My child’s teacher recently got DUI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
If I have reason to believe my kid’s teacher is an alcoholic and drinking during the school day (my kid suspected and then we googled her and found a recent DUI arrest), then who do we tell? I don’t think this woman is stable and don’t want to be associated personally with making the report. Is there someone I can call without revealing my name? I don’t think she’s fit to teach. Thanks.

Not your place. And school is over.

Wait, how could this be not her place? The teacher is suspected of drinking during the school day.

It is not her place. The end.

It’s not my place to report that my kid’s teacher likely drinks during the school day? That seems odd to me. We’re a community—she’s not my iid’s teacher anymore so it’s not my problem? To hell with all those other people’s kids? If a background check did turn this up, would anything happen regarding her employment?

Correct, it is not your place to report a rumor about a professional. The DUI will come up in a background check. But you want to gossip. In fact, you seem he’ll-bent on it. Why?

I agree that you would be reporting on something that is a rumor you heard from your child. Have you smelled alcohol on the teacher? A teacher does not work in a vacuum. If she or he has been drinking during the day other teachers would’ve smelled it on him or her. I find it difficult to believe that they could get away with that.

I had a colleague who was urged to sign out and go to EAP immediately. He took sick leave, got treatment, and returned in 9 weeks. He wasn’t intoxicated at school, but hair of the dog every morning then getting drunk as soon as he got home. Stress of teaching algebra to 7th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A background check won't turn up a DUI will it unless it's a felony, which happens after 3 or more.

Background checks usually don't show anything pending or misdemeanors.

Here we go again. MCPS does not do background checks. They (the private fingerprinting place) disentangle her prints to NCIC at the time of her employment. Normally DUI defendants are not fingerprinted.

Why don’t they care about DUI misdemeanors? Teachers do drive kids on occasion, and it’s evidence of very poor judgement. I’d want that to be a factor in the hiring or recertification of my kids’ teachers.

Please bring this up at a Board of Education meeting. There have also been instances of teachers showing signs of extreme intoxication at public concerts, even being filmed by students, and the administration seems to turn a blind eye to this as well. I have discussed this with some young teachers, and some actually think that they have a "right" to be publicly intoxicated. The principals' hands are tied if Central Office doesn't develop a policy about this.

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A background check won't turn up a DUI will it unless it's a felony, which happens after 3 or more.

Background checks usually don't show anything pending or misdemeanors.

Here we go again. MCPS does not do background checks. They (the private fingerprinting place) disentangle her prints to NCIC at the time of her employment. Normally DUI defendants are not fingerprinted.

Why don’t they care about DUI misdemeanors? Teachers do drive kids on occasion, and it’s evidence of very poor judgement. I’d want that to be a factor in the hiring or recertification of my kids’ teachers.

Please bring this up at a Board of Education meeting. There have also been instances of teachers showing signs of extreme intoxication at public concerts, even being filmed by students, and the administration seems to turn a blind eye to this as well. I have discussed this with some young teachers, and some actually think that they have a "right" to be publicly intoxicated. The principals' hands are tied if Central Office doesn't develop a policy about this.

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

Is it a good idea if students see you and you're their guidance counselor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

Is it a good idea if students see you and you're their guidance counselor?

DP. There's a meaningful difference between "not a good idea" and "not allowed", in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

Is it a good idea if students see you and you're their guidance counselor?

DP. There's a meaningful difference between "not a good idea" and "not allowed", in my opinion.

You're right that there is a difference. In this case, I would see drunkenness at a concert that has high schoolers in attendance as an act that "undermines the employee’s professional integrity," particularly for a high school teacher or guidance counselor. At your brother's wedding, drink all you want! (Quote from Employee Code of Conduct, p. 3).

I don't want to discourage teachers from having a life. Just be aware that you are a role model for young people in the community.

[Anonymous]

This is why a DUI should be a major red flag —if it’s recent, especially. This teacher’s DUI was THIS school year. Anyone know who I’d contact on BOE? I feel like it will go into a no man’s land if I cc “all.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

Is it a good idea if students see you and you're their guidance counselor?

DP. There's a meaningful difference between "not a good idea" and "not allowed", in my opinion.

You're right that there is a difference. In this case, I would see drunkenness at a concert that has high schoolers in attendance as an act that "undermines the employee’s professional integrity," particularly for a high school teacher or guidance counselor. At your brother's wedding, drink all you want! (Quote from Employee Code of Conduct, p. 3).

I don't want to discourage teachers from having a life. Just be aware that you are a role model for young people in the community.

I’m sure you feel the same way about your child’s doctors, sports coaches and adult friends of your family, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You're right that there is a difference. In this case, I would see drunkenness at a concert that has high schoolers in attendance as an act that "undermines the employee’s professional integrity," particularly for a high school teacher or guidance counselor. At your brother's wedding, drink all you want! (Quote from Employee Code of Conduct, p. 3).

I don't want to discourage teachers from having a life. Just be aware that you are a role model for young people in the community.

Generic high-schoolers, or specifically high-schoolers from the teacher's/guidance counselor's high school? It's not like you can determine whether a person at a concert is a teacher or guidance counselor just by looking at them. You might say, "But social media!" but social media is a separate issue.

[Anonymous]

If you’re an adult you should be an adult, period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re an adult you should be an adult, period.

I don't know any adult who is role-model material 24/7. As a parent, it is very liberating for me to have times set-aside to just not be so much of an adult for a few hours. I could see a concert as that kind of event for someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A background check won't turn up a DUI will it unless it's a felony, which happens after 3 or more.

Background checks usually don't show anything pending or misdemeanors.

Here we go again. MCPS does not do background checks. They (the private fingerprinting place) disentangle her prints to NCIC at the time of her employment. Normally DUI defendants are not fingerprinted.

Why don’t they care about DUI misdemeanors? Teachers do drive kids on occasion, and it’s evidence of very poor judgement. I’d want that to be a factor in the hiring or recertification of my kids’ teachers.

Please bring this up at a Board of Education meeting. There have also been instances of teachers showing signs of extreme intoxication at public concerts, even being filmed by students, and the administration seems to turn a blind eye to this as well. I have discussed this with some young teachers, and some actually think that they have a "right" to be publicly intoxicated. The principals' hands are tied if Central Office doesn't develop a policy about this.

Are you talking about school events or what teachers do in their private time? Of course no one should be drunk at school events but there’s no way I’m going to accept anyone policing what I do on my own time. I am allowed to be drunk at a concert that has nothing to do with my job.

Are you a young teacher??? Not a good idea if you want to stay employed.

[Anonymous]

Extreme intoxication followed by an uber home is worlds different than driving drunk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re an adult you should be an adult, period.

I don't know any adult who is role-model material 24/7. As a parent, it is very liberating for me to have times set-aside to just not be so much of an adult for a few hours. I could see a concert as that kind of event for someone.

Well if you’re an educator that’s not an option. You never know when you’ll see a student or heir parents. Blow off steam at a private party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re an adult you should be an adult, period.

Getting drunk is a thing that adults do. Not all adults (including me; I don't), but some adults. Now, you could say that adults who get drunk aren't really adults, but that's the "no true Scotsman" fallacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi,
If I have reason to believe my kid’s teacher is an alcoholic and drinking during the school day (my kid suspected and then we googled her and found a recent DUI arrest), then who do we tell? I don’t think this woman is stable and don’t want to be associated personally with making the report. Is there someone I can call without revealing my name? I don’t think she’s fit to teach. Thanks.

No one really my DS 5TH grade Teacher was arrested for drunk in public last year and she didn't talk about it..