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Why did I become a teacher?

Lynchburg14

Lynchburg14

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So I get to school today and one of the AP's pulls me to the side to tell me that the student I wrote up yesterday, dad has called and want to speak to me. His son apparently went home and told the dad that "I put my hands on him several times". I looked at the AP and said are serious. He tells me yes. So I told him that is a bunch of BS that I never touched the kid. So he has me call the dad but I got his voice mail and left a message. Well I come out of the locker room with my 8th graders and the dad and the kid are in the middle of the gym. I walk up and ask what is going on and he says he is hear to talk to me. I told him that he would have to wait that I was ending class right now. I asked him how he was doing and he says "How the hell do you think I am doing, you put your hands on my son". My 8th graders looked at me and asked what was this guy talking about.

I come back from lunch and try to discuss what is going on and let this dad know I did not "put my hands on his son". He is aggressive in tone of voice and body language from the get go. Every time I tried to talk he keep interrupting me. I finally told him to stop talking and let me explain the situation. He then gets in my face chest to chest and is now yelling at me and cussing me out, all in front of his kid. As he is doing this he is spiting in my face. I did not move and keep telling him he needed to calm down and that I would not have this argument with him. He then puts his arms out to the side and tells me we can end this right now, trying to fight me. I told him that I was going to go get the school officer and he would leave in handcuffs. He keep on cussing me out as I walked away. I found the security officer and had him come and get the parent.

I was then called down to the principle office and she ask if I am okay and if I want to press chargers. To be honest I thought about it but don't really feel like dealing with it down the road and having to go to court etc. Then she tells me that she needs me to come in and discuss the allegations tomorrow morning and that they may put me on admin leave depending on the findings WTF. What happen to having the back of your teachers. My wife said I should contact HR and tell them what happen and that I do not feel safe working there. This guy could have seriously hurt me and should not have been allowed down to my classroom without supervision.

Your thoughts?
 
It is a sad state the schools are in these days.
 
Sounds like you handled it the right way. Sorry you are in the situation to begin with.
 
Tell HR & your union rep that if you even get a blemish or admin leave etc.. that your going to go with filing charges & sue the school for allowing an unescorted parent to roam the school freely.
 
It sounds like you handled it the right way. Good for you for not escalating the situation.

My Mom taught for almost 30 years and retired a few years ago. She saw this all coming with how the Teachers get the shaft, and I'd suggest doing what she started doing. Always take notes, with as much details about what was said (by you and the student) and what was done. Make sure to date all your notes, so that if anything ever comes up, you have proof. I don't know if there is a time stamp app or something like that for your computer for this, but if there is, I'd use that. You have JUST as much of a right to protect yourself as the students do. It's always going to be your word versus theirs, and in todays society, you're not going to "win" without proof.
 
Lawyers. They exist for a reason. Assuming your school is like every school in Iowa, I'm going to guess your 'administrative leave' will be with pay and then you will get your hearing. It's dumb, but that's how it is, especially if its a written procedure that makes it mandatory pending further investigation. Unfortunately, it does nothing to squash the stigma that comes with being put on administrative leave on a baseless accusation.

My wife had a similar situation (although hers did not include an allegation of putting hands on anyone). Parent came in, yelling, swearing, my wife eventually tried to walk away, parent gets physical, other teachers step in as well as the principal. By the next day, the school's lawyer had sent the parent a nice notice that permanently banned her from the school premises. Unfortunately, that does nothing to stop the weekly slander on facebook.

But then, about 2 weeks ago, one of the senior students who actually did not get along with my wife, came up to my wife, and told her that she doesn't know how the school can keep her when all the kids try to run her off by behaving so poorly, told her that she was one of the few teachers at the school who actually cares about teaching the students, and that she was a good teacher. Needless to say, my wife was caught off guard by this, particularly given who was telling it to her.

I'm not a teacher, but the moral of the story is, a person becomes a teacher because every once in a while, someone will thank you for caring about the kids, and that's worth more than the near non-stop barrage of stupid parents and idiot administration and board.

~Rock
 
Agent Jay said:
It sounds like you handled it the right way. Good for you for not escalating the situation.

My Mom taught for almost 30 years and retired a few years ago. She saw this all coming with how the Teachers get the shaft, and I'd suggest doing what she started doing. Always take notes, with as much details about what was said (by you and the student) and what was done. Make sure to date all your notes, so that if anything ever comes up, you have proof. I don't know if there is a time stamp app or something like that for your computer for this, but if there is, I'd use that. You have JUST as much of a right to protect yourself as the students do. It's always going to be your word versus theirs, and in todays society, you're not going to "win" without proof.
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My wife learned this lesson the hard way at a previous school. But listen to what this guy says. Dated notes are your friend.

~Rock
 
Whatever your being paid mate, it ain't enough. I have only the upmost respect for teachers. It's no way a job I could ever do. It totally sucks what your going through, but in this day and age, involving kids, not surprising. As for this guy, he sounds like complete pond scum from your story. And what an example to set to his kid!!! I have a feeling that lad probably isn't gonna amount to much in life. Hopefully everything gets sorted out quickly and satisfactorily. As I said, you have my upmost respect in that profession.
 
Your admins handled that as poorly as possible. I'd be livid too. They should absorb ALL complaints and defend their teachers totally while looking into matters and seeking to discover the truth.
 
That parent should have NEVER been able to get to you without having an administrator present, and even then NEVER in front of kids.
 
When this 8th grader goes to prison when he is 18 I wonder if the dad will blame the schools for lack of discipline.
I think if I was a teacher or a police officer I would require my employer to supply me with a body camera.
 
That sucks man. You'll get it all worked out, but it won't be a fun process.
 
Jman said:
That parent should have NEVER been able to get to you without having an administrator present, and even then NEVER in front of kids.
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1000000000% correct. That is awful leadership at your school. Sorry you're having to deal with this.
 
Careful, teachers will have to start wearing body cameras like in my profession.
 
This is terrible. Hope you get it sorted, parent sounds like a total asshat.
 
sabig27 said:
Careful, teachers will have to start wearing body cameras like in my profession.
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Some schools are already placing cameras and microphones IN classrooms to check on and review teachers. To me, that would be the day I tell big brother to kiss my ass and I'm out of education.
 
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Wow I can not believe that they let a parent come down unsupervised like that. Shame on that parent and the many others for the way they SHOW their children how to act. So many great parents and children out there that get overshadowed by the bad.
 
There is no way that guy should be on campus unless he is in the office with others present. I say press charges and see if the kid changes his story.
 
Stories like this are why I got into Adult Education.
 
I'm sorry to hear this man. I'm sorry but I would have press charges on him. Here in Florida, him putting his finger in your chest is battery and I have no problem pressing charges espically the way he came at you.
 
Sounds like you handled it right and our flawed system will make you the bad guy. Sorry to hear it man.
 
I'm really surprised they were able to just wander onto campus that easily. If I want to go visit my wife, even though her classroom door is right off the parking lot, I still have to go to the main entrance and have them scan my ID and say what I'm doing there etc.

Absolutely press charges. Teachers have little power as it is, don't let some punk dad with an even bigger punk kid think that sort of behavior is tolerated.
 
Good by you with the way you handled it. A shame the school doesn't have ur back on it hopefully it all works out
 
Physical or sexual contact in the work place is a very sensitive subject these days, document as much as you can to protect yourself and good luck with this.
 
wow man, you handled that way different and better than i ever would have, and not just with the father. I probably would have actually laid a hand on the kid because it sounds like his lying ass needs a spanking too.

Hang in there man, at the end of the day i've got to assume your union is going to take care of you. And no matter what, you know you're in the right.
 
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