GUILTY OH - Barb Williams for child abuse, Hancock County, 2014

[MyBelle]

In reality, teachers HAVE to put their hands on kindergartners. They have to. Our school tried telling teachers they couldn't touch the children and it was horrible. Children that age need to be hugged, and restrained. A teacher who can't grab the arm of a child and get right in their face and tell them they're in trouble is a teacher with fewer tools to deal with children who need more guidance. Some children (most children, actually, don't need that). But some children within the classroom will not behave if not physically forced to.

Again, I don't know. With my experience with our school district, there are some kindergartners who are simply not told at home they have to obey the teacher. Just from listening to the dad's comment, I suspect this is one of those cases. He's not been taught respect for rightful authority.

This has been going on since November with this child, disguised. It seems to me that the parents have been called repeatedly and the teacher still didn't get results. I really don't sense, at all, that this is a case of a compliant child and a crazy out of control teacher.

No adult is supposed to behave aggressively toward a child in a school. If the teacher needs help resolving a behavior problem child, she adheres to a disciplinary process. This woman clearly has other issues contributing to her aggression. Glad to see she got an attorney. I think she's going to be facing criminal charges.

JMO

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

In reality, teachers HAVE to put their hands on kindergartners. They have to. Our school tried telling teachers they couldn't touch the children and it was horrible. Children that age need to be hugged, and restrained. A teacher who can't grab the arm of a child and get right in their face and tell them they're in trouble is a teacher with fewer tools to deal with children who need more guidance. Some children (most children, actually, don't need that). But some children within the classroom will not behave if not physically forced to.

Again, I don't know. With my experience with our school district, there are some kindergartners who are simply not told at home they have to obey the teacher. Just from listening to the dad's comment, I suspect this is one of those cases. He's not been taught respect for rightful authority.

This has been going on since November with this child, disguised. It seems to me that the parents have been called repeatedly and the teacher still didn't get results. I really don't sense, at all, that this is a case of a compliant child and a crazy out of control teacher.

UM No.. They are not allowed to be aggressive to kids.. NOT EVER. My son's teacher hugs the kids. She told us we are aware of it and she is kind to them.
This was not restraining this was ATTACKING.

 

[JeannaT]

No adult is supposed to behave aggressively toward a child in a school. If the teacher needs help resolving a behavior problem child, she adheres to a disciplinary process. This woman clearly has other issues contributing to her aggression. Glad to see she got an attorney. I think she's going to be facing criminal charges.

JMO

What charges would you have teachers in school districts that are okay with corporal punishment face? That's an honest question.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Hey, I'm as annoyed as anybody with policies that say a teacher can't grab a kid who's running out of the classroom, hug a crying kid, hold on to a kid's hand to get them to go somewhere without wandering away... that's appropriate, that's fine. We're not talking about simply touching a child here; this is an outright attack. If his head had hit that wall hard enough, he could've gotten a concussion.

This is a kindergartener. Kids mature at different rates. Many of them at that age just don't have the kind of discipline and forethought you expect from older kids, and some kids are just more energetic and impulsive than others. You would expect some misbehavior from kindergarteners no matter how good their parents were. If the teacher can't deal with kid mischief without pushing a kid up against a wall and grabbing his face, she shouldn't be a teacher.

The only person whose misbehavior has been proven is the teacher. The child wasn't shown doing anything wrong at all. Seems a bit odd to assume she must be the one in the right just because she has authority. Part of being a teacher is knowing how to control yourself when you get annoyed with the children. If she doesn't have that very basic skill, she oughtn't to be one.

 

[JeannaT]

I would agree the video doesn't show appropriate behavior in a teacher.

I don't think it rises to the level of criminal assault. It's good his head didn't hit the wall, but she wasn't punching or kicking him. She was grabbing him up by the shirt collar.

I've seen teachers driven to tears - and quitting teaching - because they have a child in their class who can't be controlled and they have no tools to control the child that are allowed by the district.

I'm also looking at the reaction from the public who knows her - they seem to be on her side largely. This isn't like a nutcase of a teacher that everyone wishes would just get fired.

We've all CERTAINLY see parents do much worse than this in public, who knows what they do in private.

 

[MyBelle]

What charges would you have teachers in school districts that are okay with corporal punishment face? That's an honest question.

Charges for child abuse or child endangerment. It's been against the law in my entire state for at least 25 years. The teacher would not only be fired but also prosecuted.

There was nothing reasonable in the teacher's actions. The boy was small, alone, not endangering himself or another student. If an adult is incapable of managing a 6-year-old without aggression, they don't belong in the profession or in any position of authority over small children.

JMO

 

[blue22]

I would agree the video doesn't show appropriate behavior in a teacher.

I don't think it rises to the level of criminal assault. It's good his head didn't hit the wall, but she wasn't punching or kicking him. She was grabbing him up by the shirt collar.

I've seen teachers driven to tears - and quitting teaching - because they have a child in their class who can't be controlled and they have no tools to control the child that are allowed by the district.

I'm also looking at the reaction from the public who knows her - they seem to be on her side largely. This isn't like a nutcase of a teacher that everyone wishes would just get fired.

We've all CERTAINLY see parents do much worse than this in public, who knows what they do in private.

And who knows what SHE does in private.

Physical abuse or assault should not be a tool, for a teacher. If you're driven to tears or angry, you get someone in that class while you speak with a superior. Or, you have the child see a superior. If a parent did this in the hallway, would you consider it abuse?

 

[Cailin Rua]

This is a kindergartner. If you click through the disciplinary letter it says she told him she would "rip him apart."

If someone grabbed you up by your shirt collar, I think you'd press charges, whether or not your head (by sheer luck) didn't "hit the wall." Try doing that to yourself right now and see how it feels to have that pressure so close to your airway.

Some of this "yeah butting" is really disturbing.

 

[JeannaT]

I didn't see the disciplinary letter. Did it further flesh out the incident, beyond what we see on the tape?

Thanks -

edited to add:

This article implies this came to light when school officials happened to notice this on video footage. is it true that Ian didn't mention this to his parents after the incident?

http://thecourier.com/local-news/2014/05/15/video-causes-teachers-suspension/

 

[blue22]

I didn't see the disciplinary letter. Did it further flesh out the incident, beyond what we see on the tape?

Thanks -

edited to add:

This article implies this came to light when school officials happened to notice this on video footage. is it true that Ian didn't mention this to his parents after the incident?

http://thecourier.com/local-news/2014/05/15/video-causes-teachers-suspension/

It would not surprise me, if he did not say anything. How many kids stay silent, because of bullying? Now, imagine it's your teacher. He was probably too scared. She is in a position of authority and he is vulnerable.

I had a teacher who was horribly mean to me in first grade. Never said a peep. In my young mind, I thought I was going back to her class the next day. I was too fearful of having to return and her being even more cruel.

 

[chaotic_idealism]

Even if he weren't too scared, he might know better than to "tattle". Nobody'd believe him. It's a teacher's word against his. And then he has to face her again the next day.

Without that video, all she has to do is say, "He's trying to get attention; he's just mad because I had to put him in time out," and nobody (except possibly for his parents) will listen to the kid anymore. Kids have no credibility--without obvious physical injury or videos like this one, they just don't get believed. When it's a teacher, it's usually the parents who notice the child is getting depressed, scared of school, throwing up when it's time to get on the bus, and realize something's wrong; and then they have to fight for their child, try to get someone to believe them as the school district closes ranks to protect their reputation.

Most teachers are decent people and some are absolutely wonderful. It's still scary that the occasional bad ones can cause so much pain, and get away with it for so long.

 

[mikeysmommom]

I would go to the prosecutor office and demand to press charges against her for assault and bullying. Then I would hire a lawyer and go after the principal and the school system for not terminating her. If they won't do right by the child and terminate her I would sue them because they do not have the right to abuse a child nor bully them. This woman should NOT be teaching children at all.

 

[mikeysmommom]

I would go to the prosecutor office and demand to press charges against her for assault and bullying. Then I would hire a lawyer and go after the principal and the school system for not terminating her. If they won't do right by the child and terminate her I would sue them because they do not have the right to abuse a child nor bully them. This woman should NOT be teaching children at all.Schools are suppose to have a zero tolerance for bullying, but it seems they are fine as long a teacher is the bully.

 

[MyBelle]

Even if he weren't too scared, he might know better than to "tattle". Nobody'd believe him. It's a teacher's word against his. And then he has to face her again the next day.

Without that video, all she has to do is say, "He's trying to get attention; he's just mad because I had to put him in time out," and nobody (except possibly for his parents) will listen to the kid anymore. Kids have no credibility--without obvious physical injury or videos like this one, they just don't get believed. When it's a teacher, it's usually the parents who notice the child is getting depressed, scared of school, throwing up when it's time to get on the bus, and realize something's wrong; and then they have to fight for their child, try to get someone to believe them as the school district closes ranks to protect their reputation.

Most teachers are decent people and some are absolutely wonderful. It's still scary that the occasional bad ones can cause so much pain, and get away with it for so long.

With all due respect, his parents do believe him. The video exists. The teacher is clearly in the wrong.

 

[killarney rose]

I believe this kid is one of the many who is disruptive in class and a disciplinary problem. I believe his parents believe everything he says about how he does nothing wrong and it is all the mean teachers fault. I believe the parents think their little angel can do no wrong and is a joy for others to have around.
I believe this poor woman was at the end of her rope with this child and lost it.

I also believe that because she lost it, she no longer needs to be teaching. Kids today are not the same as they used to be. Teachers have a terrible job due to this. When I was in my 30s I went back to school for my teaching degree. By the time I got to my senior year and got into the classroom I knew that I had made a terrible mistake. The kids behaved awfully. There was no way to discipline effectively and I knew it wouldn't be long before I was either fired or in jail because I would snap just as this teacher apparently did. I finished school and got my degree, then wisely got a job in another field.

I am sorry for this woman as she has had her life and career ruined because of one child whose family probably thinks the world revolves around him and he can do no wrong.

I could be wrong. I will admit that. But I've seen enough to know that I'm probably right.

 

[Cailin Rua]

For a supposed "victim friendly" site, it's very strange to see that video of a six year old being attacked by a large adult and make up a narrative about the poor teacher whose "life is ruined" and how this kindergartner was obviously a bad seed who "thinks he can do no wrong."

In that case, poor Casey Anthony, poor Darlie Routier, poor Angela Steinfurth, poor Elisa Baker--I'm sure they were just fed up with those little bad seeds who thought " the world revolved around them" Now their lives are ruined.

The disciplinary letter is in one of the slide shows on the myfoxphilly article.

 

[Cailin Rua]

And I've "seen enough" to know that some adults just have terrible tempers and poor impulse control.

 

[LaLaw2000]

I saw the video on the news yesterday and was just so very angry. I do not have children in school anymore, but if I did, I would not sleep until I did everything I could to have charges pressed against this so-called teacher.

I do have grandchildren in school and I do have an opinion. It literally takes an act of Congress to have a teacher fired these days because they are in a union. I hate unions; always have. The teachers' union will defend this unfit teacher (unfit human being) to it's dying breath, and the bad teachers know this. They can bully, assault, and mistreat all they want and nothing will happen to them.

There are many great and wonderful teachers out there who would never dream of attacking a child the way this one did. There are teachers out there who inspire a child to learn, and there are those who want to bully or try to scare the children into learning. I admire and respect the good teachers. The bad ones need to be weeded out. As in any grouping of people, there are just going to be some bad ones.

Teachers need to be tested for qualifications. Not enough testing is done, IMO.

That video clearly shows assault. Anyone can see that. All that happens where the school system is concerned is that this teacher is suspended for 10 days. Well, big f'ing deal!!! She was probably happy she didn't have to attend school or work for 10 days. She won't be fired because of the union she most likely belongs to. I'm glad the parents have a lawyer and I hope they will sue.

Anymore, total strangers have to get involved in something like this in order for attention to be brought to it. Thank goodness for video! Other parents in that school district should get involved in this and demand the right thing be done.

I hope updates will be posted concerning this assault. I am just mad as hell and had to comment even though my comments are just my opinion and doesn't solve anything.

*sorry for the long post!

 

[LaLaw2000]

I believe this kid is one of the many who is disruptive in class and a disciplinary problem. I believe his parents believe everything he says about how he does nothing wrong and it is all the mean teachers fault. I believe the parents think their little angel can do no wrong and is a joy for others to have around.
I believe this poor woman was at the end of her rope with this child and lost it.

I also believe that because she lost it, she no longer needs to be teaching. Kids today are not the same as they used to be. Teachers have a terrible job due to this. When I was in my 30s I went back to school for my teaching degree. By the time I got to my senior year and got into the classroom I knew that I had made a terrible mistake. The kids behaved awfully. There was no way to discipline effectively and I knew it wouldn't be long before I was either fired or in jail because I would snap just as this teacher apparently did. I finished school and got my degree, then wisely got a job in another field.

I am sorry for this woman as she has had her life and career ruined because of one child whose family probably thinks the world revolves around him and he can do no wrong.

I could be wrong. I will admit that. But I've seen enough to know that I'm probably right.

BBM:

I don't care if this child is disruptive or not. I don't care if he even threw a spit ball at the teacher and hit her in the face. She is still the adult here and is a huge person on top of that. This is a tiny little boy and she did assault him.

Just IMO, this woman might have been at the end of her rope as you say and it might not have even had anything to do with this child. Big sigh! There are probably many others out there advocating for this huge adult, and I am sorry to even know that. SHE ruined her career, not the little guy.

And yes, she does need to find another career. Preferably one that has all adults in it and no children she can assault and bully!

MOO!!

 

[killarney rose]

I never condoned what she did. I also said she does not need to be teaching.

Unless you have been in the schools and personally seen the behavior problems kids have these days, and how teachers cant discipline them, no one needs to judge a teacher without knowing the facts of a situation. It is out of control. I personally know many teachers who are retiring with the minimal amount of time they have in because they just can't deal with it anymore.

I knew better than to post on this thread...but it was before I had coffee this morning and I wasnt quite awake yet. I stand firm on what I posted and believe. But I'm not going to argue my point. It is what it is.