Teacher Hits Student
A 7th grade student of mine was absent all last week, and on Monday, she returned to school with a scabbed over bruise under her left eye.
Last week, another student told me during class that a teacher had hit him. I took him out into the hallway, and he explained that she asked him to move in the cafeteria line. He cussed, and she slapped him on the back. She hit him so hard that he thought at first that it was one of his friends who'd smacked him. He couldn't believe it was a teacher, but he realized that his friends weren't standing close enough to have hit him. I have a good relationship with this kid and believe him, and besides, a substitute also witnessed (and heard) the hit. I told her that she had to report it to the principal.
As far as I know, she's been officially written up for it. There's a little piece of paper in her file saying that she manhandled a student. But the same day she was written up, she had the tenacity to ask if there were any openings in the district for principal! I told my student that if he has anyone at home whom he trusts, he should talk to him/her and have them come into the school and file a complaint. He responded well to this; hopefully, he doesn't get knocked around at home worse than he does at school.
And that's one of the main reasons I'm so appalled (This would be awful anywhere but here...). These kids are so often knocked around and/or neglected at home. They're poor. They come from broken homes, and they're shuffled around from mom to dad to auntie to grandma. They're parents are often drug/alcohol abusers. And to come to school, where the adults are supposed to lead them, guide them, teach them, help them, and have something like this happen--something that will only add to the racism and distrust in the community against the educational system--disgusts me. But this state and this country are so desperate for educational reform and for making teaching a more competitive and financially beneficial career, and until then, we'll keep these out-of-control teachers for as long as we can. And we'll hire inexperienced administrators who do not know how to lead and do not want to "create waves." After all, something is not a problem until it is a problem, right?
Last week, another student told me during class that a teacher had hit him. I took him out into the hallway, and he explained that she asked him to move in the cafeteria line. He cussed, and she slapped him on the back. She hit him so hard that he thought at first that it was one of his friends who'd smacked him. He couldn't believe it was a teacher, but he realized that his friends weren't standing close enough to have hit him. I have a good relationship with this kid and believe him, and besides, a substitute also witnessed (and heard) the hit. I told her that she had to report it to the principal.
As far as I know, she's been officially written up for it. There's a little piece of paper in her file saying that she manhandled a student. But the same day she was written up, she had the tenacity to ask if there were any openings in the district for principal! I told my student that if he has anyone at home whom he trusts, he should talk to him/her and have them come into the school and file a complaint. He responded well to this; hopefully, he doesn't get knocked around at home worse than he does at school.
And that's one of the main reasons I'm so appalled (This would be awful anywhere but here...). These kids are so often knocked around and/or neglected at home. They're poor. They come from broken homes, and they're shuffled around from mom to dad to auntie to grandma. They're parents are often drug/alcohol abusers. And to come to school, where the adults are supposed to lead them, guide them, teach them, help them, and have something like this happen--something that will only add to the racism and distrust in the community against the educational system--disgusts me. But this state and this country are so desperate for educational reform and for making teaching a more competitive and financially beneficial career, and until then, we'll keep these out-of-control teachers for as long as we can. And we'll hire inexperienced administrators who do not know how to lead and do not want to "create waves." After all, something is not a problem until it is a problem, right?
posted by Jessica at 10:19 AM
1 Comments:
Jessica -
Wow - I am appalled! How sad for that student and the rest of the kids there. I'm glad they have you to trust in and make a difference in their world.
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