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Sunday, March 10, 2019

My students know they’re in charge — and there's nothing I can do

In my school, law and order have gone the way of the slide rule.

I am a math teacher at a middle school in Flushing, Queens, and two months ago, I was helping one of my students work out an arithmetic problem when he called me a “f–kin’ asshole.” When I asked for an apology, he shoved a chair at me and stormed out.

Five minutes later, an administrator brought the student back to class. She informed me that she had called his parents and that he could return.

And what did I do? I went on teaching.

In my 20 years working for the Board of Ed, I’ve never seen such a disregard for the rules — and human decency — as I’m seeing now.

Smoke weed on campus? Grab your fellow student’s breast? Tell your teacher to f–k off? You just earned yourself an in-house suspension — also known as a hang-out-with-your-phone-in-an-empty-classroom day.

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31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not at all any different than what is Wicomico County schools. When will it end.

Anonymous said...

This is so very true. I tell my son all the time they have no respect for themselves nor anybody else. It is hard being a parent trying to raise your kids to do the right thing when this is the normal anymore and there is nothing the teachers can do about it. Until teachers are given the right to be teachers with authority again and we stop trying to worry about feelings getting hurt our society is going to continue to go down hill. Part of being an adult and being in the real world is things don't always go your way and you don't get a participation trophy for showing up to work. Get over it do your best next time and move on.

Anonymous said...

Same thing here at parkside.

Anonymous said...

We had some of the identical problems in the 50's.Some of the problem students turned out well and some did not.Pretty much like it is today.

Anonymous said...

AHHHH. Poor thing. You sold your soul to the Union for the last 20 years for more money. For USELESS tenure teacher's. For changing the curriculum to SOCIAL SOCIETY issues promoting GAY, transgender, and racial tolerance. LIVE WITH IT. WE HAVE TOO!!

Anonymous said...

This is why so many teachers are quitting. And the replacements don't really care to teach. It's a job for them. A paycheck and summers off.

Anonymous said...

ITS BUllshit the way things are now, that's why kids have no respect for teahers are anybody else.. they need discipline... sorry but a good ass whipping goes along way in keeping them inline... Digracefull, but that's what our schools have become thanks to liberal policys…. when prayer was in school things were a lot better and the kids learned , now they don't teach them anything about American history ..its all global bullshit!! home school is the best!!

Anonymous said...

How they can get teachers (at least good, qualified teachers) is way beyond me. Whatever they are paid, it's not enough! All that money spent or owed to go to college to become teachers to put up with these uncivilized punks. They used to be expelled for a whole lot less than that.........not suspended or inhouse suspension.....what a joke. No need to notify their parents, they are the biggest reason they are like they are. It's a damn shame and it's no wonder they get out of school unable to fill out a job application.....not that they want a job anyway. They are scrapping the bottom of the barrel for teachers because this is no longer a prestigious, appreciated job. What a shame it has come to this but it will only get worse because I don;t think you could rein them in now.

Anonymous said...

What do you expect moron, these are the same stupid kids who do the tide pod challenge and now the blind bird or drive while you can;'t fucking see challenge, and you can't seem to understand why kids act the way they do??? it is drugs, the media and the govt, and now common core... You wanted it, you got it now shut the fuck up over it... We told you this is not what you want, but per usual you know it all and demonized the ones like me who really does know enough about it that I tried to warn you, oh but you know all so much better right??? That is why I get to tell every single one of you every day, that I told you so... Because I am always right!!! Always when it comes to the govt and the things they will do or say... A stupid blind and deaf monkey could figure it out... Why can't you?

What do you expect, when you are asked what is 2 + 2 and you draw a circle and square or little lines, does that answer your question?????

Anonymous said...

I was an in-school-suspension teacher at one of the local high schools and loved my job! My theory was that you were in my class as punishment not reward. Your cell phone was confiscated as soon as you walked through the door. If you didn't have any assignment from your classes, I gave you one. You did not speak unless you were given permission. There was at least two seats between students depending on the size of the class. Bottom line, I was not disrespectful of any child, I was doing my job. Kids hated me and I didn't care. Word soon spread that you didn't want to be sent for in-school-suspension because Mr. so and so is an ass-ole! Attendance to my class dropped 18% in the first year!

Anonymous said...

Same is happening in Wicomico County Public Schools. Thank the Department of Justice and the Obama Administration

Anonymous said...

BOE and NEA. That's the result of their policies. All the BOE wants is taxpayers money and PC policy. All the NEA wants is lifetime employment, regardless of merit, and the everlasting mantra that they would do better if you just give the teachers more money. Rabid PC, unionized, tax and spend, liberal, democrats. That's what you get. If that shoe doesn't fit, you're not a teacher or an administrator.

Anonymous said...

Nothing like it is today 8:59, you most be living in a box

Wolf Dog said...

Unions are not the problem sbj, it's the parents. Parents send the kids to school & hope the teachers do their job. How's that working. You have some real issues that need to be checked out. Seems any problems the government or public sector has is always Union related.

Anonymous said...

How did you get so smart 10:02

Anonymous said...

Now do you understand why SOOOOO many want school vouchers?? When we all grew up we had the gifted , smarter, smart, and special classes. The ones who were beyond any help were sent to reform or detention schools. These were the ones who EVERYONE knew were going to JAIL within 3 years of 18. Today they let them in the entire system. But yet you got a raise every 4 years. Now you want to bitch?? No, no, no. YOU AND ONLY YOU ARECTO BLAME!!

Anonymous said...

You know what they say??

THOSE THAT CAN DO-DO. THOSE THAT CAN'T-TEACH!!

Anonymous said...

Obviously you don't know. The Union's control EVERYTHING. It sets the tone for all school systems because the school board members are also members. They are mostly all democrat and support the ASININE democrat agenda. Pretty smart actually to indoctrinate children from 1st grade to college graduate. Why do you think the kids today LOVE socialism?? GAYS?? Transgender?? I'm not a male or female. I'm X gender BULLSHIT. ITS ALWAYS HAVE BEEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE UNION'S!!!

Anonymous said...

NO. They let this happen because they were getting raises. Now they created this MONSTER but act like they NEVER seen it coming BS. When I was in college every woman getting a teaching degree was there for one thing. A HUSBAND.

Anonymous said...

6:49- and those that can't teach become cops.

Anonymous said...

9:04-you can't even write in cogent, complete sentences. You would not last one class period in the count schools.

Anonymous said...

HAHAHA.6: 55 you really should practice what you preach.

It's: You can't even write in a cogent complete sentence. Wow I bet your a teacher. LMAO

Wolf Dog said...

6:17 In 1983 Union membership was 20.1% of the American work force. In 2013 membership had dropped to 11.3%. Could someone please tell me how 11.3% of middle class workers are actually controlling EVERYTHING? Such a ridiculous statement.

Anonymous said...

I know a local teacher who had problems with black students and complained to the principal and was told to deal with it. She said the way they talked to her was filthy. If she sent a letter home with the student, his mother was in there the next day having a cussing fit. Her son/ daughter "din do nuffin wrong". "My son/daughter said so." "You doing it cause dey black." And if provided proof, she accused them of saying she was lying. Also claimed their son/daughter would never lie to them. Of course the principal let them win and the kids go back to class with a big smile on their face and fist bump the other students after telling them how they made the teacher look like shi-. Which only made them worse. She ended up quitting and going to a private school and has not had any more trouble. Because the blacks cannot afford to send them there to disrupt those schools. She said she was afraid she would have a nervous breakdown if she stayed around all of that garbage. Pitiful.

Anonymous said...

@ March 8,2019 at 8:14 AM. Because she not know how talk right. Naw I'm saying? Must have looked all through the dictionary to find that word, cogent.

Anonymous said...

Money.

Anonymous said...

TRUTH. This article describes exactly what happens in our school every day. Do not allow them to deceive you. This is happening right now in Wicomico schools. The feral students are in control and infringing on the education of the student's who want to learn. We are killing a generation of children by catering to the degenerates.

Anonymous said...

That is why a lot of teachers have left the union. They voted for Obamacare and cried when the insurance went up while coverage declined. Hello..? You are educated people. What did you think was going to happen? The Union supports our very demise and works against our constitutional rights.
Obama & DOJ have done more to destroy public education than anything in my 2+ decades in education. They have undermined teaches and allowed the inmates to run the institution. The good students are being victimized by the riffraff. If you love your child, get them out of public education anyway that you can. ~ A Wico Teacher

Anonymous said...

So True. This is an accurate description of the situation. I know first hand.

Anonymous said...

So True. This is an accurate description of the situation. I know first hand.

Anonymous said...

Then every single teacher needs to stop showing up and tell the school they will come back after the school has fixed the problem. When I was in school, we were not allowed to such as that. Plus parents did not act up when they went in to talk to the Principal about their disruptive student.