FL students in ESE not responsible for behavior....legal action required.

[madfloridian]

This was starting before I retired. I never understood the rational behind it. It even included students in regular classes. A student in an adjoining room, a 3rd grader, twisted her teacher's arm behind her. The kids came for me, and we pulled her off. The office no longer considered itself the disciplinary arm of the school...we had to call the police and have the teacher taken to the hospital.

What is going on here? Why? Here is a letter to the editor from a Special Ed teacher. Remember now that our county is in total control of Republicans now....no input in things like this from Democrats.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050329/NEWS/503290347/1037/edit

ESE -- Rights in Conflict

SNIP..."I am a paraprofessional in a self-contained ESE unit with a Polk County middle school. I would like to warn parents that there are some changes taking place that may involve their children. If a student is labeled ESE (Exceptional Student Education) there will no longer be any consequences for their actions. They will be able to bring a knife to school, hit a teacher, student, or staff member, cuss us up one side and down the other and throw things at us and there are no consequences, since it is a violation of their civil rights. So what about our civil rights?

What is going to happen is the people who have made these changes are forcing us to file criminal charges against these students in order to protect ourselves. I would love for the people who file these petitions to come and work with me for a month, not just one day. I will bet they would think twice about their actions and how they feel.

I hope that the School Board and our new superintendent will stand up for their employees and help us. Also help these children realize that there are consequences to their actions and they do have choices...."

[brokensymmetry]

1. The educational system is in meltdown.

From bottom to top. Including at the University level - i.e., the large, public, state funded Universities.

A large percentage - I would argue that it is a substantial majority - of the students at the university level lack basic competencies. Not least of which is how to conduct themselves in the classroom.

If these United States make it another 20 years, I shall be surprised. Truly.

[realisticphish]

3. i challenge your assertion about the university level

after two years at said level, I have seen nothing but respectful, studious behavior in the classroom, and intelligent people filling the seats. and "basic competencies" is rather a misnomer for the college level. I lack "basic competency" in fluid dynamics, but who cares, since I am a psychology major.

[brokensymmetry]

4. Really?

I'm delighted you've had that positive experience.

Please understand that my sample extends over thousands of students, dealt with over a decade.

Some students are bright, capable, hard-working...all the positive attributes one hopes for. Many are the diametric opposite.

The basic competence I refer to has nothing to do with fluid dynamics or calculus. No, the problem is with such things as simple algebra, writing a coherent sentence, or using fractions. The less capable students are, invariably, badly behaved.

Perhaps the students in Texas, where I am, aren't up to the standards of students in Ohio, where you are. Or, it may be that students within your discipline are above average. Whatever the reason, I can assure you that the ordinary student in a certain Texas university that shall remain nameless is even worse than I have depicted.

[realisticphish]

5. i'm not saying that there isnt some incompetence

i know people that have taken math 040 and still cant pass it, while aspiring to be engineers. and i know people who are assholes in class. im just saying that the majority of students that i've encountered (at a public university) are generally intelligent, well mannered people. i suppose it also depends on what classes are taken. i assume you are/were a prof, so it would beg the question of what classes you taught. remedial math is probably going to have a higher percentage of those without basic knowledge than an advanced stats class.

in any case, no hard feelings, i was just telling what i had experienced :hi:

[brokensymmetry]

6. No hard feelings at all.

As you say, the classes one teaches are an important factor.

I've been a prof. for the last 10 years; in fact, come the fall, it will be 11 years. But if the trends continue, I may start getting serious about finding another career. Any other career. Like driving a truck for Halliburton...in Iraq...while wearing a Rumsfeld fan club T-shirt. (I'm being sarcastic about the truck business, obviously)

The good students - intelligent, engaged, prepared - are a genuine pleasure. They're the ones that you look forward to seeing. The others....well, the less said, the better.

It sounds as if you're one of the good ones. :)

[ChoralScholar]

2. I don't like to touch things like this

but there are still Federal court cases in play that would show the district in the wrong here....

Honig v. Doe (1972) (484 US 305)

In addition, Arkansas has these laws on the books (I'm thinking FL will have similar)

ACA 5-13-202 - Insult or Abuse of a Teacher - 2nd Degree Battery
& Failure to report injury by administration is a Class C Misdemeanor.

ACA 6-18-106 - If a teacher is injured or abused by a student while performing duties as a teacher, there can be a 100-1500 dollar fine per occurrence