Bad Elaina

From a fellow teacher: At the beginning of the year, Elaina asked to sit at back of room at a table instead of desk because of her size. She sits there for months. Sometime in February, Elaina is sitting in another desk talking to a friend. Teacher says, "Go back to your own seat and stop talking." Elaina asks why she “always” has to sit in back of room. Teacher says fine, the desk is now your seat. Another student asks if she can have seat at table. Teacher says yes. As the other student is taking her seat at desk, Elaina errupts: “That’s my seat!” This argument proceeds for 3 days. Teacher writes Elaina up for disrespect and disruptive behavior. Meanwhile, the teacher coordinates with other teachers to move Elaina to another class where there are lots of seats. The teacher receives the discipline referral back. It says, “Problem resolved by move to other block.” Well, Elaina's problem was solved, but what about the teacher's problem?

Bad Meghan

Meghan is running in the hall, at full speed. I tell her to stop, she ignores me. I chase her down, pull on her backpack strap to get her attention. She denies running. “I was jogging.” I ask her name. She gives me her first name, then walks away. I call to her. I ask her last name. She gives it to me. A few minutes later I am in another teacher’s room. Meghan appears at the door to threaten me (at top volume) that I had better not leave the school because her mother is here and wants to talk to me. I fill out a discipline form, take it to the office. When I get there, the principal is meeting with Meghan and her mother. I am asked to sit down. Meghan’s mother gets to run the meeting. I am asked to explain what happened. It becomes clear the issue is not Meghan’s three offenses, but my behavior – Meghan says I “grabbed” her. Principal explains that it is not out of line for teacher to touch a student. Forget that I didn’t even touch the student, I touched her backpack. Meghan speaks to me abusively and interrupts during the meeting. Meghan receives no punishment. Note: Principal often complains because there aren’t enough teachers watching the halls.