AP: Sexual misconduct plagues US schools

[sox4lifeinPA]

AP: Sexual misconduct plagues US schools

 

 

good lord I can't even post the article.

An Associated Press investigation found more than 2,500 cases over five years in which educators were punished for actions from bizarre to sadistic.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

There are over 3 million teachers and 2,500 cases. Now, one is too many but this sensationalism is the easy way that educators who do nothing wrong have tons of stuff to fear.

 

In the recent October NEA Today, they ran an article about this -- especially in relation to what teachers who get slimed with these kinds of accusations can do. They told the story of a teacher who had taught for 31 years with an unblemished record. Two sixth grade girls -- one who got an F on an important project before the accusations were made and her best friend -- suddenly begin saying that he was groping them during class. Despite the other students denying that this ever happened, the district eventually suspended him with no pay and attempted to fire him. Almost 700 days later, he was officially exonerated.

 

I also had to dodge a bulls*** bullet as well last year. Two girls continually were talking during my classes. So, I caught one and gave her a detention. Due to Illinois law related to fire safety, all classrooms must have their doors shut during all times unless the school has forked out the $$ for automatic door closing devices. Our school also demands us to have our doors locked as well for security measures. The student reported to detention and it went off without a hitch, or so I thought.

 

Her friend tried to interrupt my detention (somehow everybody kind of let that fly by) by opening my door and upon finding it closed and locked, went home and told mommy and daddy about Mr. LCR having her friend in his room with the door locked. The dad came in and said that he was "afraid something could happen." Despite there being no f***ing evidence at all, I had to go through getting my union representative and hold multiple meetings with the principal, me and the parent. After all that, the parent realized that a whole ton of stupid done fell out of his wordhole.

 

It was a real trial by fire and these people that actually behave in this way make things difficult for those of us who just want to actually teach. Now whenever I have detentions, I prop my door open -- let them fine me for a fire code violation -- or hold my detention with a female staff member also in the room or I talk to the student in the hallway where we're on videotape.

[Gregory Pratt]

I have no doubt that, sometimes, people make things up but for the most part, I tend to believe The Victim (or Accuser) over the Defendant. Of course, I take every situation like this into consideration and I don't just blindly jump to conclusions. But I do believe that People don't take sexual abuse and crimes as serious as they should, and I know that many organizations who should know better often attempt to cover things up, transfer their teachers and hope for the best to avoid embarrassment. I know that's true for certain Churches -- specifically the Catholic Church -- and for schools and for workplaces. I just think it's a shame that so few people take sexual crimes seriously, or would rather be spared the "embarrassment" of revealing something than put someone away.

[sox4lifeinPA]

There are over 3 million teachers and 2,500 cases. Now, one is too many but this sensationalism is the easy way that educators who do nothing wrong have tons of stuff to fear.

 

In the recent October NEA Today, they ran an article about this -- especially in relation to what teachers who get slimed with these kinds of accusations can do. They told the story of a teacher who had taught for 31 years with an unblemished record. Two sixth grade girls -- one who got an F on an important project before the accusations were made and her best friend -- suddenly begin saying that he was groping them during class. Despite the other students denying that this ever happened, the district eventually suspended him with no pay and attempted to fire him. Almost 700 days later, he was officially exonerated.

 

I also had to dodge a bulls*** bullet as well last year. Two girls continually were talking during my classes. So, I caught one and gave her a detention. Due to Illinois law related to fire safety, all classrooms must have their doors shut during all times unless the school has forked out the $$ for automatic door closing devices. Our school also demands us to have our doors locked as well for security measures. The student reported to detention and it went off without a hitch, or so I thought.

 

Her friend tried to interrupt my detention (somehow everybody kind of let that fly by) by opening my door and upon finding it closed and locked, went home and told mommy and daddy about Mr. LCR having her friend in his room with the door locked. The dad came in and said that he was "afraid something could happen." Despite there being no f***ing evidence at all, I had to go through getting my union representative and hold multiple meetings with the principal, me and the parent. After all that, the parent realized that a whole ton of stupid done fell out of his wordhole.

 

It was a real trial by fire and these people that actually behave in this way make things difficult for those of us who just want to actually teach. Now whenever I have detentions, I prop my door open -- let them fine me for a fire code violation -- or hold my detention with a female staff member also in the room or I talk to the student in the hallway where we're on videotape.

 

 

dude, that's why I decided not to teach HS: irresponsible kids and stupid parents.

 

glad you dodged that bullet.

[EvilMonkey]

I have no doubt that, sometimes, people make things up but for the most part, I tend to believe The Victim (or Accuser) over the Defendant. Of course, I take every situation like this into consideration and I don't just blindly jump to conclusions. But I do believe that People don't take sexual abuse and crimes as serious as they should, and I know that many organizations who should know better often attempt to cover things up, transfer their teachers and hope for the best to avoid embarrassment. I know that's true for certain Churches -- specifically the Catholic Church -- and for schools and for workplaces. I just think it's a shame that so few people take sexual crimes seriously, or would rather be spared the "embarrassment" of revealing something than put someone away.

I think it is what you said, AND the opposite. I don't think people tend to handle these things in the correct way, but rather go to one extreme or the other. Ignoring it hoping it will go away or because you don't believe it is the wrong thing and could lead to more abuse, lawsuits, etc. But in the teacher case that was referenced earlier, going too far before you have evidence, or even after evidence has been found proving innocence, is also just wrong. Seems common sense isn't too common anymore.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

I think it is what you said, AND the opposite. I don't think people tend to handle these things in the correct way, but rather go to one extreme or the other. Ignoring it hoping it will go away or because you don't believe it is the wrong thing and could lead to more abuse, lawsuits, etc. But in the teacher case that was referenced earlier, going too far before you have evidence, or even after evidence has been found proving innocence, is also just wrong. Seems common sense isn't too common anymore.

As you said people do go to one extreme or the other. People either don't do anything or go too far for a reason: It's a lot of nobody wanting to take the blame. Rationally, it is easier for a district to try to fire a teacher and let the labor union file a grievance. That way, the mediator can shoulder the blame if the teacher is later brought back into the district and it gets the super/school board off the hook of being blamed by parents. As you said, if they don't go too far then they risk possible lawsuits and more abuses happening.