Have You Heard This Story? (Teachers Verbally Abusing Teen.)

I watched this on the Today show the other day. SO heartbreaking and cruel. I was so mad I couldn't watch the entire thing. Diane, I don't think you are talking about the same thing. This girl has special needs and two female teachers were basically verbally abusing her day after day, the things they said to her I can't even think about....that poor child.

I read an article about it yesterday. She was a Special Ed student, I believe she had Downs Syndrome? I can't remember exactly. I know that the parents complained and the higher ups at the school told them that their daughter was a liar. This had been going on for years. I am happy that they were able to finally be heard but, it is absolutely devistating that it took them to wire their child in order to prove that this was happening.
I can't imagine what this has done to their daughter. Most parents, especially parents of special needs children try to give praise and boost their confidence so they feel good about themselves and the things they accomplish. It's hard to imagine how this girl now feels about her intellegence level and as a person. The aide or teacher I read told her at one point they weren't going to grade one of her papers because she failed and she was stupid! WTH!!!
I don't feel like the outcome for those involved were severe enough. They abused this girl verbally for quite sometime.
My heart aches for the parents! They tried to go about things through the chain of command, the proper channels. Unfortunately, the right way didn't work for them.
I am happy that they had the courage to take it further and make the sorry educator and aide accountable for their actions. They have no business dealing or teaching any child!
I wish the best for them and their child from this point on and I hope that they never have to endure anything like this ever again!

Wow...... so sad.......

I really don't know what to say other than that.

I saw the report on the Today show; not sure if the MSNBC report is the same one, but the Today report said one of the teachers had already been asked to resign and did so, but the other hadn't been fired -- but once the family went public with their recordings, the second teacher was placed on "unpaid admiinistrative leave for the rest of the school year." One hopes she won't be back next fall. I didn't hear any mention of their teaching licenses, but rest assured, after this publicity neither of them will work as teachers again, at least not in Ohio, I would bet. I hope any other state looks them up online because this story will be unmissable. I know teachers are overworked and horribly under pressure to "produce" good results, but this went on with this one child and these two teachers for THREE YEARS, with the family being told by school officials they had to stop asking about their daughter's claims of being bullied because they --the family-- were bordering on slandering the teachers. In other words - "Shut up and go away, parents of this special needs kid who surely is lying." Turns out she wasn't.

This just makes me SICK! I actually had a similar situation with my oldest son in 3rd grade (he is in 6th now). The teacher singled him out, picked on him, told him he was stupid, etc. I still get choked up when I think about it. His friends were telling me about it. His teacher told me it was my problem and she was doing nothing wrong. The principal told us to suck it up. Just disgusting! The teacher is still there, I never thought to hook him up with a tape recorder, I wish I would have. Needless to say, I pulled him from public school all together and never looked back.

To this day, I am surprised I did not show up at her home and take her down. I still feel such anger and my son still suffers with confidence issues he didn't have before. Looking back, I remember thinking this couldn't be real, this is a teacher, she couldn't be truly abusive, could she? By the time I truly figured out that she was as evil and unfit for children as she was I was stuck in a position where the damage was done. I still have MASSIVE guilt for thinking a teacher could never do this. Argh!!!!

I did finally stick up to her big time, which I am proud of. Told her everything she had done that year, everything that was holding my son back academically and confidence-wise. I got in her face and told her to LEAVE MY SON ALONE for the rest of the year, and if I heard even a slight nastiness to my son I would take my evidence and witnesses and file charges against her.

Ultimately, the rest of the year was perfect, even my son said she was so nice to him. I am proud of these parents for not laying down, it is hard to believe people like this chose to be with children and we trust them.

I started to write, then cancelled. It hit me right in the gut. I work in a similar environment and we are so positive and work so hard with our children to make them feel successful and up that I cannot fathom who could be like this. It frankly disgusted me. Those comments were so seriously out of line I almost wanted to cry.

Diane: did you actually click the link or look at the article below the video if the video wouldn't play for you? It was a girl, and 2 female teachers. No clue what you're talking about, but this girl didn't do anything wrong. The stuff that was said to her, I seriously about lost my mind. To tell a child noone wants to be friends with her? At that tender age? To tell her she needs to do something about her belly fat and ASSUME they know what they're doing at home? BOTH teachers were chiming in on what she needs to tell her parents and do at home. That's none of their damn business! To call her stupid, accuse her of being a liar (because she said she didn't know something? lots of children may freeze up or panic especially if not in a nurturing, positive environment and it takes a minute for things to connect and them to realize the answer---my son does not have "special" needs, he's very outgoing, confident, and bright, but he sometimes does that too. he's not LYING, he just needs encouragement!) And running: yes, I can see how that could be a re-focusing tool if in the right hands. If not in the right hands (which we heard from this audio that these women are NOT right), that could be a really mean punishment. That's seriously messed up. I do not know what I would do as a parent----I seriously pray that I never have to be in that situation!!! But I know that no child of mine would be in that woman's class after this news. She'd better not be a teacher next year.

I tried to watch the video yesterday and it wouldn't open. While trying to deal with that, I scrolled down to look at some of the comments about the article. I always find those somewhat interesting and usually am incredulous as to what some people will say.

What I'd like to point out is that MANY kids who attend the school and know the 'victim', wrote comments stating how this kid is a huge trouble maker and that he had been taunting the teacher for 10-15 minutes prior to his outburst. They say that he is always causing trouble in class.

The deal is this. While it was VERY unprofessional for the teacher to lose his cool as he did, there are always 2 sides to any story and the actual truth lies somewhere in between. It sounds like the kid is a constant problem. Just as in the Penn State case, we have to let the process play out and hope that cooler heads prevail, get to the truth and don't do the wrong thing just to save face.

Just my 2 cents. Be well...D.

I think that it's amazing how bad teachers have been allowed to do as they please for years and years. My brother was physically and verbally abused by a teacher and also by a wrestling coach. Even after getting BONES broken, those teachers were not even reprimanded.

I remember my kindergarten teacher screaming at a girl who was in the bathroom because the little girl had a tummy ache and was afraid to get off the toilet. She was screaming "Wipe your butt, you little brat, or everyone will have to stay overnight at the school in the dark!"

To me, those situations are terrible, but the video you mentioned is so gut wrenching.

I am so thankful for the AWESOME teachers that I know. Hopefully our school systems will start cracking down on the out of control teachers.

The Teachers aide is getting her license revoked and the teacher is having hers suspended for a year.

I would fire the teachers.

Wow. I couldn't hear the interview, but read the transcript. WOW. These 'teachers' give 'teachers' a bad name. AWFUL. Yes they should lose their teaching certificates, not just get it suspended for a year. I would NEVER want my child in a classroom with them, even a year later. These ladies are just in the wrong profession. It takes a special heart to be a good teacher. They don't have it.

And to comment on one post about bad teacher stories lately -- I think a lot of the 'good' teachers are finding jobs elsewhere. Yes we love teaching, but do not like the paperwork, the late evenings every evening, the fundraisers, the meetings. We love teaching! We love kids! MORE of our time is spent preparing, going to annoying and often pointless meetings, doing paperwork, etc. Not what we love to do. If I went back to teaching, I'd want to be a paraprofessional (making less money) but being able to leave at 3 and go take care of my family. Not having to do all that other crud, but just help teach and mentor children. I loved teaching when I taught, but it was a lot of work. And now that I have a husband and son to consider and take care of, I can't imagine myself enjoying teaching and enjoying being a mom and wife all at the same time. It's just a lot of work, a lot of stress, and I think a lot of the good teachers are choosing to stay home, therefore leaving that teaching position open to mediocre teachers.