SC - Columbia - Sheriff Slams Female Student to Floor In Class

[DexterMorgan]

Like I said up thread the assault that some call it was nothing more then a take down, and like I sai he did a fine job. There was no injury to her other then her pride. BTW what did her Mother die from? TIA

But the take down wasn't necessary in this situation. Btw. His pride was hurt and he used excessive force for a situation that didn't merritt it.

He could have told the principal to allow her to stay in class and suspend her at the end of the day. That's all. It's not like she had a weapon or was smoking drugs in class. Jmo.

 

[JeannaT]

So how does some one like that have a cell phone? Someone help me to understand this.

Everyone has a cell phone, it seems. I don't know who exactly pays for it, but I know kids in foster care who have a cell phone.

I was interested in the recent posts that in fact, her mother hadn't died recently, and wanted to post questioning it but thought it would seem mean-spirited. What the lawyer said was, "she lost her mother recently" which could mean anything. It could mean as much as "she's wearing a cast" means. Which is to say, it doesn't mean what the lawyer intends you to think it means.

 

[Hope4More]

I agree. like you said we actually agree on a lot of stuff. I just personally would not like to be told when I can and can not leave a room where I am in fact paying to be there and can't relate since my uni didn't have any sort of restrictions.
But like you said we have gone around and around about this and pretty much said all there is to say.

Eh??? She isn't paying to be there. No child is paying to attend elementary middle or high school. Adult taxpayers are paying for ALL kids who attend public school.

 

[kimlynn]

Believe it or not there are ways to let kids know misbehaving in class isn't okay without assaulting them. Crazy, I know, but teachers do it every day.

Reading back I really liked the idea of note giving which keeps it private between the teacher and student.

 

[bluesneakers]

Reading back I really liked the idea of note giving which keeps it private between the teacher and student.

I like that idea too. I think it's the least disruptive thing and might work as a warning to get the kid to start paying attention.

 

[vestigare]

Everyone has a cell phone, it seems. I don't know who exactly pays for it, but I know kids in foster care who have a cell phone.

I was interested in the recent posts that in fact, her mother hadn't died recently, and wanted to post questioning it but thought it would seem mean-spirited. What the lawyer said was, "she lost her mother recently" which could mean anything. It could mean as much as "she's wearing a cast" means. Which is to say, it doesn't mean what the lawyer intends you to think it means.

NAturally the lawyer is going to spin his narrative. Just as the school and RO are going to spin theirs.
I think it is unlikely that she wasn't hurt in some way. And legally speaking Assault and battery doesn't require actual injury. So should he be charge after the investigations it is a moot point if she is in a cast or not.

I wonder if "recently lost her mother" meant she recently is unable to be around her mother now that we know her mother is not dead.
Also it might be and I am just throwing out devils advocate speculation that her bio mother is still alive but the woman who raised her previously is dead or "lost".

 

[kimlynn]

I like that idea too. I think it's the least disruptive thing and might work as a warning to get the kid to start paying attention.

We may have had a different outcome if that had been done. IMO

 

[Hope4More]

Reading back I really liked the idea of note giving which keeps it private between the teacher and student.

Have you been in a school classroom recently? After the teacher asked her to put the phone away and she said no, there was no possibility of it being private. Every kid around her heard that snd was waiting for what happened next, which was in fact a "note": a notice of discipline ahead.

 

[kimlynn]

Have you been in a school classroom recently? After the teacher asked her to put the phone away and she said no, there was no possibility of it being private. Every kid around her heard that snd was waiting for what happened next, which was in fact a "note": a notice of discipline ahead.

A poster had posted that she would have given the student a note versus calling her out verbally. This would have avoided anyone but the student and teacher being aware of an issue. IMO

 

[JeannaT]

I think the "note" thing would be appropriate if the student had BO, or was doing something that would embarrass the student if everyone had to hear it.

A quick "put your phone away" is something that a teacher should be able to say publicly, IMHO, rather than write a note quietly. Put your phone away, please sit down, you two stop talking, etc., are things a teacher just says and the kids comply.

 

[ladonna]

She could also be in foster care because her mother couldn't control her behavior.

 

[Elley Mae]

I think the "note" thing would be appropriate if the student had BO, or was doing something that would embarrass the student if everyone had to hear it.

A quick "put your phone away" is something that a teacher should be able to say publicly, IMHO, rather than write a note quietly. Put your phone away, please sit down, you two stop talking, etc., are things a teacher just says and the kids comply.

How about, leave your phone in your locker & there won't be a prob, seems cut & dry to me.

 

[Nova]

I have worked in a large number of places--farm, factory, retail, professional, and educational. I have never seen anyone fired in such a manner as was displayed in the video, even for the most egregious infractions. It is always handled in a much more dignified and much less disruptive fashion.
I don't think that what happened to that girl will prepare her for a career in any way, unless she goes into mixed martial arts cage fighting.
I will admit that I wrote my first post or two in this thread without watching the video. I am a teacher; I know what a disruptive student looks like. I decided I should watch it since I was pontificating so much and I actually gasped loudly and said "oh my God". And I'm alone. It was worse than I imagined.
I struggle to think of any circumstances under which the actions of that officer would be the appropriate response. She was clearly not posing a threat to herself or to anyone nearby. Even if she had a weapon, say a firearm, the manner in which he tossed her around would seem to endanger those around her. I think the students nearby were in much more danger of being clocked by a flying desk than from the defiant texter, for lack of a better term. And as others have pointed out, the whole incident was extremely disruptive. I doubt that anyone was able to focus on their Algebra right after. Probably it will continue to be a distraction for a long time. Trust in, and respect for, the teachers and officers in the school has been further eroded. Even if it had served a positive purpose, I think that what I saw was morally reprehensible, but I believe that it didn't even further the intended purpose of calming the classroom environment or instilling respect for authority. Lose-Lose IMO

Thanks again, kareylou. I am in absolute agreement with your wise posts and first-hand knowledge.

I think the entire situation could have been avoided if the teacher had merely said, "We'll deal with this issue after class." He would have maintained his authority, but defused the situation by postponing the matter (even if she continued to read her texts).

My point above was only directed at the issue of whether texting in class is a benign activity, which it is not--as you explained more eloquently than I.

 

[Elley Mae]

She could also be in foster care because her mother couldn't control her behavior.

Seems Logical.

 

[popsicle]

In TX last year a 16 yr old 'protested' (as vestigare calls it) this exact same policy. The substitute teacher didn't call the principal or a RO though. The student shoved the 66 y/o teacher against the desks a couple times before shoving her to the ground. Video at link. http://www.click2houston.com/news/s...-floor-police-investigation-underway/26019818

 

[kimlynn]

I think the "note" thing would be appropriate if the student had BO, or was doing something that would embarrass the student if everyone had to hear it.

A quick "put your phone away" is something that a teacher should be able to say publicly, IMHO, rather than write a note quietly. Put your phone away, please sit down, you two stop talking, etc., are things a teacher just says and the kids comply.

I agree for the most part but we really don't know the manner in which the teacher spoke to the student. Maybe he had a bad day (it happens to us all) and he put her back up.
Keeping in mind that from the students perspective she wasn't doing anything wrong and only had her phone out for a minute. I have yet to see that disputed by anyone. The actual disruption seemed to be the back and forth about the phone.
This is where a note comes in handy.

 

[Nova]

Do they not realize it could have been them he attacked?

Or maybe for some reason they know they're the safe ones.

Hmmm.

<modsnip>

But even 20 years ago I was shocked to discover how conservative young people had become. Many--certainly not all--demonstrate a knee-jerk impulse to side with authority.

 

[bluesneakers]

I agree for the most part but we really don't know the manner in which the teacher spoke to the student. Maybe he had a bad day (it happens to us all) and he put her back up.
Keeping in mind that from the students perspective she wasn't doing anything wrong and only had her phone out for a minute. I have yet to see that disputed by anyone. The actual disruption seemed to be the back and forth about the phone.
This is where a note comes in handy.

And it's the back and forth that took away from teaching time, not the girl peeking at her cell phone. The teacher is responsible for interfering and depriving the other kids of their lesson for the day. He could have stopped it. The priority might have been teaching the other kids and doing his job, but instead his priority was to engage in a battle of wills with a teenager. (Never a good idea.) It really sounds to me like the teacher lost his cool and lost control of the situation. It went from no big deal to a major production due to his actions. But the teacher will face no repercussions, I'm sure, nor will the teacher be the victim of a brutal assault.

 

[Hope4More]

A poster had posted that she would have given the student a note versus calling her out verbally. This would have avoided anyone but the student and teacher being aware of an issue. IMO

I understand the point. I just don't agree with it. What seems to get missed here is that a classroom is a community, but not everyone is equal in it. The teacher is in charge and legally responsible for every kid in the classroom. The teacher also has professional obligations to teach and responsibilities to the school as an employee.

Students have the right to be taught in a safe environment, AND they have the responsibility to be abide by school rules. Public schools are allowed to enforce those rules, up to and including expulsion. Parents and kids sign the equivalent of contracts as to those basics and are provided the list of rules in the beginning of every school year.

The rules are not up for negotiation. Students don't have the right to violate them. Teachers are responsible for enforcing them.

There was nothing typical about that girl's defiance. Sorry, but absolutely nothing typical at all, and there was no reason for the teacher to tiptoe around it.

 

[kimlynn]

bbm Curious? what would the "note" say? Just have to say I find the whole note thing a little Wonky/Juvenile. WTF

Please put your phone away so we can study now.
or
I need to speak with you after class.
or
Please step outside the class for a moment.