Teacher calling kids "loser"

[joannqn]

What would you think if your child's teacher wrote "-20% for being a LOSER" on your child's assignment?

 

Here's a link to a video report at Yahoo. It's only a minute long.

[SonshineLearner]

I'd want to know what he considered "being a loser" and then maybe he could "loser" his job.

[swellmomma]

I would be livid. I do not allow my children to call each other loser. I don't let other kids call mine loser, I sure as heck would not stand for a teacher doing that.

[Sputterduck]

Oh

My

:O

 

He says it's his way of relating to the children? Holy Moly

[teamturner]

Wow! When I first saw the title of the article I was expecting the student to be a high schooler that was perhaps a little rough around the edges, not that it would justify such a comment! But then there's the picture of this sweet elementary age girl. I can't believe a teacher can get away with such behavior!

 

:confused:

Edited March 12, 2010 by Michelle in TX
typo

[jenL]

I watched this today, and as a former middle school educator, I'm so perplexed by it that I'm not really sure what to say! What surprised (and disgusted) me the most, is that this is not the first time and other complaints have been made against him. If he's trying to "be cool" to reach his students, there are far better ways to go about it. If anyone is a loser, it's him.

[jenn1129]

just watching this got my blood boiling. How dare he? And I can't believe the school hasn't done anythng about it. My sister's 1st grade teacher told her she was stupid and wouldn't make it very far in school. My sister lived with that and believed it. AGH!!!!

[Ester Maria]

What would you think if your child's teacher wrote "-20% for being a LOSER" on your child's assignment?

I wouldn't "think" much, I would let those lawyers my family do the "thinking" and the "doing" about that.

 

Personally, I find it disgusting. Not that I think that EVERY negative reinforcement or that EVERY mild mockery (if done in a more of a joking manner) is always, necessarily and totally wrong, and I've witnessed and been a subject to some successful teaching methods that employed it, but this is going way too far.

[jujsky]

How is calling someone a loser "relating" to them?

[Tap]

We tease A LOT in our family. We all tease, we are all teased so I understand that a comment out of context can be skewed wildly.

 

BUT....I don't expect a teacher to tease my kids, call them derogatory names or try to motivate by degrading them. I have had it happen with ds and I have personally called two different teachers out on it. I don't care if they think it motivates kids. I don't care if they think it helps them relate to the kids. It doesn't belong in schools and if teachers don't have a strong enough vocabulary to find effective ways to speak to children without calling names (even in 'fun'), they shouldn't be teaching. I know there are people out there who think that you can tear someone down and then build them up. I know there are people who will rise to the occasion if they are challenged. But the danger lies in kids who don't take the bullying as intended and then internalize comments made by someone they respect. It is these kids who pay the price in self respect and pride. It is these kids who are hurt in the process. And it is these kids who need to have parents stand up and bring ill behaved teacher's actions to light. :rant:

Edited March 12, 2010 by Tap, tap, tap

[TravelingChris]

I just saw this and came right over here to WTM forum because I knew someone would have already commented on this. I agree with the mother that the teacher is bullying her daughter. He didn't just do this once. I would be petitioning the school board over this and certainly wouldn't send her back to school. Hopefully there is a private school in the area, if the mother works and needs to have the child in the school, that could find it in their hearts to enroll this child immediately and reach out to the family. Probably the only private school in this area is a Christian school that is a ministry of a church and if so, I think this child needs that ministry desperately. How tremendously sad.

[Jennifer in MI]

That poor girl.

 

I was bullied by a third grade teacher. I was teased relentlessly about my healthy lunches - he called my homemade bread sandwiches, "cardboard sandwiches" and encouraged the other kids to tease me as well. It was a horrible year. I was constantly humiliated by the students and it was encouraged by the teacher.

 

I really feel for her. That's not relating, that's just plain mean.

[chiguirre]

I'd be livid. Not only did he WRITE loser on a paper, so it's not a slip of the tongue or heat of the moment sort of thing, but he knocked her down 2 letter grades because she's a "loser". I couldn't tell if she actually made any errors or if he just adjusted her grade down because he doesn't like her.

[woolybear]

This is one of the reasons we need to homeschool. Not just because this could happen to one of dc, but because my reaction might be over the top.:001_smile:

 

Gosh d**n bullies.........:glare:

 

Woolybear

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

How shocking. IMHO he should be fired!!!:glare:

[Mermaid Mama]

What would you think if your child's teacher wrote "-20% for being a LOSER" on your child's assignment?

 

Here's a link to a video report at Yahoo. It's only a minute long.

 

One day this bully of a man will face these abused children when they are all grown up....and the only thing that bothers me about that is the fact that it may bring criminal charges to the children.

 

I'd hire a pit bull lawyer and he'd lose his license. I could lose mine if I were to do this to adults.....why is it any different when the victims are kids and the man is a "teacher?"

[LauraGB]

We tease A LOT in our family. We all tease, we are all teased so I understand that a comment out of context can be skewed wildly.

 

 

 

We do, too. But in no way, shape or form does it equate to what this teacher had the audacity to do. My dd showed me the story and we both just stood there, completely slack jawed, at what was done. I would be...livid (it is the gentlest term for what I would feel) at this situation. I can almost guarantee that this teacher would no longer have a job tutoring children.

[delaney]

Wait is this another great reason to homeschool? Add that to my response arsenal!!

[happyhomemaker25]

What did he accomplish? I mean really? How is that going to improve her academically? Isn't that what teacher feedback should be about? The man needs to be fired.

I can't even imagine me sitting at home and reading that on my kids paper. It would get nasty really quick!

[littlebug42]

My advanced math teacher in high school called me "Stupid" once in front of my class as I was asking for her help. Told me I would never get into college or be anything. I never did a single ounce of work in her class again (end of 3rd quarter). It was the only F I ever received for that quarter. I was vindicated the next year however when this same teacher, at the school honor banquet, had to announce to all recognition for my academic scholarship. I hope she choked on it.

[Mejane]

I can't believe he actually put it in writing - talk about a loser. :glare:

[happi duck]

There is no excuse for this! Having a clue about the latest movies, music and slang might qualify for being in touch with the students but NOT calling a kid a loser!

[Oak Knoll Mom]

Oh, my.

 

I saw the title of this thread, but didn't read it. Then I went downstairs and watched the local news and saw that this happened at the middle school my children would attend if they went to public school!

 

I hope none of my boys' friends have been subjected to this man. Apparently, though, he is highly regarded by the students. You can read comments supporting him and his style of teaching on the local TV station's Facebook page.

 

Edited to add: The little girl is now getting bullied. According to the local news:

 

Clement says her daughter is now getting texts, emails and Facebook messages calling her names and threatening physical violence.

 

Messages sent to the 11-year-old call her a freak. Some use gay slurs, others use obscenities. One says the 6th grader did a "bad thing" and for that she must be punished. Another message says I hope you grow up to work third shift at McDonalds because the strip joint turned you down.

Edited March 14, 2010 by Oak Knoll Mom

[Heidi]

I've had all the reactions that everyone else has posted, but after watching the video a second time I can't help but think we're not hearing the whole story... it just doesn't make sense. Perhaps his comments are taken out of context somehow? Why would parents be ok with his behavior for over 20 years? It just doesn't make sense. :001_huh:

[Dmmetler]

I've had all the reactions that everyone else has posted, but after watching the video a second time I can't help but think we're not hearing the whole story... it just doesn't make sense. Perhaps his comments are taken out of context somehow? Why would parents be ok with his behavior for over 20 years? It just doesn't make sense. :001_huh:

 

Based on what I've read on another board, apparently the teacher uses "What a loser" when someone does really well-and in this case, the student had gotten over 100% on the paper (so the -20% took the paper down to 100%). So the class was aware that the term is a compliment, but the parents weren't (or were just plain troubled by the use of the term-I would be!). When the parents made a big deal of it, unfortunately the classmates took it out on the poor kid-who probably was embarrassed enough by her parents making a big deal out of something the class didn't see as a big deal.

 

What I haven't seen anywhere is whether or not the student took it as a joke, as apparently the class as a whole did, or whether the student was actually troubled. Not all kids "get" sarcasm, and a child who is very literal could be quite bothered by this.

 

Either way, it doesn't seem like a good idea-and it's not something I would have done when I was a ps teacher, to say the least!

[myfunnybunch]

Perhaps his comments are taken out of context somehow?

 

I believe it's important to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think there is any other context in which "--20% for being a loser" can be placed. The man is a teacher. He is supposed to be teaching academic subjects, not character, coolness or how not to be a loser. The only appropriate comments on any child's paper are those related to the child's academic work and how the child can improve.

 

It would seen that in his effort to be "cool" the teacher has forgotten that he is also a role model for appropriate behavior. He's chosen the kind of "cool" power one gets from putting others down instead of lifting them up. It's as middle school as it gets. Bleh. It creates quite a sick dynamic and I'm not a bit surprised that there are those who support him now and that those people are bullying the girl.

 

Cat

[Ester Maria]

When the parents made a big deal of it, unfortunately the classmates took it out on the poor kid-who probably was embarrassed enough by her parents making a big deal out of something the class didn't see as a big deal.

I get what you're saying, really, and I can understand that somebody would employ such words as part of their "internal jokes" within the class, however, to write it out on a test, on something which can serve as an official document, is a completely different thing in my opinion.

:confused:

[Miss Sherry]

If it were my child,my first response would be to call a lawyer. How the parent of that child can be putting her back in that school, I don't know. Maybe it is her only option. If it is not her only option, she is also guilty of mistreating her child.

[stripe]

When I was in 7th grade, my English teacher addressed us collectively as "lazy lumps" in virtually every class, usually repeatedly. He was of the belief that 7th graders were bullied by older students for being the youngest. I can honestly say he was the ONLY person who insulted us based on our grade level the entire year! I still loathe the memory of this man, whose greasy, angry face I can instantly bring to mind. He did nothing to inspire a love of learning, and while I still recall some of the poems I memorized in his class, I do not think such behavior, including addressing students as losers, should be tolerated. I am glad that such unprofessional behavior on the part of teachers is now being made public, requiring both the teacher and the school to explain the questionable conduct.

[dhudson]

As a parent, any one who said (or wrote) this to one of my children would only make this mistake ONCE. That goes for coaches, teachers, youth group leaders and any other adult for that matter. This momma bear gladly sticks up for her kids.