Nearly a quarter of teacher disciplinary cases have not been resolved within two years, and union officials claim the city is to blame for the delays.
The Department of Education has sought to remove 637 teachers with tenure over the past two years, but 153 of the cases are still pending, leaving many of the educators stuck in “rubber rooms,” according to the United Federation of Teachers’ own figures.
The median length of the proceedings is 105 days. Six cases have lasted more than 500 days, the UFT said.
Union officials said some minor cases could have been decided in a matter of hours if school officials hadn’t pressed for outrageous penalties.
“The DOE has sought termination in nearly all [disciplinary] proceedings,” said a UFT statement. Schools spokeswoman Devora Kaye said the agency will work with the union to ensure cases are heard in a “fair, appropriate and efficient manner.”