I could earn a $250 stipend for each club. I could earn $200 per sport coached. I declined SGA at the time but became co-Junior National Honor Society advisor. (I would eventually serve as co-Student Government Association advisor in the Spring of 2018). In that same meeting, The director also informed me that I could earn $100 for my referrals of two newly hired employees if they maintained employment with the company until December of that year. I had been led astray about these funds for nearly a year. When I inquired about these funds in January of 2019, I was told that the stipends and referrals would be split in half and paid out at the end of each semester.
When I inquired with the bookkeeper regarding those funds at the end of the school year, she informed me that I would have to get what agreement was made between myself and my director. I requested this from the director in person. This was never communicated to the bookkeeper and thus I was never paid. I was told before the 2019-2020) school year (August 2019) that I would receive stipends for both SGA and JNHS when I chose to be advisors of those clubs by the director. I still had not been paid for serving as the advisor and co-advisor the previous year. I served for the children. I eventually became the co-advisor of SGA as well as the o-advisor of the JNHS for the 2019-2020 school year. That should have resulted in a $250 stipend for both SGA and the Junior National Honor Society for the 2018-2019 school year.
The referrals made up $100 each. The two stipends came to a total of $500 for a total of $700 for the 2019-2020.. I was also told by the director at the time of my hiring that I would be eligible for 50% of any funds raised by any clubs I was the advisor of or any fundraisers I hosted on behalf of the school - more on this later. I asked the current director about my referrals, stipends, as well as my annual bonus and raise immediately following our first staff meeting of the school year in August of 2019. She informed me that my referrals and stipends would be included in the September 15th paycheck. She also informed me that because our school had earned a “D” rating, we were not eligible for our annual raise or bonus but that I would be receiving a $750 bonus for my EOC performance. She made no mention of my contract justification or new base salary.
When the September 15 pay period rolled around, I still had not been paid by for my services as the advisor for SGA or JNHS stipend from the previous year or employee referrals (also from the year prior). I inquired with the bookkeeper again as I thought it may have been a clerical error; she informed me that she was never authorized to issue payment for either and that I would have to speak to the director about the stipend and speak with HR about the employment referrals. HR informed me that I was not eligible for one of the employment referrals because the person in question did not maintain employment with the company until December but to speak with the director regarding the other referral. There is more than one email about me inquiring about these funds (RECEIPTS). The director’s selective attentiveness disallowed her to see or respond to any messages about my compensation. More on her selective attentiveness later.
Recap: I was hired at $39,000 then two days later, my salary was reduced by $2,000 with no explanation. Prior to my acceptance of the position, I was told that I could make extra money by coaching, fundraising, referring other employees, and advising clubs only to not be paid after assisting the school in raising nearly $4,000 in a single semester. I was also not paid for my services as advisor of 3 clubs, nor the 2 employee referrals. The director me told in a text she could push my base salary as high as $43,000 which would include stipends, bonuses, and the annual raise. I did not receive a raise nor was I paid for over $750 in stipends. I did receive a "one-time" bonus of $750 for my state performance even though another teacher received the same amount with a student pass rate that was half of mine. I was demoted from Team Lead and given the position of "Student engagement"and was later made the dean of culture when that position in fact, did not exist. Overall, my base salary increased less than $500. To this day, I don't know how my pay was determined. In two years, My pay increase from $37,000 to $38,277. As of August 2020, kcc has not paid me:
- $250 for co-advisor to the Student Government Association for the 2018-2019 school year
-$250 for co-advisor to the Junior National Honor Society school year
-$250 for SGA advisor for the 2019-2020 school year
-$250 for Junior National Honor Society co-advisor for 2019-2020 school year
-$250 for IB Ambassadors advisor for the 2019-2020 school year.
-$200 for employee referrals from 2019
- 50% of proceeds from Movie Night Fundraiser ($1200 raised)
- 50$ of proceeds from The Lion King (About $1,000 raised)
Ole girl was messing with my money.
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