Get Schooled

By Jeff

May 11, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

With the few lines that I read in that apology (in the paper, I do not work at that school, or even in that area), she should be busted FAR more than she already has been. As I suspected all along, this girl has NO remorse and insists on blaming the teacher completely for this situation. And to make matters worse, the parent obviously isn’t disciplining her own daughter.

Don’t just send this kid back to her regular school. Expel her completely. Permanently. Never let her back into Gwinnett schools.

By teach overseas

May 11, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this

Once again we have parents in a good school system who want “high expectations” for student behavior and “zero tolerence” for disruptive students. Of course, they mean this for OTHER students. If a school system tries to discipline THIER child- clearly they are over-reacting.

Anyone who claims they sang this song or did whatever back when they were in school are sorely out of touch with the times. School today is NOTHING like “back when I was in school” and starting out an argument with this phrase negates whatever else you have to say.

Keep in mind that the school system is not allowed to discuss any specifics in regards to individual students. We are only getting one very biased account of this matter. This family can hurl accusations at the teacher, principal and school system all they want with the knowledge the school can say nothing in their own defense.

By OldSchool

May 11, 2006 03:24 PM | Link to this

I was inclined to think the punishment was a bit much until I read the first few lines of the paper she holds in her hands in the photo. To call that an apology is just wrong. It is typical of many of today’s youth who are evidently growing up in a society that does not expect them to take any responsibility for their actions.

It really doesn’t matter what punishment she gets or doesn’t get, I doubt she will ever feel the slightest remorse for any wrong or hurtful action. Likely it’s a lesson she’s picked up from her parents and will pass along to her children. The girl probably thinks she penned quite the little apology and should get extra points for its eloquence.

By jim d

May 11, 2006 03:35 PM | Link to this

I really feel that any child on an administrative transfer should be held to the highest standards. If they screw up—send them packing. But I also feel that the expulsion may have been a bit much.

When a student has an administrative transfer they are attending the school of choice at the discretion of—guess who! Right you are, the administration. So if the brass says she must go they really shouldn’t even need a reason. Kids need to be taught this and if this helps others learn—-GOOD.

Jeff, grab a pack of crakers and chill.

By Jeff

May 11, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this

Jim,

As teachers, we CAN NOT tolerate a threat by a student against a teacher, no matter how “innocent” it may seem. Why, pray tell? Simple illustration: 3,000 of them, vast majority of which are physically capable of putting up a decent fight. 130 of us, and that includes age ranges from 22 - 72 and all levels of physical fitness. That’s 23 : 1 odds!!! Throw out those in poor physical condition for fighting, and you probably have closer to 50 - 70 ready to take on a student, should it come to that. That pushes the odds closer to 43: 1 on the high end and 60:1 on the low end. Now, I’m a DANG good fighter - part of my sordid past - and even I couldn’t handle those kind of odds. Heck, I doubt Paul Levesque, Paul Wight, or Dave Bautista (WWE’s Triple H, Big Show, and Batista) could handle those odds!

Sound like a prison? I WISH we were that secure! At least there the guards know that any weapons had to be smuggled past tight security or hand made. A kid could bring a Desert Eagle in my school and nobody would know unless he happened to show it to someone!

Therefore, our ONLY recourse is to bust students SEVERELY for threatening a teacher in ANY WAY.

By V for Vendetta

May 11, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this

This girl is an idiot plain and simple. Unfortunately she is also a perfect example of the kind of crap we have to put up with on a daily basis because people are too spineless to expel problem students from the school system. EDUCATION IS NOT A RIGHT!

By Amazed (Independent Woman)

May 11, 2006 04:28 PM | Link to this

EDUCATION IS A RIGHT!!! I’M A TAXPAYER WHO DEMANDS THAT ALL CHILDREN IN THIS COUNTRY BECOME EDUCATED. IF YOU WANT, WE CAN GET LINDA….. SHE COULD WORK FOR FREE. I THINK SHE OWES US THAT MUCH.

I think she should have been sent back to her old high school. I think the punishment was fair. I don’t believe she was going to shoot the teacher, but saying dumb things should not be ignored.

I was more disappointed with the mother, than the child. If she had been smart, she would have saved her child from embarrassment. Now, she has to go back to a school, where everyone will know, just how stupid she can be. She’s now the girl, who threaten to shoot a teacher and got kicked out of her school.

By C.R.H.

May 11, 2006 04:58 PM | Link to this

Education is not a right, students have a right to the opportunity to get an eduction. This snot-nosed smart mouthed student is not being denied her “rights”, she must go back to where she should have been in the 1st place. Also, a student’s “rights” end where the other student’s rights to that same opportunity AND the teachers right to be able to perform their job without intimidation or interference. If anyone has a problem with that, then that is exactly what it is…YOUR PROBLEM!

By SET

May 11, 2006 05:00 PM | Link to this

The school is dealing well with this girl. She will learn a lesson about what happens when you pick a fight you can’t win because you are bored and have a big mouth.

It would have been fun to see the Catholic Nuns deal with her if she’d been in school when I went. As we got older in that school system the entertainment was farther and farther in between. My classmates and I learned better than this by 3rd grade.

She only deserves laughter.

This lesson might help her keep employed one day.

By Leia

May 12, 2006 08:06 AM | Link to this

I am so glad that this little brat is suffering consequences for her actions. Too often, this type of thing is swept under the rug because the administration is afraid of negative publicity.

Not once did I see either this girl or her air-head mother show any type of remorse. Besides saying “like” about 40 times during her one minute interview, she smirked at the camera as if she were telling a joke!

I know many people think that the teacher overreacted, but, how are we supposed to gauge what is a joke and what is not, in the mind of a teenager? Especially one who has been rude and disrespectful in the past.

I’m glad they booted her butt out of Peachtree Ridge and I’m sorry that North Gwinnett has to pick this trash up next year.

By V for Vendetta

May 12, 2006 08:14 AM | Link to this

No AMAZED, education is NOT a right. It is that attitude that causes many of the discipline problems in schools today.

If your child cant handle the responsibility of education, especially by high school, then that’s too bad for him. It is a parent’s responsibility to convey to their child a sense of necessity when it comes to education. As a child goes through school, he must WANT to learn. No one can make you do anything you do not want to do, that is proven to me time and time again when I see these apathetic kids. I don’t mind apathy, but I DO mind apathy linked with bad behavior.

I had MULTIPLE kids in my classes this entire year who had anywhere from ten to TWENTY trips to the discipline office. Over half those trips usually resulted in some type of suspension. Guess what? They are all STILL HERE. Why should the good kids in my class be subjected to this type of behavior? No Amazed, education is not a right. It something that kids need to be taught to respect and cherish.

By Lee

May 12, 2006 08:24 AM | Link to this

In the past, I have been as critical as anyone concerning administration. But in this case, I can find no fault in how the administration handled this situation.

According to the story, which is sketchy at best, the student and teacher had been at odds since December, when the parents tried to get her moved out of this teachers class. The story doesn’t say why. The girl made a thinly veiled attempt to threaten the teacher by singing her song. The teacher, who by this time probably had a belly full of this girl and her mother, saw his chance for a little payback. Payback, as they say, is a btich.

As others have commented, I too have head these littly ditties over the years. However, in today’s hyper-sentitive environment, you can’t say certain things. In my company, I know of at least three cases where employees were terminated for saying / emailing things that were less threatening than what this girl said.

With regards to the administration rescinding her transfer, well, when you are a guest in Lee’s house, you abide by Lee’s rules.

One last thing, Jeff, ease up on the caffiene :)

By teach

May 12, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

I was once the recipient of a lovely letter/drawing the child did of how he would murder me complete with blood and everything. The parents said he was encouraged by his therapist to draw out his feelings. I never even received an apology from him. Nor did I receive one from his parents. The school didn’t even suspend him. They told me I was “overreacting” to be concerned. Gotta love the respect.

By Lee

May 12, 2006 09:00 AM | Link to this

One other thing, I have attended training seminars over the years related to dealing with difficult people. One of the techniques they teach is to “throw the ball back into their court.” For example, “I’m sorry Mr. Smith, that you feel that I did not give you the level of service that you feel I should have.”

That’s pretty much what this girl did in her “apology” letter.

Hey, maybe I went to the same training class with this girl’s mom….

By Beccaann

May 12, 2006 09:13 AM | Link to this

I think Beth Ann and her parents are looking for a lawsuit. They really jumped on this one and had the smiling little brat on the tv asap. She is sorry. She is proud of what she did and her mom thinks it is ok. IMHO

By jim d

May 12, 2006 09:54 AM | Link to this

Jeff, your paranoia is starting to show, check your sugar level.

I really don’t see this as a viable, direct, threat against the teacher. I will agree however that the young lady’s song was inappropriate in this day and time. For that she should indeed have paid the consequence. However, I believe she was more PO’d about being forced to go back to N.Gwinnett again than she was about being suspended.

I like what the school did here in sending her back. This action really sends a message to other kids that are on administrative transfer, and my experience has been that these kids are generally trouble makers that were having problems in their designated school already, thus the reason for the transfer. Sending her back will in all probability cause a bit of an attitude adjustment in this young lady or she will find herself on the street. But I have a problem understanding how booting her out for a week has accomplished anything other than providing her with weeks vacation that was probably spent shopping at the mall. Right! —————-Like that’s some kind of punishment for a teenaged girl.

By Jeff

May 12, 2006 10:07 AM | Link to this

Jim,

That’s not paranoia. It’s reality. Granted, a kid stupid enough to bring a weapon to school is generally stupid enough to let someone find out and get caught.

Evolution of an action 101: Emotion. Thought. Word. Action. Teachers have no control over the first two, but we CAN and SHOULD take action when the third steps out of bounds.

By another teacher

May 12, 2006 10:14 AM | Link to this

I want to go teach there. Where I teach, a student said he was going to come back in with an Uzi and shoot up the school if he didn’t pass this one teacher’s class. The administration said it wasn’t against school policy to say that, because it wasn’t a direct threat to the teacher. wasn’t against school policy so say you’re going to shoot up the school!!!!! He was given 3 days ISS for disrupting the class. Give me a break.

By jim d

May 12, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this

My bad. “bust students SEVERELY for threatening a teacher in ANY WAY.” just sounded a bit over the top to me and the fact you’ve figured the odds, just scared the hell outta me. Sounds like you may be anticipating conducting a pre-emptive strike.

By Jeff

May 12, 2006 12:31 PM | Link to this

eh, the whole topic just got me thinking about it. Honestly had never considered the odds until that point, though I knew it would be high enough as to be dang near impossible.

I’ve always held that I’ll never start a fight, but once I’m physically involved I’ll end it or be knocked unconcious trying.

By Elane

May 15, 2006 10:03 AM | Link to this

At the 2nd-rate school I attended many years ago, there was one teacher I didn’t like, and I harassed her more than once. I’m not proud of this, and wish she’d held me more accountable, rather than ignoring me. I hope the girl learns something from this. Actions have consequences. Maybe the teacher over-reacted, but it seems to me the girl and her parents are under-reacting. I can’t believe other people are defending her “right to her beliefs & opinions.” Many other students have really been unfairly targeted for that. This is not one of those cases. This is just someone who could not control her impulses and now feels picked on. However…I do believe the school should have let her transfer when she requested it originally, for the teacher’s sake. There’s nothing to be served from having a student and teacher coexist in a hostile environment when there’s another class she could have gone to instead.