cover 1999-2002 - SCI

In May 2003, the New York City school system hired a company called
Truescreen, Inc. to review the credentials of some applicants. This vendor will perform
background investigations to verify the application information given by the prospective
employee, such as social security numbers, prior employment, and educational
background.
Veronica Hernandez: Teacher Remained on BOE Payroll
Despite Her Criminal History
An investigation substantiated that Veronica Hernandez, a 4 th grade teacher of
English as a Second Language at PS 91 in District 10 in
the Bronx, remained employed by the BOE and
ultimately received tenure in 1996 despite an abysmal
work history and an extensive arrest record.
Of Hernandez’s fourteen arrests, six of them
resulted in criminal convictions—three of them before
she was hired by the BOE. Many of the charges against
her have involved the shoplifting of expensive items,
such as coats from Bloomingdale’s. In addition,
Hernandez had severe attendance problems at work,
Despite Veronica
Hernandez’s
extensive arrest
record and excessive
absences, the
principal at PS 91
went so far as to call
Hernandez “the best
teacher in the
school.”
missing nearly 200 days without an excuse from the time she was hired in 1993 to
November 2000. Notwithstanding her ongoing criminal conduct and frequent absences,
Hernandez received “satisfactory” evaluations year after year until she ultimately
received tenure in 1996. Despite her history, the principal at PS 91 went so far as to call
Hernandez “the best teacher in the school.”
It was not until December 1998, some nine months after Hernandez’s tenth arrest,
that the BOE recommended disciplinary charges against the teacher. Then, it still took
more than a year before the charges actually were brought. During that time, Hernandez
was arrested three more times and was held in contempt of court. In all, she spent more
than two years assigned to the District 10 office, awaiting disciplinary charges and
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