Grade school teacher tells student "go shoot yourself"

[jillan]

Source: Michigan local news



LAWTON, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A veteran Lawton Public Schools teacher is coming under fire.

In the middle of class Mary Botas told one of her students to “go shoot yourself.”

She says the kids were getting too rowdy. The school reprimanded Botas and put a letter in her file. That closed the issue, but the student's parents are stepping up, saying the punishment wasn't severe enough.

The incident happened on December 8th. The student's parents tell Newschannel 3 they were waiting to see how the school would handle the incident. When they didn't feel that enough was done and contacted us.

Nathan Melson is the sixth grade student at the center of the controversy. He remembers the comment that Botas said to him while he was working on an art project very simply.

“I was just doing this sticking knot, then she said why don't you go kill yourself,” said Nathan.

According to the reprimand in Botas' personnel file, she actually said “why don't you just go shoot yourself,” and the superintendent of Lawton Schools, Joe Trimboli, says there's more to the incident.

Read more: http://www.wwmt.com/articles/lawton-1386348-teacher-mich.html

---

Wow - the rhetoric is getting crazy EVERYWHERE!

[sakabatou]

1. *facepalm*

[Wednesdays]

2. +1

So, that makes two facepalms?

[Fridays Child]

3. I know just how that happened.

I've been in her shoes, in terms of frustration toward unruly students and successful self-censorship but with other wrong words coming out, instead. Fortunately, in my case, the words that slipped out weren't quite so provocative. I warned a class of fourth graders not to "piss me off." You should have heard the collective gasp! ("She said PISS!")

So here's the deal: she apologized, explained how it happened, and was formally reprimanded. Now, make it a teachable moment for your son, people (he's not responsible for the teacher's words but at least hold him accountable for his behavior). Then LET IT GO.

Anything else is a naked attempt to shake down the district for money in a settlement to avoid litigation--that or these are helicopter parents and major attention whores.

[FedUpWithIt All]

5. A child saying something like this to a teacher

would likely lead to more than just a reprimand. And it is offensive to suggest that parents seeking more action for their child, who was told to KILL HIMSELF by an authority figure, are major attention whores.

The teacher should be, at the very least, suspended and held to the same anti bullying standards that the students are.

I wanted to add that this EXACT SAME comment (albeit from another student) led to a suicide at my daughter's old high school a couple of years ago.

[mbperrin]

8. I teach in a large district. Seven years ago, a 20 year old high school

sophomore who was 6' tall and 240 pounds stomped his English teacher, a 5'7" woman, until he broke her back. She is in a wheelchair forever. He got 18 days in the alternative center operated by the district.

Nothing else was done. Workman's comp paid her medical. End of story.

There were more than 50 incidents last year of students striking teachers. Not one resulted in a criminal charge, and none involved more than 18 days at the alternative center, the maximum time allotted there. So please don't assume that students are held to a higher standard than teachers.

32 years with a completely clean record must count for something. Now's there's a blemish. Another would begin showing a trend or change in behavior.

[davidinalameda]

48. so that excuses what this teacher did?

apples and oranges

the English teacher has a good case for a lawsuit against her school and the student and the student's family

anyway, the fact that this was a 20 year old sophomore says something about the school and it's not very good

[mbperrin]

67. I was trying to get a sense of proportion here.

Since I apparently know nothing, I'll beg your leave and go.

[Jefferson23]

52. Tragic story...did she attempt to sue the school district? I am curious

about the situation..a 20 year old sophmore..special needs? 50 incidents of students striking teachers just last year, that sounds
like a very out of control problem. This district well funded or on the low end economically?

[mbperrin]

66. 85% of students are reduced or free lunch, minority majority district,

our school is the recovery magnet, so 25% of our enrollment of more than 3600 is special needs, overage, ELL, hard of hearing and so on.

District expense of $8500 per student annually is right on the median for Texas. Texas law provides free public education until 22nd birthday is achieved. District enrollment right at 30,000.

[Jefferson23]

68. Wow, that explains a lot, thank you. If the teacher did not pursue

litigation she may have had good counsel or not in her decision. Regardless, a tragic event that I wonder could have been avoided
if the adminsitration and board of ed had a plan to address the issues so many of the students seem to have...too much resting
on the teachers shoulders it appears.

Very sad.

[mbperrin]

69. I believe workman's comp paid her medical, and it seems the district

bought two or three years' service with the Teacher Retirement System so that she could go ahead and retire.

Juries here are notoriously conservative about awarding judgments against government agencies - the lawyers always take pains to tell them that the award will come out of their own pockets.

[Jefferson23]

70. I wish her well and you too, the school you teach in needs help you will

not likely receive...good luck.

[Fridays Child]

9. Apples to oranges. Your case was peer bullying, in all likelihood.

She shouldn't have said what she said. She has admitted as much and she has apologized. And, if a child said such words to me, the most he would get would be an hour in ISS, or maybe a referral. "Go shoot yourself" is an epithet, not a threat.

But nothing in the information indicates that the student is depressed or a danger to himself. What is more likely to lead to feelings that he might have difficulty processing is all of the hullabaloo his parents are creating over the matter.

In any case, an amazing teaching opportunity--one by which all parties might acquire some measure of wisdom--has been missed.

[FedUpWithIt All]

18. As is the example from your own experience.

Your use of a slang word to express irritation is not at all the same as singling out a child, in front of his peers, and telling him to harm himself. I am shocked that you would make statements like..."Go shoot yourself" is an epithet, not a threat.

What difference does it make if the article mentions the mental health of the child. Suppose the child did have real issues, would you then withdraw your lackadaisical attitude about this teacher's behavior? Is the teacher supposed to refrain themselves only when the child is at risk? I am sure you realize, due to your background, that it is often the "annoying" or hard to manage children who are easy targets for bullying. They are also the children who tend to have the most trouble expressing themselves clearly and internalize much of their shame and depression. An authority figure, calling out such a child, could have had very severe consequences and it IS considered bullying under the criteria many schools are using now.


The teacher should have been suspended.

[Fridays Child]

24. Shocked?

Really.

That you can't see the difference between an epithet and a threat is problematic for you, not me.

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. Not in my district it wouldn't

I witnessed a student telling a teacher she was going to shoot her and she wasn't even suspended.

[rhett o rick]

10. There is a huge difference between what you said and telling a student to kill himself

or shoot himself. Besides, if a student brings a tiny toy gun to school, the standard "no tolerance policy" would have him suspended. Why the double standard? Teachers have a hard job but still should be held accountable for their actions.

[Fridays Child]

13. And she was held accountable.

It's in her record and she was reprimanded. A second incident would indicate a pattern. One incident, alone, does not. The evidence demonstrates that she's a good teacher who had a bad moment. It happens. This was handled properly, and to escalate the matter any further would serve no useful purpose.

[rhett o rick]

45. That's fine if she had cussed at him or simply berated him, but she told him to KILL

HIMSELF or SHOOT HIMSELF. What do you think the punishment would have been for the boy if he had said it? She is an adult.

[quakerboy]

79. Probably a refferal

or less. If the situation was reversed, I daresay in most circumstances little or nothing would have happened to the student unless there was something making it a threat. and possibly not even then, depending on the geography and demography of the school.

[woo me with science]

64. +1 nt

[wtmusic]

14. Ex-actly. NO excuse. nt

[davidinalameda]

4. she should be fired

telling a student that they should shoot themselves when we have so many kids killing themselves because of bullying

if she had any decency, she'd resign

[swishyfeet]

7. Destroying a career for that seems a bit excessive

Sticks and stones...

[rhett o rick]

12. If she cant control herself when handling children, maybe she needs a different career. nm

[davidinalameda]

27. tell that to the families of the kids who have killed themselves in the past year

sticks and stones

[cleanhippie]

40. A bit extreme, no?

Are you telling us that YOU have NEVER allowed your emotions to get the better of your tongue? Should YOU have lost YOUR career because of it?

[davidinalameda]

47. I've never told anyone to go shoot themselves

but what I've done or haven't done is not the issue here

nice try

[cleanhippie]

53. No, its not an issue here, but the fact that you would allow YOUR subjective judgment

to ruin a persons career is.

[davidinalameda]

55. my judgment isn't what should ruin her career

her words are what should ruin her career especially with the rash of teen age suicides

[cleanhippie]

56. And thats the point. If it WERE up to YOUR subjective judgement, her career would be over.

Luckily, for her, it not.

[lobodons]

6. I was just sitting there doing my work

And all of a sudden Nurse Ratchet shows up. Ya, thats my story and I'm sticking to it like a knot.

[rhett o rick]

11. Are you rationalizing that the teacher's action was justified because maybe the child was misbehavin

The teacher told him to kill himself or shoot himself. That's very serious.

[lobodons]

21. No, what's serious is

America's kids are out of control. America does not take education serious. The story here is not the teacher's actions, but the kids. Kids are getting a pass on their actions and they know it and are taking advantage of it. America is just looking the other way and now in education rankings are battling for 20th place worldwide. This kid needs a serious timeout to be reminded the importance of education and the teacher needs a reprimand.

[bhikkhu]

23. Reading the article, I have to agree

The kid comes across as a manipulative liar, and the parents as blowhards, tools incapable of holding their kids responsible for anything.

The teacher apologizes and comes clean, admits she lost her temper, and perhaps deserves a suspension. After 32 years I would imagine her retirement is close enough anyway.

[HankyDubs]

25. an obvious lie

Nathan Melson is the sixth grade student at the center of the controversy. He remembers the comment that Botas said to him while he was working on an art project very simply.

“I was just doing this sticking knot, then she said why don't you go kill yourself,” said Nathan

Oh please. An obvious lie. Of course with parents like that, I can hardly blame him for lying.

[rhett o rick]

43. Did you read the story? The teacher didnt dispute what she said.

There may be a difference between shoot yourself and kill yourself but she admitted she said it. The child may be a brat, but that is no excuse for her behavior.

[May Hamm]

71. Okay, the kid was a brat

And the teacher didn't seem to like him. That makes what she said even more problematic.

A teacher, an authority figure who doesn't like you tells you to go shoot yourself. An at risk kid already with low self esteem has more dislike dumped on him. It gets to some of them after a while.

My opinion - a reprimanded was in order. Maybe more, like anger control classes. Perhaps open topic group therapy where getting it off one's chest helps people cope better with day to day stress. Lots of options short of firing for a first time incident.

[Nihil]

34. That's hit the nail on the head!

> America does not take education serious(ly).
> Kids are getting a pass on their actions and they know it and are taking
> advantage of it.
> America is just looking the other way and now in education rankings
> are battling for 20th place worldwide.
> This kid needs a serious timeout to be reminded the importance of education
> and the teacher needs a reprimand.

It's nice to see a spark of sanity on the thread. Well done!

Although everyone agrees that the teacher needs a reprimand (which she got),
very few on this thread seem to think that either the child needs anything
other than compensation or that the parents need to think about their child
(i.e., the child for whom *THEY* are responsible) is being anything other
than a little truth-telling innocent angel.

:wtf:

[rhett o rick]

41. Let's get this into perspective. She didnt just yell, she didnt just cuss, she told him to KILL

HIMSELF in front of other children. The fact that America's school children are out of control may explain her actions but not excuse them.

I completely agree that school children in our class rooms are out of control and something needs to be done. But we cant be telling them to kill themselves.

[Igel]

75. Interesting question.

I'd actually like to hear how she said it.

There's an old apocryphal linguistics anecdote I read many years ago. A professor was lecturing, and said that there was no attested instance in any language in which the word indicating affirmation also was could mean negation. To which somebody in the of the room replied, "Yeah, yeah."

Kids don't get sarcasm. Neither do many adults. Did Botas employ sarcasm? Dunno. The kid's not disposed to say she did; the parents would be aghast at the idea that they've misinterpreted what was said. I can't rule it out, though.

That sarcasm is typically not appropriate for school kids is not oft disputed. That sarcasm is very widely used by school kids over a certain age is also not oft disputed. I think it's not inappropriate, just dangerous--first, because sarcasm from authority figures tends to be misconstrued, and secondly because when sarcastic utterances are quoted the sarcastic intonation is usually left out.

[bhikkhu]

80. Context is critical. How many times I've read outrageous statements...

which seemed to describe unbelievably bad behavior, only to find on reading further into the story that, put in context, it was reasonable enough. The trouble is we don't get the context; we weren't there.

Anyone who has raised kids, worked with kids, or even worked with normal adults should know - when a "situation" arises out of earshot and you have to make a judgment after the fact, its just about impossible to reconstruct an event sufficiently even if you know the people and the setting. Ten people will give ten different versions, and often it boils down to subtleties like "tone of voice" and intent, which you can't really get third-hand. The best course is to give the benefit of the doubt to the people closest to the problem - in this case the school board.

The stupidest results come from people who don't know anything, but heard "somebody said that somebody said something outrageous and somebody needs to be fired right now!"

[wtmusic]

15. In LA Unified that's just joking around.

"The eighth-grade boy held out his wrists for teacher Carlos Polanco to see.

He had just explained to Polanco and his history classmates at Virgil Middle School in Koreatown why he had been absent: He had been in the hospital after an attempt at suicide.

Polanco looked at the cuts and said they "were weak," according to witness accounts in documents filed with the state. "Carve deeper next time," he was said to have told the boy.

"Look," Polanco allegedly said, "you can't even kill yourself."

The boy's classmates joined in, with one advising how to cut a main artery, according to the witnesses.

"See," Polanco was quoted as saying, "even he knows how to commit suicide better than you."

The Los Angeles school board, citing Polanco's poor judgment, voted to fire him.

But Polanco, who contended that he had been misunderstood, kept his job. A little-known review commission overruled the board, saying that although the teacher had made the statements, he had meant no harm."

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/03/local/me-teachers3

[FedUpWithIt All]

19. That just broke my heart.

What the hell is wrong with some people.

[wtmusic]

20. What breaks my heart is the fact that he's still teaching.

It costs half a million dollars to fire a teacher in LAUSD, which is why only 10 teachers - out of a workforce of 43,000 - are fired annually.

The system is broken.

[patrice]

16. No excusing the teacher, even though they DO field ALL of everyone else's mistakes.

Teachers are supposed to be professional enough to be ahead of their own weak spots.

NO ONE holds parents accountable for their children's lack of discipline, manners, or self-control.

Why does everyone accept the kid's story without question? It may be true. It may not. We're supposed to believe that the teacher's behavior, like Jared Loughner's, came out of the clear blue.

[crim son]

17. Who tells ANYBODY to go shoot themself?

No pattern required. As a poster above observed, it's particularly abhorrent given the school shootings and the whole goddamn gun culture in this country. A kid brought a handgun to my son's middle school just before the Christmas holiday and if it can happen in Bangor, Maine it can happen anywhere. If, tomorrow, a teacher told my boy to go shoot himself I would be on a mission to get him or her removed from the job, not because I'm an attention whore - that's bullshit - but because the words are appalling said to an adult and unforgivable if said to a child.

[bhikkhu]

22. With 32 years of teaching behind her, I have to sympathize with the teacher

She admitted she lost her temper - which is a very bad thing. If I had to make the choice, I would offer her early retirement, and if she didn't take it, probably a suspension.

Having kids that age and being all too familiar with "how things are", I know kids lose their tempers (or pretend too) often enough that the words spoken were trivial. Sad but true - I've heard worse from my kids, my kids friends, my friends' kids, etc. I don't curse or have a temper myself, so perhaps my own "measured response" and reasoning is not a good match for high-drama, but neither am I an innocent fool. I have no sympathy for manipulative kids who will do their worst, then play the starry-eyed innocent victims when tshtf.

[yellowcanine]

44. Exactly - this was a manipulative kid who knew how to "push the buttons".

Teachers are human. They get tired and overreact. The overreaction has to be dealt with but I actually think that the reprimand was appropriate for the first offense like this after 32 years. There is a difference between a teacher who uses abusive language on a regular basis - that teacher should be suspended and fired if the behavior continues after reinstatement. But the idea that a teacher should be fired or forced to retire for the first infraction like this after 32 years is not fair at all. And it would send the wrong message to manipulative disruptive kids which would be bad for other teachers at that school.

[davidinalameda]

49. I'd love to know how you come up your conclusion that this kid was manipulative

maybe we read different articles

I didn't get that

[yellowcanine]

50. Based on the description of what the kid said.

“I said, I don't know, cause my fingers hurt,” said Nathan, “then she's like why don't you just go kill yourself.”


That is deploying the lame whine, imo, one of the favorite tools of a manipulative kid.

[davidinalameda]

54. and even if he was whining

which I still don't understand how you know exactly how he said what he did, does that excuse her behavior?

[yellowcanine]

62. I made it clear that I was not excusing her behavior in several posts. One can

believe the kid was out of line and that the teacher overreacted at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive. But the fact that the teacher overreacted also does not excuse the kid's behavior and from the story it sounds as if the parents are not doing much to hold their kid accountable for being disruptive and uncooperative in school. They seem to be focusing only on the teacher. Granted that they might have disciplined their kid also and it just hasn't been reported.


The description of what he said was in the original story. You have to click on the link to read it.

[davidinalameda]

77. I did click on the article

but I guess I read a different one from you

anyway-I hope the parents sue her and the school board and clean them out!

maybe that will show so-called professionals that language such as she used is NOT acceptable

[handmade34]

26. this is Lawton, MI

not exactly LA or the Bronx

http://www.infomi.com/city/lawton/



I once lived near there (Bangor). I once taught K-12. I know how frustrating teaching 6th graders can be.

...There is No excuse for the words this teacher used. It can be a very valuable teaching moment for all...

[saras]

28. Could have been worse

He could have been the sort of smartmouth kid to come back with "mind if I take a few dozen friends with me?"

[FedUpWithIt All]

35. + + + + + + n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. If they ever get around to reducing the number of kids in each classroom, I hope

they'll start with grades 6-9.

If this class hd been smaller, it would have been easier to maintain discipline, and the teacher wouldn't have had a meltdown.

[tomm2thumbs]

30. she'll claim she actually said: 'Go. Suit yourself...'

[freshwest]

31. The teacher selects one kid to go off, part of an entire group that was acting up,

Because he's too slow or stopped working. On an *art project* for crying out loud! Not getting that done would have ended civilization as we know it.

If the kids are acting badly, not getting their work done, there's a perfect solution. It's called a report card. Flunk the little blighters!

In Tea Party America, I guess we can expect no less than to hear shooting brought up again and again.

I've known teachers that were like angels without wings and then there are those who are mental abusers with a captive audience. Maybe the woman is having a breakdown, so she should be sent out on sick leave.

She singled one student out, not the entire class. That makes it personal for the parents, they have a right to complain. She set a bad example and abused her authority with a *child.*

[yellowcanine]

37. Having taught middle schoolers for three years I think you are wrong.

The teacher made a mistake, no doubt. But "singling out" one student wasn't it. Group punishments are often counter productive, particularly with middle schoolers. It tends to unite the whole class against the teacher - not what you want. Middle schoolers can be particularly ingenious in driving a teacher to distraction if they are united against you. They will synchronize their disruptions - all cough at the same time, everyone stares at the ceiling, etc. Far better to focus on individuals who are causing a problem. And just as with speeding on the highway, "singling out" the ones who are being most egregious can eventually slow everybody down. I wasn't there but it seems like what happened is a group of kids were being rowdy, the teacher tried to calm them down and redirect their focus to the task at hand. One kid chose not to comply with the directive. The teacher then rightly challenged him for his insubordination. Instead of complying the kid smart assed her. The teacher responded inappropriately - she should have probably sent him out of the room at that point or given a demerit if that was an option - maybe not - depends on the school and the principal. A system of demerits which yields an after school or a Saturday detention when three are accumulated can work wonders for classroom management. A bad mark on a report card is too far removed from the situation to have any consequence with daily classroom management for most kids. It only works with high achievers and not always that well with them. You can't "flunk" a student who is getting A's on all his exams just because he mouthed off to you or was dragging his butt on getting started with a project.

[freshwest]

76. I appreciate your not flaming me. But no, he can flunk conduct and go to the principal's office.

Insubordination is a term used by corporations and the military for those who volunteered or were hired. Public school is not optional and it is not prison.

I agree with your assessment of things getting out of hand. I do not agree with people who see their students as criminals, incorrigibles, insubordinate or call their parents attention whores.

I always stick up and support with my money and time and legislators, teachers, public servants, schools, unions and kids. This woman needs help and it looks like she's not going to get it.

But having seen the devastation of young minds being abused by authority figures, I'm fresh out of sympathy for this *adult.*

Although I probably should have never commented on this type of thread that seemed to draw such comments as I've seen. It's a news story that really doesn't help the situation; a he said, she said and a judgment on the motives and abilities of people we really don't know.

I feel like I need a shower, as I would if I'd watched FOX. Have a good weekend.


:dem:

[Dappleganger]

32. I have two kids that age right now...

13 and 14 (we've had two older ones go through middle school). It's a tough age, we all know that. Kids that age are prone to exaggerate and push buttons in order to work the system, both at home and at school.

However, IF that is what the teacher said I don't think that a letter of reprimand is enough--a suspension seems more in order. However, that doesn't seem right that the parents would contact a news station instead of going before the school board and asking for further investigation. Something just doesn't sit well w/me on that one.

[Heywood J]

33. There's a lack of tact and then there's this...

The teacher should have been put on some kind of administrative leave, transferred elsewhere, or put on non-classroom duties for a year or more. A reprimand is less than a slap on the wrist.

[AngryAmish]

36. I don't stand up for teachers often, but I will here

Everyone has a bad day. Do you really think this will harm the child? If they are so pearl-clutchingly upset at the teacher have the kid move to another class.

[yellowcanine]

39. I agree. She apologized and the reprimand is more than enough punishment.

What these parents just taught their kid is that if you act up in class and harass a teacher enough to make them do something inappropriate, we will protect your little hiney and make you into some kind of hero with your peers by going public. They should have insisted that he apologize to the teacher for his behavior in front of the whole class. They could still have quietly registered their objection to the principal about the need for a more severe punishment if they thought that was necessary. Going public helps no one, and particularly not their kid.

[woo me with science]

65. +1 nt

[Honeycombe8]

78. I agree. My first reaction was that she should be fired. Then I remembered a teacher of mine ...

My first reaction was that she should be fired. Then I remembered an incident in junior high school, when a substitute teacher had a meltdown with the unruly boys in the class and started yelling, and I think broke the record she was trying to get us to listen to (Romeo and Juliet). I felt bad for her because I knew the guys were truly being horrible, and there was really nothing anyone could do about it. But something HAD to be done.

People are overreacting because of the "shoot" reference, in light of Arizona events.

And yeah...sure,, that boy was being an angel, as he normally was; he was just standing there, quietly doing his science project, when BOOM, out of the blue, the teacher for no reason at all just walks up and tells him to "go kill himself." Yeah, right.

[leftynyc]

38. Teacher should be fired

A zero tolerance policy that suspends kids for taking an aspirin should include a teacher telling a student to commit suicide. I'd never let my child be taught by such a person.

[rhett o rick]

42. Wonder what the action would have been if the child had said that remark to the teacher? nm

[proud2BlibKansan]

58. Where I teach, nothing.

Kids threaten teachers on a daily basis and nothing happens.

[rhett o rick]

63. I am truly sorry to hear that. nm

[blackspade]

46. Wow have times changed!

I had a high school history teacher that would threaten to crucify unruly students.
It was pretty funny even when it was me!
There were no sanctions or false outrage over that!

[Xithras]

51. I personally prefer "Get the fu** out of my classroom!"

That's why I teach 18+ year old college students, and not minor munchkins. I've had students get offended, but by the time they've irritated me enough to throw them out, I'm not too concerned about their personal mores.

I don't know how K-12 teachers do it. I don't have the patience or personality to deal with disruptive students.

[proud2BlibKansan]

59. When I saw the headline I figured it was a little kid

6th grade is not grade school in many school districts. This kid may be in an elementary school. But I find the use of that descriptor interesting - if it bleeds it leads, as they say.

Then I clicked on the article and the parents need a drama king and queen award, based on their comments alone.

No I am not in any way excusing what this teacher did. But she admitted it, apologized and it's time to move on. She has 32 years with no reprimands. I'd like to think we can excuse one screw up, especially when no one was hurt.

[immoderate]

60. What's a "sticking knot?"

I think knowing more about the context might mitigate the teachers remark.

I'm not a zero tolerance guy. B-)

--imm

[lumberjack_jeff]

61. Predictable reaction here.

In my school district, a teacher resigned because she restrained a male student with autism so that another student could hit him.

There is no doubt in my mind that if a male teacher had told a female student to kill herself, the reaction here would be different AND I have no doubt that the teachers here would defend suspension for any student who told another student to commit suicide.

Teachers: not subject to the rules they enforce.

The superintendent said "there's more to the incident"? Like what? The student deserved it?

The parents are doing the right thing.

[Riley18]

72. So many parents have not taught their children to show

respect for adults. It really is sad because there are kids who have no clue how to behave in public. The ruder the kid acts the more their parents think they must be gifted. Teachers just say that the parents will be "rewarded" for their lack of parenting skills once the kid is a teenager. Payback is certain.

[shanti]

73. time for said teacher to retire

if it was my kid she'd said that too, i'd be pushing to have her fired. that comment was just way over the line. so she apologized...she's clearly losing it. time to go!

[fascisthunter]

74. hey, shooting and guns are all the rage today