This was a huge topic in my book, but it's become a bigger topic of late. I will tell a story I know of from the past (that is in my book). Even though I am dealing with a similar situation now, I want to make it perfectly clear that any stories I tell are from the fairly distant past and are only related to current events in topic and not any general or specific detail that will be uttered.
In one of the districts I taught in (names are behind withheld), a teacher was trying to get the attention of her class. Two students were talking, so she threw a book (paperback) between the two students. Every student (other than the two involved) verified the exact retelling of the events I just told to you. One of the two students went to the nurse's office with a bloody nose and told the nurse that this teacher had hit him in the face with a book. The student called his father who immediately brought an attorney to school. Before the day was done, the teacher was sent home and she never returned.
An assistant principal questioned the other students in the class and they echoed the teacher's story. Despite this fact, the teacher was never granted a hearing. She was not allowed to come back to campus. I can only assume that she was released with pay and given a glowing recommendation for her next assignment. Anything short of that would have become very expensive for the school district.
Later that same year, another student accused a teacher of touching her inapporpriately. That teacher was sent home for three days pending an investigation. The student later recanted her story and said she made it up because she had a low grade in the class. No discipline occurred to the student and the teacher was eventually transferred to another campus in the district. Obviously, the mood on the campus after these two events was terrible. When that principal eventually left to become a superintendant, only 10 out of the 200 faculty showed up to his going away party.
As a counselor I am acutely aware of the need to protect children. However, as an educator and parent I know that kids often lie. It's shocking I know. While it sounds horrible, whenever I am dealing with a situation of kid vs. adult I usually work under the assumption that the kid is lying until I see corroborating evidence. It's just something I call professional courtesy. As I have found out through the years, this quaint notion is become extinct. There is something terribly wrong when the word of a child is automatically believed against the word of an adult.
In prior blogs, I have talked about burnout and why it occurs. This is one of the main reasons why it occurs. I have been asked to produce a doctor's note when I called in sick (for my sick child). I can't think of too many professions where this would happen. Doing so creates a hostile working environment. I've seen it happen too many times. Instead of working together to educate the children, everyone starts playing the "it wasn't my fault game." When you start working hard on the blame game, you aren't working for the kids. Yet, in this kind of environment, you have to.
In terms of politics I don't know how this plays out except to say that those folks in Austin rarely ask professional educators what should be done. In many instances, the word of a rabid citizen carries more weight than the word of an educator. I'd like to see people treat electricians, plumbers, and auto mechanics in the same way. Just run roughshot over them and see what happens. I'm sure everyone would be shocked and appalled to see that their lights don't work, their toilet doesn't work, or their car won't start. Yet, when we do it in education no one seems to see the connection.
Somewhere along the way we took the wrong turn on the blame road. We started becoming overly concerned with self-esteem and less concerned about whether our educators felt supported. It's high time we return to the days when educators were given the respect they deserved. This includes by those that are also educators. When you believe the ramblings of a child you find yourself chasing invisible wolves far too often.
Thank you for the respectful response Scott. I am somewhat surprised your "easy" suggestions didn't get any reaction from anyone. What do you think CAUSED the "ME" generation and the laws which have basically made the actions of students immune from punishme nts such as removal/expulsion?
I know it took awhile to get back to you. I think corporal punishment went away for several reasons:
1) It was impractical. As time wore on, it was increasingly difficult to have a dean of female students and a dean of male students. Most assistant principals/head principals are still male, so liability dictated an end to that.
2) Football coaches were abusing it. Sure, I could say all coaches and not single them out, but football coaches tend to be pretty neanderthal in their attitudes. Jump offsides, get a pop.
3) Over the past 40 years, there has been a gradual shift in parental attitudes. It probably stems from the "me" generation having kids. Suddenly, what the school said is not true. Their little angel couldn't have possibly done it.
The way back is just as simple, but difficult. It will be a gradual change in attitudes. Everyone has a right to an education, but it doesn't mean that everyone has to get one. You can forfeit that right. Changing the drop out age up to 18 was a move in the wrong direction. It should go down, not up. Compulsary attendance is killing us. So, things should be simple. Grow some juevos and kick out the kids that continually cause problems. We have a kid here that has been sent to the office 45 times in the past 14 months of school (1.5 years). That's ridiculous. He should be going to school somewhere else. If parents complain, tough. If they sue, tough. Don't back down.
The problem I see with what you, carguy, and almost EVERYONE acknowledges, is that while we realize the fear of the teacher and the respect for their authority has been removed from Public Education today as opposed to "the good old days" nobody is addressing how that happened and who is/was responsible. I would like to hear some hypotheses.
Although I can't get into specifics right now, I'm done talking about education for awhile. I'm fed up.
I learned to listen for her starched blouse to "rustle" and then duck down and to the right. She had a tendency to throw a "slider" at the boys that would break down and away.
You show me a classroom of kids scared sh*tless of the teacher and I'll show you some motivated students.
Mrs. Rodeck used to teach from the back of the class. If she caught you not paying attention or talking she'd throw an eraser at you. And she had an arm like Goose Gossage.
I can certainly agree that educators often don’t get the respect they deserve. I think it plays out politically in exactly the way you described, Scott. Lawmakers have tasked educators with teaching our children, yet tied their hands by taking away even the perception of authority.
I also have to agree with you, Carguy.
“Men are swayed more by fear than by reverence.”
-Aristotle
I’m pretty sure that is also true when dealing with kids.
Our society has come to the point where accountability is just a word not an approved action. Not just the kids, but adults, as well.
I know, I know silly me. My point is not that kids should stop lying. Hell, I told some whoppers in my youth. My point is that professionals should be able to see through the BS. I personally don't believe in corporal punishment, but I can't deny that it worked. What should happen is that kids should always be made accountable to whatever they have done. This doesn't have to be a whooping. It could be isolation, extra work, or a removal of privaledges. Doing nothing doesn't seem to be working.
Scott, you are talking about eliminating an integral part of American society. Manipulating the system and twisting reality is American as apple pie. It is not about who is right or wrong, it is about what you can make people believe. This is not exclusive to kids in school. This is something that permeates all strata of our society.
The problem is people got no sense, man. It sounds to me that many of the people you deal with are wannabe high-level bureaucrats waiting to happen.
Excellent piece.
I have told the story previously about my HS algebra teacher, Mrs. Wagner. 45 years old, 5 foot 2, 130 lbs. But she carried one of those steel reinforced wooden rulers around. One day, football player, big guy, defensive lineman, got out of line. She whacked him on the forearm with that ruler. Brought him to tears. Didn't nobody mess with Mrs. Wagner anymore. And I can solve a quadratic equation to this day.
The difference between when "I was in school" and NOW is that when I was in school, we were afraid of the teachers. Now, the teachers are afraid of the kids.
System DOESN'T work that way. Education BY intimidation.......worked on me. (Not entirely kidding)