WV - Teacher swipes mic from autistic boy set to perform in Thanksgiving play

[katydid23]

the superintendent pretty much admits that the woman took the microphone to keep him from using it, he said there was some concern about what he might say.

So let's say that she had allowed him to speak---and he had said similar things as he had said in rehearsals. Maybe he cussed or said rude things for the shock value....would people be angry at her for allowing him that chance and thus embarrassing him?

Would it have been better for her to allow him to scream or curse, if she knew he might do that?

 

[drjones]

I think it is unfair to the teacher to jump to the conclusion she is a bully and wanted to be mean. After working in the public schools for many years, I know that a hot mic is something teachers keep an eye on. It makes total sense she would go and grab it at the very end of the play. They are expensive and easily broken. And you never know what kids will say into a hot mic. I don't think that means she is a mean bully at all. She was just doing her job.

It seems as though there was no planned comments by the boy. If it was not in rehearsal, how would she know he had his heart set out speaking after the play was over? People are asking for her to be fired? I don't get that at all.

good points, i havent passed any judgment on her for doing so, but just establishing that i think its clear she did take it away quickly to keep him from using it, we dont know yet whether or not she knew he was going to say anything else.

 

[drjones]

So let's say that she had allowed him to speak---and he had said similar things as he had said in rehearsals. Maybe he cussed or said rude things for the shock value....would people be angry at her for allowing him that chance and thus embarrassing him?

Would it have been better for her to allow him to scream or curse, if she knew he might do that?

i have no idea why she did it, if she did it for the reason you give that would be a good explanation. i simply replied to someone claiming they didnt think she did it on purpose and that she didnt know he was trying to say something..

 

[JeannaT]

Okay. So after further review, it appears in a longer version of the video he had already done his "gobble gobble" line, and exited the stage, then got back up there intent on doing it again.

She could have been less rude about her attitude in removing the mic, but you can't just let the whole thing go off-script. You'd be there till midnight if every kid got to do whatever they wanted.

 

[kaen]

I believe if she thought him to be unpredictable taking the microphone was probably the better of limited choices. That said, it is not just one action that she could have done. She wasn't limited to just taking the microphone. She could have taken the microphone AND helped the child/acknowledged the child/guided the child to his parents/stayed by his side and silently attended him/ acknowledged the child and gently speaking to him. She chose to walk away and ignore him.

I have children with IEPs that call for planned ignoring but those plans are made with children and parents (as young as 5) and have specific instances where they can and cannot be used. Doesn't seem like mom and dad felt this was a part of a FBA/BIP strategy. If it is not, the teacher should have some explaining to do. Did she do what was in his IEP?

 

[kaen]

Okay. So after further review, it appears from a longer version of the video he had already done his "gobble gobble" line, and exited the stage, then got back up there intent on doing it again.

She could have been less rude about her attitude in removing the mic, but you can't just let the whole thing go off-script. You'd be there till midnight if every kid got to do whatever they wanted.

I agree.

 

[gitana1]

Is it possible she didn't see him, and didn't realize he still had to speak? The video included in this thread has audio and video out of synch.

One child says, "Happy Thanksgiving", the next says "Thank you for coming". Is it possible the teacher believed that was the end of the program? It sure sounded like the end to me.

It's a little hard to believe a teacher would be purposely so cruel in a cafeteria full of parents -

[video=youtube;T8b_JxXqCw0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8b_JxXqCw0[/video]

I know what you mean but she clearly saw him coming up to the mic and the way she snatched it I think she knew what she was doing. I hear someone say, "why did she do that?" They knew what was up.

 

[katydid23]

I believe if she thought him to be unpredictable taking the microphone was probably the better of limited choices. That said, it is not just one action that she could have done. She wasn't limited to just taking the microphone. She could have taken the microphone AND helped the child/acknowledged the child/guided the child to his parents/stayed by his side and silently attended him/ acknowledged the child and gently speaking to him. She chose to walk away and ignore him.

I have children with IEPs that call for planned ignoring but those plans are made with children and parents (as young as 5) and have specific instances where they can and cannot be used. Doesn't seem like mom and dad felt this was a part of a FBA/BIP strategy. If it is not, the teacher should have some explaining to do. Did she do what was in his IEP?

I was a teachers aide in a special ed class. I was taught to 'ignore' those kinds of behaviors as a way to show they will not get attention. If she had stayed and given him gentle voice and walked with him, that would be giving him positive feedback, I think? If he got back in line, then he really should not have been given a chance to speak again, especially if she was not certain what he was going to say. jmo

 

[katydid23]

I know what you mean but she clearly saw him coming up to the mic and the way she snatched it I think she knew what she was doing. I hear someone say, "why did she do that?" They knew what was up.

Maybe they did know what was up. Maybe it was better to cut him off because it might have been better than what he might say? Only say that because of my experience as a teachers aide.

 

[gitana1]

the superintendent pretty much admits that the woman took the microphone to keep him from using it, he said there was some concern about what he might say.

So let's say that she had allowed him to speak---and he had said similar things as he had said in rehearsals. Maybe he cussed or said rude things for the shock value....would people be angry at her for allowing him that chance and thus embarrassing him?

Would it have been better for her to allow him to scream or curse, if she knew he might do that?

If you have a kid who has an issue and there is concern about what he might say and his behavior, then you enlist a staff member or parent to assist the child so he can participate but also be escorted where he needs to go or to be whispered to - 'Good job. You did your part. Now it's time to sit down."

No one was helping that poor child. he just stood there, desolate. I saw anger in her actions. She had a smirk and a defiance. She purposefully ignored him. I know teachers are often stressed by a lack of help and having too many students and not enough help with mainstreamed kids. But to react with anger during a performance like that is just wrong. She needed a back up plan. It wouldn't have hurt to say, "John, thank you so much. Your part is through, can you help me with lining up now?"

These are our most vulnerable children and need to be treated with a lot of compassion. She's a witch, IMO.

 

[gitana1]

Maybe they did know what was up. Maybe it was better to cut him off because it might have been better than what he might say? Only say that because of my experience as a teachers aide.

No. That's not how to handle that situation. She had a smirk and a nasty attitude. She enjoyed snatching that mic from the kid. He's special needs and requires compassion and patience and a back up plan. Not nastiness.

 

[bluesneakers]

I was a teachers aide in a special ed class. I was taught to 'ignore' those kinds of behaviors as a way to show they will not get attention. If she had stayed and given him gentle voice and walked with him, that would be giving him positive feedback, I think? If he got back in line, then he really should not have been given a chance to speak again, especially if she was not certain what he was going to say. jmo

You were taught to ignore students with disabilities? That's insensitive, not helping them, and is probably doesn't conform with Americans With Disabilities Act.

What this teacher did was rude and also insensitive. Oh, she was worried what he might say into the mic but she was fine with letting him stand there, confused and in tears. BS.

 

[CCmakes3]

Ummm, nvm.

 

[kaen]

I was a teachers aide in a special ed class. I was taught to 'ignore' those kinds of behaviors as a way to show they will not get attention. If she had stayed and given him gentle voice and walked with him, that would be giving him positive feedback, I think? If he got back in line, then he really should not have been given a chance to speak again, especially if she was not certain what he was going to say. jmo

I agree about planned ignoring but those plans have perimeters. I am not even sure if he has planned ignoring as part of a behavior plan. That said, the situation was novel and required forethought. If, as it has been said, that he had acted up in rehearsal, where was her plan? 'Cause if that is all she had, well, she has a training problem. She reacted and is getting well-deserved heat (IMHO) for being rude and appearing cruel to him.

 

[bluesneakers]

I don't think she needs to be fired. I think she needs a few weeks off to go learn about teaching students with disabilities. Maybe it's good she did this in front of an audience and was filmed - perhaps this is how she teaches all the time and without anyone knowing she would have kept her attitude and harsh treatment when dealing with students.

 

[gitana1]

You were taught to ignore students with disabilities? That's insensitive, not helping them, and is probably doesn't conform with Americans With Disabilities Act.

What this teacher did was rude and also insensitive. Oh, she was worried what he might say into the mic but she was fine with letting him stand there, confused and in tears. BS.

Agreed. There might be certain behaviors in the classroom that are ignored. But this was uncalled for. I saw her face and the way she snatched the mic and then ignored the kid. She was malicious. So many other ways to handle an unpredictable special needs child who is trying to perform with everyone else. We need understanding in this world. Every parent and child there should have been taught and know that this little boy deserves patience and understanding. If we can't offer that to the most vulnerable and innocent in our world, then we're sunk.

 

[CoolJ]

For all we know this lady might be the most compassionate teacher in America. How in the world do we make judgements on a person after a 5 sec video clip? Does anybody know the context whatsoever?

 

[kaen]

You were taught to ignore students with disabilities? That's insensitive, not helping them, and is probably doesn't conform with Americans With Disabilities Act.

What this teacher did was rude and also insensitive. Oh, she was worried what he might say into the mic but she was fine with letting him stand there, confused and in tears. BS.

In all fairness, there are behavioral strategies where you do "planned ignoring" of a child's inappropriate behavior while paying attention and giving lost of positive feedback for behaviors you want them to do. You are not ignoring the child but rather ignoring the behavior. It is an effective strategy for children with attention seeking behaviors. However, a novel situation like this would not be the environment to do this. If she was planned ignoring the situation, then she blew it by not giving him feedback when he stopped crying. He and his parents would be fully informed of "ignoring" plan so he could contextualize it.

I have at least four children I work with who have a planned ignoring strategy in place.

I agree in not calling for her job. But, I would want her investigated because if she is so willing to do that in front of a room full of parents and guests, how does she handle him on a regular basis? Does she need training? Does she need suspension? I would want to know hw the year is going for this little guy and any other students in her class. Mom says something about how she treats him. I wonder.

I am always a little more patient and circumspect out in the real world while I am a little less patient and prone to raising my voice with my kids in the comfort of my home. I am worried she is more harsh in the classroom.

 

[gitana1]

I don't think she needs to be fired. I think she needs a few weeks off to go learn about teaching students with disabilities. Maybe it's good she did this in front of an audience and was filmed - perhaps this is how she teaches all the time and without anyone knowing she would have kept her attitude and harsh treatment when dealing with students.

Agreed again. No need to fire this woman. Especially as I am aware how hard it is to be a teacher these days and the stressors they deal with. But her frustrations cannot be taken out on a vulnerable child with special needs. If you can't be more creative than to snatch the mic, training is needed.

The problem is that with mainstreaming you have teachers without a lot of training in special education having to work with kids who require a lot of help. I will be the first to admit it would be beyond my abilities.

 

[gitana1]

For all we know this lady might be the most compassionate teacher in America. How in the world do we make judgements on a person after a 5 sec video clip? Does anybody know the context whatsoever?

Nope. Not 5 seconds. About 21. It shows her attitude, her smirk, the angry way she snatched it, how she ignored the kid afterward as he cried and tried to get her attention. She may be great at all other times but somehow I doubt it. If she can have that attitude in public, I can only imagine what she's like in her classroom when parents aren't around. She needs help.