any lawyers who know this answer?

[Anonymous]

That is awful! I just don't understand why anyone would do that. (And I am a former 5th grade teacher) She should have walked outside herself if she needed some "cooling" off time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP- you are a whack!
I am the OP and it was ten degrees on friday. The 9 year old kids were sent outside and the ones that were trying to grab coats were told "don't you take your coat". They were literally locked out of the trailer that the teacher was inside for 10 minutes.
I am all for outdoor recess- but that is not the issue here AT ALL!

Please tell us which school.

[Anonymous]

if there are trailers I'm guessing it is Lafayette or Janney

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if there are trailers I'm guessing it is Lafayette or Janney

I think Murch has trailers, too.

[Anonymous]

Mann's 4th graders are in a trailer, too.

[Anonymous]

The art classroom at Murch is in a trailer. There have been many complaints about the art teacher there and I bet its Murch.

[Anonymous]

This teacher? http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/34342.page

[Anonymous]

OP, any update here?

If you're not seeing action, I agree with others that contacting the press makes sense. This seems like dirty laundry that should be aired if we want to see progress on getting bad teachers out of DCPS -- particularly if, as PP suggests, this is the same Murch teacher parents have complained about in the past.

I've found Marc Fisher at the Post to be extremely responsive. You might also think about contacting the vultures at Fox 5 news. I could see them making great hay with this -- "Teacher locks children outside on the coldest day of winter!"

I'm not normally someone to go this route, but what you're talking about is pretty egregious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This teacher? http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/34342.page

Sounds like it. Hopefully this will get her fired because it is CRAZY. Has the principal done anything?

[Anonymous]

If it's the teacher most people think it is, I've heard some pretty disturbing stuff from my kid. I've been meaning to talk to the principal about it, but I hadn't realized things had gotten so bad.

[Anonymous]

My goodness, my kids are not at Murch but even I heard about this incident today. Definitely Murch and a specials teacher.

[Anonymous]

What's the role of the office of the school Ombudsman in this type of thing? Anyone have experience in going to them? This is description from DC.gov. Is it for real? (And do they monitor DCUM? I would if I were them...)

Office of the Ombudsman
When to Contact the Ombudsman
You have tried to get a problem or concern addressed by the staff or administrators in your local school, and have not received a response.
You are not sure where to go to get your school question answered.
You feel you have been treated unfairly in your public school.
You don’t understand a public school policy or procedure, or believe the school is unfairly applying a policy or procedure.
You see something good happening in your school or other schools, and want administrators to know about it.
What the Ombudsman will do
Listen to your concerns.
Provide referral information.
Provide a safe and confidential place for you to voice your concerns.
Coordinate informal dispute resolution meetings.
Research and interpret public school policies and procedures.
Coordinate resources from other government and non-public school sources.
Make recommendations for policy changes.
What the Ombudsman will not do
Disclose personal information without your consent.
Take personnel actions.
Testify in legal or administrative proceedings.
Accept complaints that are already in a formal grievance.

[Anonymous]

OP here- Michelle Rhee has been very responsive and I have faith that this teacher will be dealt with and will be gone- she is already off classroom duty and not allowed to be with the kids.

The Principal has not submitted the incident reports she was required to do after this, and has not filed for previous incidents with the same teacher regarding safety concerns and mistreatment concerns.

I am very glad to see the Ombudsman info and wish I had known it earlier, but I think the process will finally work itself out. I am sorry to have had to go to Michelle Rhee directly, but the Principal was not acting in the best interest of the safety of the children, and in the end, that should trump all.

I find it so depressing that Michelle Rhee is portrayed as being "anti- teacher" and not "pro-children". The union contract has got to change to allow poor teachers to be moved out of our schools and away from our children quickly.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Apparently the Ombudsman for DCPS resigned effective 12-22, and when I looked for the link on the DCPS website, the page can not be found.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the update, OP. Glad to hear that Chancellor Rhee has been so responsive.

The follow-up question is obvious, I think: What's she going to do about the principal?