In Port Saint Lucie, Florida, a five year old boy was voted out of his Kindergarten class by his classmates and a truly deploarable excuse for a teacher.
This teacher had the students tell Alex Barton, age FIVE, exactly what they dislike about him. Alex is being evaluated for Asperger Syndrome and has since this spring. Diagnosis, though, isn't what matters here.
What matters is that this so called teacher acted in a thoroughly detestable manner towards a child. This is hateful, builds stigma, and builds hate. Not acceptable. If you can't handle kindergarteners you shouldn't teach kindergarten. It is really that simple. Spreading the idea that it's ok to treat others like garbage just makes it all the worse. She has no business working with kids if she cannot control herself. Adults who bully small children are lower than people who kick puppies, and those people are pretty low.
Alex, honey (I work with kids, that's my excuse for the language!), this is for you:
Special isn't a bad word. Once upon a time, special was a good word. It meant there was something about you that was wonderful, exciting, unique, and different in a really cool way. You are a wonderful kid, just because you are YOU. You are doing your best, and everyone knows that. You didn't deserve what your teacher and the other kids in your class did. They were WRONG. It was mean, it was bullying, and if the world is at all fair something will be done about it. A whole lot of people are making a big fuss with the school and the news just for you, right now, so that never happens to you or any other kid ever again.
And to the 2 kids who voted that Alex should stay in his class:
GOOD FOR YOU. And good for your PARENTS. It's sad that kids who try to understand their classmates are so rare, but it's really great that you stood up to your classmates for Alex. Parents of these 2 kids, give them a hug. A big one.
To the school board where this atrocity took place:
If you don't see something wrong with this and remove this teacher immediately, you really have no business having any say in the formative years of any child. School is not a reality show. Kindergarteners should not have PTSD and especially not from their teachers.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
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7 comments:
Most teachers are not that immature, thank God.
Christschool has done a masterful job of compiling draft letters of complaint to the authorities and the media over at Thinking in Metaphors. Anyone who wants to use them please let Christschool know and also forward copies to ASAN who are trying to coordinate responses.
Morningside is a private Christian school, and not under the local school board. That teacher has no business teaching anywhere, but I think being at a christian school makes it even more despicable.
The fact that 2 kids voted in favor of Alex is an inconvenient fact for those who claim that it is inevitable that a child will be disliked if they are odd.
It's a cultural thing, really. Those 2 kids were probably raised to value tolerance and difference.
Terrible. I said on another blog it is as bad as a teacher who forced his students to act out a mock hanging in NJ a few years back. Disgusting. Some teachers seem to make really bad choices. Unfortunately we don't hear enough about all the great teachers out there.
I however am glad we don't have to worry about teachers in our lives right now. Homeschooling works well to avoid these situations. I think discrimination among special kids is more common than people know.
Kassianne, did you notice this in one of the reports:
"Her personnel file shows she is trained and certified to teach special needs children."
It makes me sick. I get all the horrible feelings I had as a child. I had several teachers who purposefully humiliated me in classes in the 1970's. It was bad enough to have the kids bully me, but then some of the teachers got in on it. I've tried to block it out, but reading about this brings it all back. I was diagnosed with CAPD, but I was also very socially naive, a target for them.
Alex will hopefully be able to get through this and learn to trust again with competent teachers. I thank heaven that my son's teachers are the opposite of this teacher. They have been wonderful to work with. I hope they fire this teacher, she doesn't deserve the privilige of working with any kids, much less "special" kids. I tell my son he is "special" all the time, and it is a good thing, not bad.
So, so many teachers work their tails off to help children and adults like us get through the world, and one teacher gives a bad name, causing parents to keep such information to themselves. What was meant to be constructive is offensive and boorish, as well as highly inappropriate. What a bitch.
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