St. Lucie teacher has students vote on whether 5-year-old can stay in class

[jundp 191]

I agree that what this teacher did was wrong, common sense would tell you that.

However. I also feel that the schools often ask too much of teachers in terms of dealing with children with "issues". One of the things that turned me off of teaching here is having to deal with all of the IEPs, etc. I guess you can have some great teachers who can be masters at their subject *and* be able to deal with psychological problems and everything else, but I know I wasn't one of them. I wanted to teach, not to diagnose and manage psychological issues.

ETA: I don't mean to imply that an IEP means psychological issues. Two unrelated things to deal with.

This is why so many really good teachers are leaving the profession.

Unfortunately, yes it's true.

[jundp 191]

So what happens when parents fail though? They don't even get a slap on the wrist. Then it is all about rights and their constitutionally protected choices.

But when it comes to teachers it is a whole different story. It all becomes apparently part of their job. They are accountable for everything. From what the kid eats to what a kid says. The best I heard the other day was that apparently teachers only give homework to kids because they are not good at their job. This is from an actual dumb ### parent.

Kids in the third grade bring in weapons to kill the teacher yet absolutely no light is shined on their pathetic loser parents. Being a teacher in 2008 is probably one of the hardest, most undervalued and underpaid jobs out there.

It IS a part of their job. I'm a teacher, though higher levels, but we are trained to deal with emotional issues and to understand and recognize child abuse. So yes, the teacher is accountable. What she did is contrary to EVERYTHING we should do as teachers. This isn't a teacher giving too much homework. This is a teacher, A KINDERGARTEN teacher, leading her students in what is essentially a mob-mentality act of discrimination against a small boy with disabilities. That is unaccetpable and she should be held responsible.

I'll be the first to admit that teachers are undervalued and underpaid...if they are good at their jobs. But just because one is a teacher doesn't automatically make them better than others. I've met plenty of ####### teachers in my years in the profession. And I've met some brilliant ones as well.

If this teacher had been aware of the boys disabilities (which she was) (and btw, teachers are required to know this if there are tests taking place) then her actions are even more disgustng.

She should be fired. What she did is inexcusable.

Best.post.ever.

Thank you.

And Alhamdulillah, I understand that a school counselor misdiagnosed your child with ADHD, but the truth is that school counselors make initial suggestions and then refer the child for more testing and to doctors. It's the parents' ultimate choice to continue or not. Regardless, because you had a bad experience doesn't mean that all teachers/counselors are bad.

And I have to keep stressing this: IT IS A PART OF OUR JOBS TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF LEARNING DISABILITY OR OTHER DISABILITIES. We do know this going into the profession. Over the years there have been times when I've recommended that a child be tested and only once did it turn out wrong. That doesn't mean that I am the shiznit, just that I understand my job and take my role seriously. As do many, many, many good teachers.

The whole point of the of the OP is that the teacher was WRONG. You do NOT use humiliation on children like this. I'm sorry, but my professional opinion (and my maternal one) stands. It's wrong. It teaches the wrong lessons to all involved.

[Alhamdulillah 0]

We will just have to agree to disagree