When Teachers are Bullies
Is it a good idea to secretly videotape teachers?
We all know bullying is a problem in schools, but from a teacher? It sounds crazy, but teacher-bullies have recently been in the news quite a bit. Bullying students is awful enough, but in two of these cases the harassment was directed toward high school special education students. A special education teacher bullying students. Wow. Just…wow.
In New Jersey, a 15-year-old student used his cell phone to record the teacher when nobody, not even his parents, believed he was being bullied. The video shows the special education teacher threatening the student, using profanity and speaking to the student in a degrading fashion. When confronted by the student’s father, the teacher said this was his way of motivating his students. Taking a page from the “too little too late” manual, he eventually did apologize. The teacher is out on paid leave.
A 14-year-old special needs student in Ohio has a very similar story. When school administrators did not believe the teacher was bullying the student, her father went all “Law and Order” on them. He had her wear a “wire” to school hidden under her clothing and, wouldn’t ya know it, the teacher and the teacher’s aide were caught making “a series of abusive and cutting remarks.” The aide was fired and the teacher was placed on an unpaid suspension. The mother of the bullied student was paid $300,000 by the school district to settle the lawsuit she initiated.
The latest story of teacher-bullying comes from a middle school in Tennessee. A first-year math teacher, in response to a question from an eighth-grade student, wrote “stupid” on the student’s forehead with a Sharpie. Not only did he write “stupid” on the kid’s forehead, the teacher wrote it backwards so the student could read it in a mirror, which I would find pretty impressive under different circumstances. The teacher said he meant it as a joke. District officials were not amused.
What is important to keep in mind is these are isolated incidents, not common practice among educators, which is why it’s news. Although I find the harassment of these students reprehensible, the idea of secretly filming teachers is very disturbing.
I shudder to think of how many parents out there read about these cases and thought, “What a great idea!” The argument could be made if a teacher has nothing to hide, it should not be an issue. True, but it opens up a whole can of icky worms. What if a kid doesn’t like a teacher because he received a poor grade? A little filming, a little editing and voila! Goodbye teacher!
Plus, it is a very short hop from secretly filming a teacher to secretly filming parents. Have you said or done something lately that might keep you from being nominated for Parent of the Year? Check YouTube, you may have gone viral.
Rainstreet
6:15 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Why does this woman get to have her stories run on this site? You run a title like this, have people read this crap, and it comes out as garbage. This is the second article I have read from her and yes, it is garbage. "Why boys don't like to read?" It's called parenting!!!
Sully
9:44 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
I agree, Rainstreet. This person's last two writings have not added much value to either of the issues- issues that deserve more serious attention than her few meaningless paragraphs. Say more or leave it alone.
Donny
7:44 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
The above stories are disgusting, but bullying is not a problem in our schools. Let's face it conservative parents, "Bulling" is just another avenue for liberals to play thought police with our children. A third of education is teachers playing thought police with our children's prospective on environment, marriage, evolution, "individual writings" and on and on. The other two-thirds is reading, math, spelling, the actual learning that takes place.
Sully
9:39 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Donny, your ignorance is really showing with this comment. I wonder- do you spend any time in schools? Do you speak to any other students besides your own brainwashed children (who no doubt will agree with you that bullying simply doesn't exist) or their friends (who most likely do the bullying, just as you do)? Your claims are right out of the far right's playbook. Everything is a liberal plot. Don't worry- I don't expect anything resembling an intelligent response from you.
Donny
11:46 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
HA HA HA Thanks for the laugh Sully.
Donny
11:53 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas to you Sully! I hope joy fills you on Christmas Day, not what appears to be filling you at the moment. :)
Rainstreet
8:22 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Easy Donny!!!
Abigail
9:59 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
I think this article is interesting, although she could have gone into more detail. As for the subject, there is an instructor at a local community college who is incredibly rude to students, embarrasses them in class and gets away with it--because she is the department chair.
Abigail
10:01 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
As for the question of secretly taping someone, I think it is illegal in Illinois. But, I'd do it in a heartbeat if I had to.
Donny
11:48 am on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Abigail, recording is not illegal in the State of Illinois. Now wire taping is - but taping someone in a public place where they have no privacy is completely legal in Illinois.
Wally
10:19 pm on Saturday, December 24, 2011
Donny - it is absolutely illegal to audio record someone without there consent in Illinois with a (very) few exceptions. However, generally prosecutors will not charge tapers in whistleblower cases like these.
Donny
12:49 am on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Wally- where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, it it legal to both audio record, video record, and audio/video record. Wire taping laws to not apply in public forums, areas, venues, places, or anywhere the general public is free to travel.
Donny
12:50 am on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
If you are referring to a phone conversation over a land line phone you are correct, if you are referring to what I just stated you are misinformed.
Nevada Advocate
2:09 pm on Monday, December 26, 2011
Check out Our Children Left Behind website under the news link. You will find literally hundreds of these stories. And the vast majority are children with disabilities who are set up as easy targets. Segregation and euphemistic language like "special" set these children up as scapegoats, ostracizing them from the mainstream, and social connections that are more likely to protect them. Who do you think shows up when you advertise a well paid position working with vulnerable children in a segregated place. Video and record away! There is no other protection for these children until we modify our approach and move them back into the public square.
JuliannaSmith
4:33 am on Tuesday, January 3, 2012
As parents we must remember that our children's social struggles can begin long before the teen years in the form of bullying, often thought of as just "part of growing up”. But behaviors associated with bullying or the trauma that comes with being a bully's victim can cause serious, long-lasting problems for children especially to kids who are special. I can relate this kind of news because I have also a son who is special. As a mother I always look forward for the safety and protection of my kids in school especially from bullying related incidents. Thanks to my sister who introduced to me a mobile application from safekidzone that works for my kids, by just pressing the button notifies your friends and family whenever they are in danger. Protect your kids now visit http://safekidzone.com/
Susan Schaefer
10:54 pm on Monday, January 9, 2012
Thank you for that valuable information Julianna.