When I was in fifth grade, I changed schools mid-year. In my new reading class, our teacher, Miss Theodore, picked on one little girl named Maryann every day.
Picked on is an understatement. The teacher was relentless—and mean! It seemed like a vendetta. I remember feeling embarrassed, and even maybe ashamed.
I was the new kid, and was shocked that all the others seemed to think it was normal for this teacher to verbally abuse this poor little girl day in and day out. In fact, some days, she spent most of the hour complaining about how stupid Maryann was. Those days, not much teaching was going on.
For the entire year, 40 kids listened to a teacher beat up on poor Maryann. It became so commonplace that we learned that it was OK.
I can only imagine that is how the 13-year-old boy felt when his teacher participated in him getting dragged around his Kopachuck Middle School classroom in Gig Harbor, Washington. He was videotaped getting a sock shoved in his mouth, and chairs stacked on top of him. In some parts of the video the boy reportedly was trying to laugh and go along.
How could he not? At 13, we do not have the maturity to say "you're hurting my feelings." That's doubly true if you're a boy. His only recourse was to pretend it didn't bother him.
The teacher, John Rosi, who has been an educator for 18 years, opted for a suspension in order to save his job. Then when the other kids learned of Rosi's suspension, they blamed the victim. The little boy wanted to kill himself because he couldn't bear going back to school, his mom reportedly said.
Shame on you, John Rosi. Your claim that you didn't think it was bullying doesn't wash. The videotape shows Rosi putting the boy in a headlock and driving his head into the ground. Teacher also lifted a boy up by the ankles. Is there any surprise that the other children mimmicked the same behavior?
After 18 years, you should have known better. You've officially made it on my "deserves a smack" list.
One of many problems with bullying, and other forms of verbal abuse, is that the victim eventually starts to believe the nay-saying. If a person is constantly being told she is dumb or stupid, she is going to believe it. To this day, I can't imagine how Maryann must have carried that abuse with her—back then, and likely still today.
Abuse begets abuse. Bullying begets bullying. If we get bullied, we are likely to bully others.
Children need to be protected. And yes, a 13-year-old boy is still a child. He deserved protection from his teacher. The fact that the district lets the teacher continue is equally shameful.
John Rosi, your goal as the adult was to protect your students. That is a task that you failed at miserably.
First of all, if you have 2 working parents, who is going to home school the kids? You would simply be forcing parents to hire a nanny who could also tutor. Second, I enjoy the 6 hours and 25 minutes that my child is in school. Third, I just don't have the patience to teach young children. I'm not sure that I have the patience to teach college students. So, why should I have to teach my child reading, math, grammar, and such, and get extremely frustrated, when there are people who want to do that for a career?
Without question, the teacher should be fired. The kids should have been suspended.
District 308 has at least one teacher I know of that should work in a state prison and not an elementary school. Those who have had to deal with this person know who I am talking about. There have been at least a couple young folks in our community who would rather off themselves than go back. Thankfully, my child did not want to go that far, but she also HATED school for that year. Was great before and has been great since :)
Note: I'm not a teacher.
None of that adds up to, "Unions are a big part of the problem," but I understand you're going to want to shoot back a comment demonizing unions. Let's agree to disagree and not derail the original topic.
I'm glad that your daughter has moved on and enjoys the 8th grade in spite of her 5th grade experience. Good luck to her and be well.
Unfortunately, Illinois has the most arcane wiretapping laws in the country, and the evidence won't be admissible, but at least YOU will know what is going on. You've seen it from coaches on the ball field, bus drivers and even Bible School. If I find out a teacher is messing with MY kid, I'll skip the principle and the Union process and go straight for the kneecaps.
The rest of the "Are administrators union?" answer is complicated, and varies from state to state. Google it if you're interested. That answer has nothing to do with the topic at hand. I didn't mull the answer to your question, I just assumed you already knew it was "yes" and were belligerently asserting that the answer "yes" meant something. It doesn't, and I'm not fond of wasting my time. There are many articles on the internet about how all of the varied school personnel unions in each of the states function. Educate yourself on your own time if you'd like. Or just keep repeating empty, uninformed anti-union rhetoric. I know from past threads that you like to chest-thump on the Patch. I don't, so I'll leave you to it. Bottom line: If administrators diligently document and evaluate, teachers can be and are fired. If criminal acts occur the teacher will be immediately terminated and subject to legal action. If parents want to jump-start the documentation process of a teacher they feel is incompetent they should always put their concerns in writing, with e-mail being an excellent choice. Too many words? This might work better for you: Are adm folks union? Yes.
My son didn't want to go to school at all. My son is a quiet boy and that teacher has ruined the only thing that teens look forward to. My son won't drive and has no desire to get his license. The school did not do anything about it!! The schools should give the teachers a class on bully the students and the effect it has on them. There should be a no bully rule for teachers!!!
Thank you for the well wishes, much appreciated. Same to you.
This whole union, teacher tenure, and unsustainable pensions needs a weed whacker taken to it, that can allow good teachers to teach and be rewarded appropriately.