Do School Administrators Really Handle Discipline Problems? The Truth is They Don’t
The shooting of a teacher in Virginia by a six-year-old student was shocking and horrible. The fact that the administration knew of his behavioral problems, were told by several teachers that he had a gun that day, and chose not to act is even more horrendous. The shooting was the latest in a series of behavioral problems with this boy.
Cursing at teachers, whipping other students with his belt, threatening to beat up a kindergarten student — all these incidents were relayed to administrators. They were even aware that at his old school the boy put another teacher in a chokehold until she couldn’t breathe. Fortunately, a teaching assistant was able to pull the boy off of the teacher. This was documented by both the teacher and the assistant and sent to administration. They chose to deal with this incident by simply moving the boy to another school. The teacher at the new school whose class he entered — the teacher he shot — was never notified of the choking incident that took place at the boy’s old school.
To this day the teacher who was choked fears retaliation from the school district for having reported the incident. Retaliation? For being choked by a student and almost dying? Unbelievable!
The dangerous problem of administrators not taking much-needed action against a violent student is more common than anyone knows. Ask any teacher. Ask me. I was a teacher for thirty-four years and I can tell stories that are frightening and true.
I’ve met with teachers who have gone to administration for help concerning a violent student and who have gotten no help whatsoever. Teachers who were struck, shoved hard enough to fall, teachers who were kicked or gotten a black eye.
I know of teachers who have left the profession rather than work in fear. A friend of mine, a third grade teacher, took to wearing her daughter’s soccer shin guards on her forearms because of one student in her class with a proclivity to bite. Report after report to the principal were exercises in futility. Finally, after having been sent to the hospital for an infected bite, she took early retirement. Education lost a wonderful teacher, but she gained back her life.
According to a government study on school crime and safety, 10 percent of public school teachers reported being threatened with injury by a student from their school and 6 percent reported being physically attacked by a student from their school.
Why aren’t administrations protecting their teachers? One issue is the legal climate surrounding the schools and it is a very real problem. More than 60 percent of principals surveyed said they had been threatened with a legal challenge from parents of students if administration had their child removed from the classroom or expelled due to violent behavior. They are more afraid of a legal suit than in protecting teachers and that is a sad commentary on their leadership.
“I’ve avoided disciplinary actions against students I know have a tendency for violence simply to avoid a lawsuit,” said one principal I interviewed who requested anonymity. “The parents and the students seem to be in charge of what can be done. I feel as if I should apologize to my staff of educators but my hands are tied. There’s nothing I can do.”
Yet something has to be done. Teachers should not have to start their day with fear. Parents need to understand that if their child acts in a violent or threatening manner he, she, or they will be removed from the school. The safety of the staff and of other students has to be the primary consideration. A lawsuit filed by a parent to allow their violent child to remain in school should be tossed by any judge.
Speaking of lawsuits, Abby Zwerner, the teacher who was shot, has filed one of her own against the administration of her school and the district’s Board of Education. Perhaps once educators fight back to reclaim a classroom and a school where violence is not tolerated, education will become what it is supposed to be — a place of learning and respect.
© copyright 2023 Kristen Houghton all rights reserved
