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DEL.ICIO.USVenturing out a scary step after teacher’s attack
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
She tried to shop at Wal-Mart the other day.
It wasn’t easy.
“What ifs” hound her, mess with her head.
What if the 12-year-old girl who attacked her is in the store?
What if the girl tries to finish what she started at Lilburn Middle School?
“I intentionally chose to live near the community where I work, so when I go out shopping, I’ll see the parents of my students,’ said Janie Fair, the teacher recovering from the beatdown.
“Now I don’t feel comfortable going into a store.”
On Jan. 29, I wrote about the incident in which Fair was attacked by a seventh-grade girl. The child, a former student of Fair’s, yelled at the instructor, then punched her several times in the face and head. Fair was swollen and bruised and has not taught since the Jan. 23 incident.
The column generated numerous e-mails and comments. Some writers wondered about the child’s mental state, prior behavior and family life. Others questioned whether she should have been on campus. One reader, though, said not to vilify the child, who hasn’t been identified by school officials because she is a juvenile.
“When you have heard all the facts,’ wrote Jane in a response to the Badie blog, “then make a judgment.”
The media tend to overuse words like “tragedy” and “trauma” to portray drama. I’ve spoken to Fair several times on the telephone. Make no mistake: She’s traumatized. You can hear it in her voice, a damaged spirit of someone who considers teaching a calling and still believes she has a lot to offer.
Her recovery has been slow going. She’s been seeing a medical doctor ever since the attack. A week ago, she became a client of Jennifer F. Kelly, a psychologist at the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine. Kelly declined comment.
Fair cries a lot. She dreams about the attack. She dislikes being in public places.
“I was at the Wal-Mart the other day,” she told me. “How do I know I won’t run into this girl and her family?”
The girl had been charged with simple battery and disruption of public schools, according to a report from the Gwinnett County School Police. The status of her case with the school system or justice system isn’t clear. School officials declined to say what, if any, disciplinary action has been taken. In most cases, though, such a student would be suspended, then go before a disciplinary panel.
Fair told me she has nothing against the Gwinnett County school system. She’s received supportive calls from the district office as well as teachers at Lilburn Middle.
“I like this county, and I want to continue working in this county,” she said. “I am not going to let some troubled kid run me out of the career that I love so much. It’s been a very traumatic ordeal. When I tell you I felt like my life was in danger, I did. I just want to thank everyone who has wished me well. This won’t end my career.”
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail: rbadie@ajc.com.
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By Katie
February 12, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
I am completely against violence as a means to end any and all quarrels but being afraid of a 12 year old??? are you kidding me? Lady, you got hit by a little kid, get over it and move on!!!!
By Bruce Wilcox
February 12, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this
I agree with Katie, I think Fair’s continued reaction to the incident is a little over the top. It makes one wonder if there is a lawsuit in the wings?
If teaching is indeed her calling, time to hang up. The juvenile that was involved needs help, let’s hope they don’t run in to each other at the psychologist’s.
By LT5000
February 12, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
What a surprise, Bruce comes along to defend the little thug. Katie too. Do you guys know how old she is?
Let me guess Bruce, the teacher was asking for it?
How dare she expect to be a teacher and not get beat up by the animals that inhabit public schools.
I bet that little girl just needed one of Brucie’s healing hugs and then everything would be all better.
I can only imagine what kind of felon this little punk will grow up to be. I’m sure her parents are fine upstanding citizens of the community as well.
What is wrong with you people that you have to blame the teacher? The cops should have tazed this useless piece of trash.
LT5000
By One
February 12, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this
This was a 12 yr old child! Exactly how “mousy” is this grown woman? Granted, I’m a lot bolder than most, but dang, all of this over a fight with a 12 yr old? And let me guess, during the attack, this woman scrambled to the floor in the fetal position? Wow, my prayers are with her, and thank God he did not make me a weakling!!! Someone this scary should not, I said NOT be in the warrooms, oops I meant classrooms! We need teachers with guts!! Because some of these bad azz kids need to be scared straight! Rick, please suggest to this woman that she take some self defense classes, it will help with her confidence! And if that doesn’t work, please take up donations to help her buy a backbone!
By Amy
February 12, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
Guess you were there and you know best. How can you make judgements about the weakness of the teacher? Don’t you read in the paper EVERY DAY about guns and knives and killings in SCHOOLS????? I praise anyone brave enough to teach in these schools, with children that they cannot discipline for fear of losing their jobs. You people are so strong! Hope you’re always safe!
By Bruce Wilcox
February 12, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
Amy how many guns and knives and killings have we had in Gwinnett schools recently? Where I went to school, years back, we had Nuns, they could drop a Marine and never miss a beat.
By Katie
February 12, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
Hey LT, I am not supporting the 12 year old little thug. I think she should be thrown straight into juvy. All I’m saying is that the lady is being over reactive about the whole thing. And, she’s intimidated by a little girl. So what if she runs into her at the local walmart, walmart has security. This lady needs to get over it. And I hope she doesn’t sue, our legal system is jammed full of people trying to profit off of stupid things like this. the teacher doesn’t deserve to become rich because she was beat up.
By LT5000
February 12, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this
Katie and Brucie.
By attacking the teacher you are supporting this little useless punk.
The previous article mentions this lady has 30+ years of teaching experience, so that makes her at least 50, probably older.
Remember, this is 30+ years experience as a teacher, not a UFC fighter.
You and Brucie’s attacks display how little class you have.
LT5000
By Sniff, Sniff
February 12, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
I smell a lawsuit.
I hope the next person this kid attacks breaks off a piece of her a$$ and hands it back to her with a smile on their face.
By Bruce Wilcox
February 12, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
LT are you a female, otherwise you must gay the way stalk me, I am not interested.
By LT5000
February 12, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this
Bruce,
The only things stalking you are your idiocy and the STD you picked up in the viewing booth at Inserection.
However, you never disappoint when it comes to being misinformed and vocal.
LT5000
By One
February 12, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
Dang, straight hostile!!
By Gwinnett County Parent
February 12, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this
So..if a grown woman feels this way…how does a student who is attacked/bullied by another student feel every day as he/she must go into school ? If she cannot even teach, how do we expect any kid to learn after they have been through an incident. And we are asking kids to testify against kids who attacked/bullied them. How did everything get so messed up. :(
By holdingAJCaccountable
February 12, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this
First I want to thank Rick Badie for keeping this issue in the spotlight. As far as the school system, and teachers can correct me if I’m wrong, isn’t there a legal mandate to hold a tribunal disciplinary hearing within ten days of an assault? Or for that matter, even an alleged assault?
Has this happened in this case? I hope so, and I hope the spotlight is kept on this case until justice is done.
And for those who want to criticize the teacher for being scared of “a little kid” it is not uncommon these days for a “little kid” of twelve to weigh upwards of 200 lbs.
And if we have to recommend a middle school teacher take a self defense class in order to teach then it is the system that needs fixing, not the teacher.
By Katie
February 13, 2008 5:53 AM | Link to this
LT, you’re an idiot.
By LT5000
February 13, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this
Katie,
Considering your previous comments and extra chromosome, I take your observation with a grain of salt.
LT5000
By Katie
February 13, 2008 8:23 AM | Link to this
Oh, how sweet of you to insult me on a genetic level. Once again you prove yourself to be the only ‘adult’ on this blog. Grow up LT, your opinions are just that—your opinions. You are very self righteous and therefore you must always be right. This is a blog for comments and you take it to the highest level of insecurities, your opinion must always be right and everyone elses must be wrong.
By LT5000
February 13, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
Katie,
I wouldn’t defend your opinion. Or Brucie’s for that matter. Which is essentially “She’s a teacher, she should learn how to take a beating”.
Is your point that a teacher should expect to be attacked by their students at some point in their career?
Pretty idiotic no matter how you try to sugar coat it. I don’t suffer fools lightly.
LT5000
By Jais AAA duluth
February 13, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this
I tell you what there is no better defense than a handgun. If this 12 year old faced a gun she would have thought twice or taken one to the chest. Guns are affordable and come in small sizes to oh wait…you can’t carry them on school grounds, lol whoops. Maybe she can have it in her glovebox like the rest of us?? I got nothing now..
By Katie
February 13, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this
OMG—get off your narrow minded little self. Look at the bigger picture. You didn’t even understand my comment on the simplest level. Re-read my posts and try to obsorb the meaning. I did not bash the teacher for being a teacher nor did I ever suggest that she should learn to take a beating. Such simple minds here. I’m done. I don’t have the energy.
By Bruce Wilcox
February 13, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this
Katie just remember there are only a few, I will be ignoring LT from this day forward, he can destroy any discussion, it’s not worth feeding the troll.
By LT5000
February 13, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
Brucie and Katie,
What exactly was the point of your comments.
To make a public display of your idiocy? Because that’s all you did.
Bruce, does this mean you will stop posting your half wit comments in these blogs or will you still be channeling Cyndi McKinney?
LT5000
By Michael
February 13, 2008 3:12 PM | Link to this
Regarding lawsuits, the best she has against the county is workers compensation and the workers comp board isn’t big into psychological injury. Against the juvy, the parents are liable only up to $10,000.
As to the teachers overreaction, well, she has been working there awhile, she’s not some newbie out of grad school so she should have built up some resistance. Or it’s time to retire. They call it the straw that breaks the camel’s back because of the cumulative effect of multiple degradations, humiliations and the like.
By bp
February 13, 2008 6:19 PM | Link to this
thats why all teachers should be armed.She could have defended herself and shot the little thug then the other thugs would get the message.
By Mike B
February 13, 2008 9:56 PM | Link to this
The bottom line, is teachers should be able to teach without the threat of out of control students assaulting them or other students. Students need to have a healthy fear what their parents will think/do to them if they get in this situation. Not fear of the school system. This is where parents who are too busy with their own lives miss the boat in a big way. When I was growing up, this was parenting 101, and it kept me from getting in to more trouble then I did.
Regardless of what action this teacher will take in the future, she is the victim here and not an opportunist. There was no premeditation on her part, therefor she has her rights under the law to excersise how she see’s fit. Choices and consequences….applies to how this child was raised, the actions she took that led to this situation, and the retribution that can be exacted by the victim.
Sad to say, but this is a perfect case study for parents who are concerned (all parents should be) about their family name/ reputation in their community, to teach their kids about.