Teacher fired after assigning violent math problems to third graders

[butwhatif?]

I don't think anyone has said the math problems were appropriate. But why fire the teacher over it when they could have reprimanded the teacher or retrained the teacher? It makes no sense. Your example of the "exploding butt" book doesn't seem any more appropriate than the math problems, and yet I don't see that anything was done to that teacher at all.

I didn't think DD's teacher should have been fired over the butt book, and I don't think this one should have either. Everyone should be given an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
But if a teacher is consistently making 'poor judgements', then the matter needs to be adressed by the admin or the dept, and they can decide if the teacher has gone too far, and should not be teaching.

Originally I did think this trinity teacher should be fired, because I believed she was blaming others at the school for it, and not taking responibility for what she did. But I don't think that is the case now.

And like I said previously, I was projecting because DD's teacher was never made to face any consequences for her continuous poor judgement, lies and law-breaking. She even fudged the semester reports to make it look like her students had done really well in her class.

Even though DD is at a new school with an amazing teacher, the damage from last year cannot be undone.

My poor judgement was in trying to work with the teacher,the principal and VP, instead of just going straight to the dept of education.

 

[Nova]

BBM- I find that pretty offensive, but I respect your opinion.

As parents it's our responsibility and choice to decide what is acceptable or unacceptable for our children. And I don't think that finding these math problems offensive makes us hysterical parents. It's just our opinion.

Ultimately, that is the issue. The questions are offensive to us. And if we find them offensive, then why would we want our kids exposed to it?

Okay, trying again:

#1. I was using "hysteria" in the vernacular sense to mean "overreaction." It was not my intention to offer a clinical diagnosis, nor am I qualified to do so.

#2. I wasn't referring to you.

#3. I wasn't referring to those who merely objected to the problems. That I understand. I was referring to several posts about how this teacher should be fired and barred from ever teaching again. I think THAT is an overreaction.

Teachers make mistakes, just as you and I do. Not every mistake merits termination, much less the loss of a teacher's license.

 

[Nova]

It's not a parent's choice if a teacher is fired or not.
It's the administration's.

As parents, all we can do is make sure the administration knows about things that we feel is not appropriate for our children.

It's our right.

That's all technically true and also disingenuous.

Parents calling for a teacher's termination are more likely to produce that result because the administrator is more likely to conclude nothing less will make the problem go away.

But you are certainly right that the final decision rests with the administrator (or school board or other authority, depending on appeals).

 

[Nova]

I think asking kids to draw pictures of "exploding butts" is inappropriate because it takes something our culture deems "private" and brings it into the public sphere. I imagine that would be confusing to some kids.

But I'm sorry to report that boys have been peeing on one another since time immemorial. We do it because we can, not because we read something in a book.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

That's all technically true and also disingenuous.

Parents calling for a teacher's termination are more likely to produce that result because the administrator is more likely to conclude nothing less will make the problem go away.

But you are certainly right that the final decision rests with the administrator (or school board or other authority, depending on appeals).

We haven't heard about any parents calling for a termination of this teacher though. That's my point.

We can't just assume it happened.

 

[Nova]

We haven't heard about any parents calling for a termination of this teacher though. That's my point.

We can't just assume it happened.

Occam's Razor. Which isn't absolute proof, of course, it's just a wise caution when looking for explanations.

The school board seems to have been the original source for the media and the principal. I don't see how the school board would have known about one third-grade class' assignment unless a parent complained. Other than teacher/student/parent, who else sees a kid's schoolwork?

Of course, a parent might have complained without overreacting and calling for the teacher's termination. That might have been the board's or the principal's overreaction. But if it was, I suspect it was the result of bitter experience with angry parents and the media. Again, look at some of the posts in this thread, both from parents and from teachers about their experience with parents.

I am thankful everyday that I only taught at the university level. I may have had to deal with university codes that ran to hundreds of pages, but I never had to talk to a parent unless I chose to do so. (Actually, I always made time for any parents who wanted to see me. But because they had no real power at that level, they were always very polite and constructive.)

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Parents are the most important people in a child's life. They are responsible for them.

You make us sound like a "bother" to schools. I would bet schools like when parents are involved.

At least I know parental involvement is encouraged (more like begged for) in our school system. Open door policy PreK-12th.
If you have a problem or concern, you talk to someone immediately.

Look at the kids that do the best. Most have very involved parents.

JMO

 

[butwhatif?]

I think asking kids to draw pictures of "exploding butts" is inappropriate because it takes something our culture deems "private" and brings it into the public sphere. I imagine that would be confusing to some kids.

But I'm sorry to report that boys have been peeing on one another since time immemorial. We do it because we can, not because we read something in a book.

LOL- One of the reasons I'm glad I don't have boys.

These 7 yr old kids weren't reading the butt book themselves- the teacher was actually reading it to them during 'crunch and sip' time. (A mid-morning snack of fruit or vegetables and water).
The bathroom behaviour was happening within half an hour of the book being read, at recess.
And despite the the principal and VP always covering for this teacher, they saw a direct correlation between the book and the new negative behaviour, because they finally got her to stop reading the book after that.

There was also lots of new butt, poo, fart, kill discussion and 'threats' going on in the classroom. ie: "I'm gonna sit on your head and kill you with a deadly fart".....all things that came from the book.

That was one of the things I predicted when I first voiced my concerns.
If the teacher is reading these things in the classroom, then they will think it's appropriate language to use in the classroom.
7 yr olds trust that the teacher knows what is right or wrong, so is it fair for them to get into trouble for it when it was learnt from the teacher?

Now, if it was read to the target age group of grade 5 or 6, rather than year 2, I don't think the same thing would have happened.

The teacher may have a degree, but I have common sense.


On the topic of parents overreacting or being hysterical, you have to understand that sometimes parents have reason to be hysterical.

I was viewed as a hysterical parent at that school....and by the end of the year I was hysterical. Any time there was an issue, I went to the teacher and when she blew me off I went to the principal and VP....and I was just blown off by them too. The stock standard reply was always "She's a very well respected teacher and you just need to have some faith in her". :banghead:

I was:
Pointing out errors in the printed worksheets she gave her students (she clearly wasn't checking them first).

Showing them the copius amounts of errors in marking the teacher had made. (they just stopped sending those worksheets home after that, so I wouldn't see how many errors she was making.)

Letting them know when DD told me that the teacher had pulled up the classes confidential files onto the interactive white board to show them which students were 'good' and which students were 'bad'.
Luckily this was able to be proved by her log-in records, but still they just told her that 'wasn't a good idea'. And even though they were happy to put some of my other complaints in writing, they refused to ever include this one....even when I pushed the issue.

Telling them that the teacher was picking on a boy in the class by deliberately feminizing his name, which I heard several times myself. (the teacher is actually due to appear in court this month over forging a document to say that this boys father had approved the use of him being on ADHD meds, when he was 100% against it)

Informing them she wasn't following the schools PBL initiative and doing things like getting a student to stand on one leg with his chair raised above his head instead.

Compaining all year long that this teacher wouldn't move DD's desk to face the IWB per the multiple recommendations, because the teacher was OCD and wanted the desks set out her way.

Pointing out that when the STLA teacher is in the room- she is in there to help struggling students. Not to chit-chat and for them to joke together saying things like "Thank God ______ isn't here today so we don't have to deal with him", loud enough for all the students to hear.

The teacher was:

-Telling my dyslexic DD that she is just being lazy.

-Lying about giving DD rest breaks throughout the day per the recommendations so that she could have time to re-focus.

- Breaking the rules by not giving DD extra time in class to complete her work. She kept her in at recess and lunch instead, punishing her for having a learning disorder.

- Not letting my DD borrow an age appropriate library book that she really wanted, just to be a control freak. (any good teacher would be giving her praise and encouraging her since at that stage she hated reading because of her dyslexia)

-resorting to scare tactics when she couldn't control her class by saying that the security alarm sensors in the room were cameras....which worked for one day before I told my DD to spread the word that it was a lie. :floorlaugh:

- refusing to let DD keep a 'working out' notebook on her desk, and lying about it.

- Refusing to let DD keep her anxiety tracker at her desk even though it was assigned by DD's Ed Psych. (probably because she didn't want the Ed psych to know how much anxiety this teacher created for DD)

On her final year report DD got a 'sound' (average, or on-par for her age) for every single subject.

When the principal became aware of the fact that we were changing schools, she called me in for yet another meeting, telling me that DD wouldn't get anywhere near as much help at the new school, because they didn't have any STLA teachers. Did she really think I'd fall for that?

The new school has established that not only does she have dyslexia, but she also has dyscalculia and is at a kindy level. They've put her into both a literacy and maths program to help her. She is seated facing the board. Her teacher tells her to not be so hard on herself, and to just do her best, because everyone learns differently and has different strengths. And she gives her praise for her efforts, instead of putting her down and making her feel dumb.

I'm not hysterical anymore. All I do is thank this teacher, over and over. She does look at me like I'm a bit of a nut for being so thankful for what she see's as the norm though. LOL.

 

[Nova]

Parents are the most important people in a child's life. They are responsible for them.

You make us sound like a "bother" to schools. I would bet schools like when parents are involved.

At least I know parental involvement is encouraged (more like begged for) in our school system. Open door policy PreK-12th.
If you have a problem or concern, you talk to someone immediately.

Look at the kids that do the best. Most have very involved parents.

JMO

Kimberly, I think SOME parents are a nuisance at school because I think one of the very important functions of school is learning to deal with people who are not members of your immediate family. Parents who feel they have to intervene at the drop of every hat interfere with that process.

I'm certainly not accusing either of you or butwhatif? of doing so, however.

And of course I think you should speak to the teacher if you feel s/he is giving age-inappropriate assignments. Frankly, butwhatif?, I'm kind of shocked that the exploding butt story was read to 7-year-olds. IIRC and though I'm not an expert on child development, kids that age tend to still be in their very literal phase in terms of language use.

If toilet habits must be addressed at that age, I think it wiser to do so in a calm and straightforward manner.

And good for you for staying involved until your DD got the right sort of instruction. No reasonable person is going to fault you for that.

 

[butwhatif?]

I've underlined the points I find interesting. Don't think I need to elaborate.

'Cannibal Math' Gets Teacher Fired, Website Shuts Down

Controversial Math

WUSA broke the story of the controversial math problems last week after outraged parents complained of a math worksheet sent home with their third-graders.

Website Defunct and Defended

The owner of the website providing the math questions, identified only as Kris, took down the website as a result of the controversy. What remains is his defense of the site, regrets that the teacher was fired, and feedback he received from people who liked his math worksheets.

Kris said he grew up in Singapore and moved to Canada. He described himself as a happily-married, well-adjusted, father of twins. He said the controversy over the math problems results from cultural misunderstanding.

"…Children would rather watch violent cartoons or play violent computer games than do a math worksheet… cartoons and computer games contain graphic violence (with blood too)," he said in explaining why he chose violent themes for his math problems.

Teachers in Singapore and Malaysia who previewed the problems for him thought they were funny, Kris noted.

According to Kris, "most parents and teachers" agree with him that the worksheets are a positive influence, drawing children toward math.

http://news.yahoo.com/cannibal-math-gets-teacher-fired-website-shuts-down-170300757.html

ETA:

Slave Math, Similar or Not?

In January, controversy erupted in Georgia when third grade teachers posed math problems involving slavery.

Kris stated that the teacher who created the slavery questions deserved to be fired, calling the questions racist. His own question about baking people of different nationalities in ovens, he said, did not exhibit racial bias. He said he is an Indian and was poking fun at himself