Teenage girl dragged into the pool by a teacher

[unsinkable]

The worst that should have happened to the girl is that she would get a zero for the day, if she got mouthy send her to the office. If it had been my child I would have had her in the ER for scrapes/cuts/bruises, to document the assault then pressured the police to arrest him immediately. But the small chance of something like that happening to my minor child is one of the many reasons I homeschool (DD is kind of mouthy so the chance might not be as small as I wish it were).

 

ETA: I know I'm probably in the minority but I don't see a problem with her refusing to participate. There are steps, getting a zero, for a non-participating student. I would think that after it being explained she still chose to not swim, then okay she gets a zero. Why is she spoiled for not wanting to get her hair wet when she had a function (mentioned in another article I read earlier) to attend after school? As an adult If I had a function to attend then I would have just skipped swim class that day, same for my HS'ed child.

The entire post #8

[Mrs Mungo]

Being forced to swim for gym class is stupid (I think any gym class in high school is stupid but I know people here disagree).  When I was that age, I fixed my hair and makeup every morning and I would not have wanted to mess it up either.  That teacher should get his butt sued for putting his hands on that young woman.  Wow!

 

 

I think if the girl chose not to participate, that is her choice and it should be handled like any other academic situation, like not doing her homework or not participating in a class discussion.

 

Maybe I'm missing something...but I don't see it as rude or being a brat.

 

 

The worst that should have happened to the girl is that she would get a zero for the day, if she got mouthy send her to the office.  If it had been my child I would have had her in the ER for scrapes/cuts/bruises, to document the assault then pressured the police to arrest him immediately. But the small chance of something like that happening to my minor child is one of the many reasons I homeschool (DD is kind of mouthy so the chance might not be as small as I wish it were).   

 

ETA: I know I'm probably in the minority but I don't see a problem with her refusing to participate.  There are steps, getting a zero, for a non-participating student.  I would think that after it being explained she still chose to not swim, then okay she gets a zero.  Why is she spoiled for not wanting to get her hair wet when she had a function (mentioned in another article I read earlier) to attend after school?  As an adult If I had a function to attend then I would have just skipped swim class that day, same for my HS'ed child.

 

 

So wrong... She may have had private reasons for not wanting to swim and used the hair and makeup thing as an excuse.

These were the 4 posts preceding mine. A few people in a row who don't think it's rude and/or a problem to refuse to participate in class. I said I did think it was rude not to participate in a class. Disagreement is fine, but there is ZERO reason to compare it to slut-shaming a rape victim. In no way, shape or form did I say that it excused his behavior.

[bettyandbob]

This is silly. I think we all agreed the teacher was wrong and should be fired. Maybe we should just leave it there.

[Slartibartfast]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These were the 4 posts preceding mine. A few people in a row who don't think it's rude and/or a problem to refuse to participate in class. I said I did think it was rude not to participate in a class. Disagreement is fine, but there is ZERO reason to compare it to slut-shaming a rape victim. In no way, shape or form did I say that it excused his behavior.

 

 

That was also before the clarification that she did participate without getting her hair wet.

 

If people read the whole thread before posting this would be less of a problem.

[Joker]

This is silly. I think we all agreed the teacher was wrong and should be fired. Maybe we should just leave it there.

 

You spent a lot of time in this thread discussing the girl and her behavior. You questioned her ability in college. You said what she did was disrespectful and disruptive. Now you want to leave it at the teacher was wrong and should be fired? Great! I agree, but you can't get upset or think others are silly for trying to respond to the nonsense in this thread.

[SKL]

Yeah, I think gym class should be optional, but I also think that is a topic for a different thread.

[bettyandbob]

You spent a lot of time in this thread discussing the girl and her behavior. You questioned her ability in college. You said what she did was disrespectful and disruptive. Now you want to leave it at the teacher was wrong and should be fired? Great! I agree, but you can't get upset or think others are silly for trying to respond to the nonsense in this thread.

Did you notice that was yesterday. I am responding to the continuation late today. I don't think I will contribute specifics and add to the nondirection.

[Joker]

I've replied with a few things that I don't think are very nice, so I'm just going to try to let it go.

[flyingiguana]

I'm going to assume he was put on paid leave UNTIL his punishment is sorted out in the courts (?).  (Unless, because this is only a misdemeanor that's already over and done with? )

 

A lot of schools may not have a lot of recourse to do much unless there is a proven criminal conviction.  It might open them up to a lawsuit otherwise. 

 

And should a school be firing a teacher based on a student's story?  Yes, it looks like there are pictures this time, but if I were running the school, I might want to have the case resolved before I made a final decision on firing.  Even with pictures that make it pretty obvious that he's in the wrong, there are probably a number of things the school has to do to make it completely legal and protection against lawsuits.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I'm going to assume he was put on paid leave UNTIL his punishment is sorted out in the courts (?).  (Unless, because this is only a misdemeanor that's already over and done with? )

 

A lot of schools may not have a lot of recourse to do much unless there is a proven criminal conviction.  It might open them up to a lawsuit otherwise. 

 

And should a school be firing a teacher based on a student's story?  Yes, it looks like there are pictures this time, but if I were running the school, I might want to have the case resolved before I made a final decision on firing.  Even with pictures that make it pretty obvious that he's in the wrong, there are probably a number of things the school has to do to make it completely legal and protection against lawsuits.

 

Did you not see the video?

 

[SKL]

I read that he was reassigned shortly after the incident.  I took that to mean he was placed in charge of other kids.  I could be wrong about that.

[momacacia]

I'm going to assume he was put on paid leave UNTIL his punishment is sorted out in the courts (?).  (Unless, because this is only a misdemeanor that's already over and done with? )

 

A lot of schools may not have a lot of recourse to do much unless there is a proven criminal conviction.  It might open them up to a lawsuit otherwise. 

 

And should a school be firing a teacher based on a student's story?  Yes, it looks like there are pictures this time, but if I were running the school, I might want to have the case resolved before I made a final decision on firing.  Even with pictures that make it pretty obvious that he's in the wrong, there are probably a number of things the school has to do to make it completely legal and protection against lawsuits.

 

I suspect they're already vulnerable to a lawsuit with the teacher in place (although I'm sure the school is following whatever they're protocols are). If I were that student's parents, I would have already retained an attorney and the school district would have already seen papers from them. It's counseling money and college money. Having video of it and the fact that she did swim the laps...it's all just too good to be true from a legal perspective.

 

One of the things the school may need to do, sadly, is put video surveillance in every room.

 

 

[snowbeltmom]

I'm going to assume he was put on paid leave UNTIL his punishment is sorted out in the courts (?).  (Unless, because this is only a misdemeanor that's already over and done with? )

 

A lot of schools may not have a lot of recourse to do much unless there is a proven criminal conviction.  It might open them up to a lawsuit otherwise. 

 

And should a school be firing a teacher based on a student's story?  Yes, it looks like there are pictures this time, but if I were running the school, I might want to have the case resolved before I made a final decision on firing.  Even with pictures that make it pretty obvious that he's in the wrong, there are probably a number of things the school has to do to make it completely legal and protection against lawsuits.

 

According to the article posted upthread, the "teacher" was transferred to another school in the district in August after the assault took place.   It wasn't until this jerk was formally charged and his assault was publicized in the media that the school removed him from the classroom and placed him on paid leave. 

 

The school definitely needs to have a case resolved before a teacher is fired.  However, after watching that video, there is no way the school should have initially simply transferred the teacher to another school in the district. 

 

That video clearly showed he is a danger to students. He should have been removed from the classroom immediately, not simply transferred to another school where he could potentially utilize his "teaching methods" on other students.

 

[Teachin'Mine]

Do you realize he was transferred to an elementary school?   This was before he's now on leave.  Atrocious!

[Seasider]

Do you realize he was transferred to an elementary school? This was before he's now on leave. Atrocious!

Yeah, there are fewer kids with cell phones in those younger grades to document his actions.

[foxbridgeacademy]

I taught with a "teacher" who hurt a kid and was only reassigned and encouraged to retire. That was it. (Eta: she had tenure)

 

Schools of all levels often try hard to handle things internally.

 

 

My local teacher union has most certainly protected abusers, including a high school teacher who was sexually harassing several students.

 

I am not anti-union but there are definitely plenty of examples of illogical protectionism in some unions.

 

My grade school started rotating us through classes (like Jr. High) in 4th through 6th grades to get us ready for Jr High.  My 6th grade year we got a new English teacher who had previously taught at the H.S. She was moved to the grade school because the admin. though she would be less volatile with younger kids, this after having struck 2 different students the previous year.  My Soc Studies teacher that same year, a 6 foot something very large man, grabbed a kid and pinned him against the blackboard.... the teacher was never disciplined as far as anyone knew. In 8th grade another teacher yanked a kid out of his seat and threw him on the ground after he played a mean-spirited prank on her (she spit when she talked so he and some friends brought umbrellas to class and opened them when she walked by). None of these teachers were truly punished in any real way and all the students had done was talk back.  Yes, it was the late 80's early 90's and things were a bit different then (we often blamed the victim) but things obviously haven't changed that much, IME.