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How it is in some schools...
From the DC Examiner comes a story about Baltimore schools:
"Students hitting teachers. A gang brawl over the color of a middle schooler’s shoes. Teachers, parents and students worried about the violence on Baltimore’s streets increasingly spilling over into city schools.
“Unfortunately, I’m not surprised that it’s still happening,” said Julia Gumminger, who quit teaching art at Waverly Elementary/Middle School last year after students pushed her against a wall — twice.
After a two-day suspension, the offender was back in her class, a pattern for violent students, teachers say."
"She could relate to the plight of another art teacher, Jolita Berry, who was beaten Friday by a student in her classroom at Reginald F. Lewis High School after she told the student to sit down. Another student used a camera phone to record the attack, and the video surfaced on MySpace.com and showed classmates cheering on the attacker. ... Berry said she informed her principal of the attack, only to be told she had provoked the attack because she told a student she would defend herself."
Comments
Dont these teachers have some legal recourse against the school district/city for providing a safe work environment?
Seems to me the schools are completely disinterested in punishing the offenders or taking any steps to protect their employees, and when one is injured they blame the victim.
Posted by: Flighterdoc, MD at April 10, 2008 05:00 PM
In 1958, I watched one kid (I think he was a voc-ed senior), who had been pulled out of his English class for smart-mouthing the (female) teacher "talking" to the "pullers"outside the room in the hall (I was walking down that hall toward them). One was a geography teacher (male -basketball coach) and the other a history teacher (male - football line coach). I don't know what he was thinking, but he sort of tried to get physical (he made a fist, but didn't swing). He was absolutely decked by the football coach, and was unconscious before he hit the floor. He was uncerimoniously expelled that day.
Now, ask yourself how many lawyers (nothing personal) would be interviewing him and his family today? *That's* why some schools are dangerous for anyone in them.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 10, 2008 06:03 PM
These public institutions have failed to protect victims from bullies for years and then cry big crocodile tears w/gnashing of teeth when a victim fights back.
Administrators fail to administer and are not held accountable.
tom gunn
Posted by: Tom Gunn at April 10, 2008 06:18 PM
If the school won't protect the teacher, she should march on down to the courthouse and get a restraining order against the kid. Then she should sue him.
Posted by: Jim at April 10, 2008 06:27 PM
No, she should beat the living Hell out of him, no matter how she had to do it. Death would be his next option.
Posted by: straightarrrow at April 10, 2008 06:51 PM
Actually, it was a her. Female student, and I don't think we can assume that the teachers are physically able to defeat many students.
The video shows that the "student" was on top of the teacher, punching away as other kids cherred.
Posted by: Jim at April 10, 2008 09:26 PM
Hey Flighterdoc, it's the juries too. If these attorneys weren't sure they'd get some cash out of it they wouldn't bother. And of course the juries consist of the baby momma and addies so there you go.
Posted by: Joe Mama at April 11, 2008 06:13 AM
If I was a teacher and a student hit me I would break their arm.
Posted by: ParatrooperJJ at April 11, 2008 07:04 AM
A buddy of mine is a teacher up in CT at a highschool. He's been assaulted a couple times, as well as several of the other teachers. The school does nothing, they don't give a crap, they can find someone else to take it.
He can do nothing physical or he's out on his ear. The school won't do anything. The parents DON'T do anything. Cops? HA! Nothing he can do if he wants to keep his job.
Posted by: Tom at April 11, 2008 04:06 PM
My job could go to hell, right along with the thug that caused me to dump him or her there.
Posted by: straightarrrow at April 11, 2008 10:16 PM