Well, now I know what is meant by.....

[Spectre]

saying that in our "justice" system, the criminals have all the rights and the victims, very few....

The court date was today for my assault and I did choose to show up. Now I wonder what good it did me. More than that, I have to wonder if it did me more harm than good. :(

Very little (almost nothing) was said about the offense. No. Instead, an "advocate" from the NAACP showed up and accused me of being insensitive and of singling this student out because he is african-american.

When I calmly replied that the problem was NEVER the student's ethnicity but the fact that he laid hands on a staff member (me) which is forbidden no matter who or what he is, he claimed that had the student been caucasian, I would not have preferred charges. That, I said, was utterly false.

"The boy assaulted me!" I said.

Tactical blunder. You see, I was told, I called the student a "boy," which is a condescending term and shows my bias. It did no good to point out that the student IS a boy (15) and not a man.

It was obvious this "advocate" was blowing smoke and reaching, trying to distract everyone from the real problem, but the gutless juvenile judge sat there and let him go on. The prosecutor said almost nothing either.

I am totally befuddled. Somehow I never thought this might happen, but should have. My NCAE rep, whom I contacted afterward told me they had been told the NAACP was getting involved LAST week and that the school officials knew it too. HOW COME I WASN'T informed???????

I had a gut feeling things were going too well. NCAE also told me that I needed to be "careful" with this because if either I or the NAACP made too big a furor about it and word got out, that no school in our system was going to want to touch me. I have asked for a transfer already, you see.:confused:

Would someone please tell me something....WHO committed the offense here??? I got assaulted and now I am being put on trial.

This week has not been a good one.....

[Oak Tree]

My heart really goes out to you. Just stand strong in the knowledge that you are right. Those people are fools for advocating that a young person should not be held responsible for his actions because of his race. If they had any wisdom what-so-ever they would want and expect the young people they are supposedly advocating for to be expected to act like civilized persons and would want them held accountable when they fail to do so. To start putting into his head that he is not responsible but in fact you, the victim, is responsible is so damaging to that boy's moral wellbeing that they should be imprisoned themselves for child abuse. The worst thing you could do for that child and society is to not press charges.

[Chef Dave]

One wonders what lesson this 15 year old child will have learned from this experience.

Will he walk away knowing that it's wrong to lay hands on a teacher or will he have learned that the "race card" can be used to manipulate the legal system in his favor?

[nandz238]

My heart really goes out to you. Just stand strong in the knowledge that you are right. Those people are fools for advocating that a young person should not be held responsible for his actions because of his race. If they had any wisdom what-so-ever they would want and expect the young people they are supposedly advocating for to be expected to act like civilized persons and would want them held accountable when they fail to do so. To start putting into his head that he is not responsible but in fact you, the victim, is responsible is so damaging to that boy's moral wellbeing that they should be imprisoned themselves for child abuse. The worst thing you could do for that child and society is to not press charges.

I second that opinion... it's ridiculous; I had a discussion with one of my students about 2 months ago, the student left the classroom and he went to school counselor saying that I said some "things" to her. No one asked me for my version but instead they had a "conversation" with me. Recently another student had been playing the "I do whatever I want" game, yelling profanities at me, leaving the classroom etc. etc., and apparently she's trying to follow the example of the first one by accusing me of saying "things" and that I pick on her, same thing happened, I got a visit from one of the school counselors telling me that we were going to have a meeting with the principal, the student and the parents; I submitted my reports and the reports of another teacher that was having the same problem, they said that they were going to take care of it but it's been like a month and nothing, and no meeting either, nothing.

.

[Oak Tree]

I got a visit from one of the school counselors telling me that we were going to have a meeting with the principal, the student and the parents

If you feel like it's going to be four against one in there and the meeting should transpire you should think about calling your union rep. Or at least, if you don't like the way it's going, walk out any time. On the other hand, the principal might know exactly what's going on and pin the student down to the truth. Just don't say anything that can later be used against you. Anyone who hasn't taught in the classroom shouldn't be a counselor.

[Spectre]

Why is it that we, as teachers, so often find ourselves on the defensive when all we want to do is the job we were trained and hired to do? :confused:

For me, this whole affair started when ONE student did not want to follow established procedure (something we had done ALL year, from the start) and when I insisted, pushed me aside and did what they wanted. I asked for administrative and law enforcement support and instead, got blamed for "provoking" the student. Now an "advocate" from the NAACP is trying to evade the entire issue by accusing ME of racism and the juvenile "justice" system sits by and watches. Even the NCAE, supposedly MY advocate, tells me to tread carefully, lest I be branded as a troublemaker. :mad:

Where or where have I transgressed? Where have I violated protocol or procedure? Why am I being treated like the transgressor here?:eek:

All I have done is what I thought I was hired to do....

[Oak Tree]

NAACP

Just keep your head up. Nothing is more important to the 'advancement' of African American youth than education. Obviously, allowing students to push the teacher around is detrimental to that goal. That boy's 'advocate' enjoys seeing you get jacked-up more than he wants him to be educated. I know it's easier said than done but my advice is not to worry about being branded a troublemaker. Just contine to do your best in the classroom.

Is the boy on house arrest now or what? When is the sentencing? I'm pretty surprised such a simple trial could take more than one day.

[Spectre]

Just keep your head up. Nothing is more important to the 'advancement' of African American youth than education. Obviously, allowing students to push the teacher around is detrimental to that goal. That boy's 'advocate' enjoys seeing you get jacked-up more than he wants him to be educated. I know it's easier said than done but my advice is not to worry about being branded a troublemaker. Just contine to do your best in the classroom.

Is the boy on house arrest now or what? When is the sentencing? I'm pretty surprised such a simple trial could take more than one day.

You're right. Education is a way up and a way out for many disadvantaged youth of all races, but the attitude seems to be that if you aspire to be better, then you're wrong. That is what I mean by a culture of low expectations.
Some prosper by keeping black youth down. Sadly, some of those who prosper are black themselves. So long as black youth can be portrayed as victims, they have a "place," an important job...I think that advocate views things that way. If things get better, there is no need for his kind or, at least, less need for them.

So far as I know, the boy is at home. The case is "continued" and I feel there is a decent chance that NOTHING will be done about this incident. Of course, that will send the message, loud and irrefutible, to the other students at our school that it is open season.

We still have 9 weeks of school left and it's gonna be a tough 9 weeks. :(

[busbus]

I am so tired of the racial divide. It stinks!

Putting you on the defense because you are caucasian and this young person is African-American indicates that the NAACP is pitting white against black. How long is this going to continue in this country? When will this country begin to look at FACTS? In this case, the boy - and I say BOY put his hands on you. He broke the rules of the school and violated the law by assaulting you. Breaking school rules and committing a crime has NOTHING to do with race.

Hang in there, Spectre. I hope that the ploy of the NAACP and other advocates do not allow this matter to be swept under the rug and the BOY gets away with this crime.