How would you handle this teacher-student incident?

[joesteph]

This is the online version of the newspaper:

http://monroe360.com/view/full_story/7603636/article-Aberdeen-teacher-dismissed-after-roughhousing-with-student?instance=home_news_1st_left

It's Aberdeen, MS. I think the teacher's not much older than his students.

[Jeffrey]

That's a tough call without knowing all the facts. But I will say how times have changed.

[joesteph]

From what I've observed in the video, the teacher was young, and that means a limit to his experience. If he weren't identified so quickly, I could've mistaken him for one of the students. His mistake was actually one of overfamiliarity, not of aggression, and may rightfully be told exactly where he went wrong, as well as be admonished by the administration in the form of a warning. There was no malice. End it there.

In my psychology class, I'll have a student who has no martial arts in her background stand next to me, and I instruct her, in front of the class, to perform certain basic kata moves. I do each move first, then with her, until we have a few moves together (stand in the ready position, turn to the left with a low block, step forward with a middle punch). Am I teaching martial arts in the classroom? I present this to the class as a lesson in psychology regarding "shaping," which is explained in the textbook, but not in martial arts moves.

BTW, I've been teaching for thirty-five years. That teacher was a gleam in his mother's eye thirty-five years ago.

[sensei8]

There's a reason why horseplaying isn't permitted at school and/or at work; people can get hurt. Therefore, this teacher deserved what the school administration did to him. Imho, there's no reason for a school teacher to ever place their hands on a student in any shape, way, and/or form.

Maybe this teacher will think before he engages in any horseplaying with anybody.

[joesteph]

I'm not disagreeing with how Bob feels about it; I just happen to see it differently. I know the district had to do something, even if the incident hadn't been recorded, but simply reported and verified as true.

Maybe this teacher will think before he engages in any horseplaying with anybody.

Dismissal under such circumstances usually means the offender's teaching career is over. Does anyone think he was made an example of by the school district, which could have taken other actions short of dismissal?

[sensei8]

I'm not disagreeing with how Bob feels about it; I just happen to see it differently. I know the district had to do something, even if the incident hadn't been recorded, but simply reported and verified as true.

Maybe this teacher will think before he engages in any horseplaying with anybody.

Dismissal under such circumstances usually means the offender's teaching career is over. Does anyone think he was made an example of by the school district, which could have taken other actions short of dismissal?

No, I don't think that that teacher was made an example of by the school district, nor do I think that there was another course of action other than termination. What that school district simply did, imho, was nothing more than them enforcing rules/regulations/policies as set forth by that school's administration. The only message that should be sent by that district is this...

Horseplaying/roughhousing isn't permitted, nor is it allowed by anybody, staff and/or students, at any time, and anybody, staff and/or students, that's found to have done so, will be either terminated [staff] or suspended/expelled [students] immediately.

[Patrick]

We don't know all the circumstances, but the video basically portrays a situation that shouldn't happen. It was inappropriate and a lapse in judgment.

The teacher looks like he might be around my age or a bit younger (I'm 25). I don't think age is terribly important here or should be used as an excuse. Like I said, it was a lapse in judgment.

Laspes in judgment and young teachers both were not invented in the last 5-20 years, so I also wouldn't say that times have changed. The main thing that's changed is they are better reported these days. However, what I will say is that I don't think you should treat this like you would treat, for example, some sort of inappropriate sexually motivated conduct.

I don't think that the teacher's career should be over or anything like that, especially if he has a legitimate interest in teaching (something we can't tell from this article). He made a mistake, he should apologize and wait for another chance.

As an aside, I have to say I find it pretty hilarious how the paper/publication calls the videos at the bottom "A Monroe360 Exclusive." This article was posted 5 days ago, according to the article itself. That video they linked to was posted online EIGHT days ago on http://poprockcandymountain.com/. Don't call it exclusive unless it's actually exclusive.

Thanks,

Patrick