MCPS teachers--what kind of abuse from students goes on in your building?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an MCPS teacher and trying to find out how systemic of an issue this is. Our admin says their hands are tied due to the student code of conduct. We are expected to put up with verbal and physical abuse from students. In my opinion it's because administrators are spineless and don't want their bosses at central office to know what's really going on in their buildings because it reflects poorly on them. MCEA has been useless. What is going on in your building? Is my building an anomaly or the norm in MCPS?

OP,

I could give you scenario after scenario that would make you feel better - at least temporarily - and I'm HS. While I won't go into detail, you can imagine how hardened kids get once they hit middle and high school. Many are also dangerous.

I'll share this one story, however, b/c it's one of my successes. I had a transfer from a PG alternative. He made my skin crawl. He was sexually aggressive and violent. After following "protocol" for three months, I finally took matters into my own hands by saying something (I knew his triggers.) that made him threaten me. It wasn't what I said; it was how I said it. So you can imagine how many triggers he had. His threat was so vile that he was out the next day.

The girls in my class (9th grade) were so relieved. I did it for them. I'm no stranger to bad behavior - and I'm also not a pushover. But he exhausted me, as it took almost a semester to get rid of him.

We can blame the Code of (mis)Conduct for our current (hopeless) situation. And the union is a joke. If you want to get anything done, work on mobilizing your colleagues. Collect data (observational, no tone!!!!) and log EVERYTHING into the comm log. There's power and safety in numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In ES would be the time when so many special needs are identified. So it surprises me to hear that you can’t bring them up for EMTs. Sounds like a bad principal.

It takes forever to collect data, etc in order to have said student identified and then put in another placement.

yes!

especially for ED coding and placement

[Anonymous]

the home school model is part of the problem--they returned kids to home schools instead of alternative placements without providing adequate staffing, which leaves teachers running after eloping kids and doesn't serve anyone.

[Anonymous]

Can I just say I’m so sorry you guys are dealing with this? I can’t imagine facing that in the workplace every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't share what was happening in your school.

Ok, that's fair. Students who yell and curse at you. Students who are allowed by admin to not follow the rules that everyone else has to follow, which causes a domino effect as soon as one doesn't have to follow a rule. Once admin tells them they don't have to follow a rule, then they have zero respect for you as the adult in charge whereas admin comes in to "fix" the problem but then is nowhere to be found once they've created this detrimental dynamic between you and the student. Students who scream directly in your ear when they don't like what you ask for them to do. Students who throw objects at you. Admins who encourage teachers to put themselves between students who are physically fighting. Students who disrupt the learning environment nearly every day for the 20 something other students in the room and we're told to not do anything that will set them off --like complete their assigned work--but we're held responsible when they haven't completed assignments.

These are not students with IEPs or students who are allowed to be brought up for EMTs. Elementary school. -OP

OMG, this is untenable. You should not have to suffer, and what’s worse, the other students suffer. Can you get the other teachers and the union together to organize a sit-out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an MCPS teacher and trying to find out how systemic of an issue this is. Our admin says their hands are tied due to the student code of conduct. We are expected to put up with verbal and physical abuse from students. In my opinion it's because administrators are spineless and don't want their bosses at central office to know what's really going on in their buildings because it reflects poorly on them. MCEA has been useless. What is going on in your building? Is my building an anomaly or the norm in MCPS?

OP,

I could give you scenario after scenario that would make you feel better - at least temporarily - and I'm HS. While I won't go into detail, you can imagine how hardened kids get once they hit middle and high school. Many are also dangerous.

I'll share this one story, however, b/c it's one of my successes. I had a transfer from a PG alternative. He made my skin crawl. He was sexually aggressive and violent. After following "protocol" for three months, I finally took matters into my own hands by saying something (I knew his triggers.) that made him threaten me. It wasn't what I said; it was how I said it. So you can imagine how many triggers he had. His threat was so vile that he was out the next day.

The girls in my class (9th grade) were so relieved. I did it for them. I'm no stranger to bad behavior - and I'm also not a pushover. But he exhausted me, as it took almost a semester to get rid of him.

We can blame the Code of (mis)Conduct for our current (hopeless) situation. And the union is a joke. If you want to get anything done, work on mobilizing your colleagues. Collect data (observational, no tone!!!!) and log EVERYTHING into the comm log. There's power and safety in numbers.

Exactly. And maybe figure out a way for the kids to tell their parents what is going on. I posted back in ‘08 or ‘09 about getting rid of a bad actor in 1st or 2nd grade (thankfully I can’t remember now) but the kid was removed after parents got involved and threatened to call police.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the home school model is part of the problem--they returned kids to home schools instead of alternative placements without providing adequate staffing, which leaves teachers running after eloping kids and doesn't serve anyone.

What are eloping kids?

[Anonymous]

The kids who just take off running

[Anonymous]

Without rules it can be anarchy

[Anonymous]

In my school it was tough to teach because students definitely know that if there is no consequences anything goes. The cause is usually principals want you to give them a grade bump by excusing a full semester of absense and misconduct. In turn student are rewarded and learn think that this behavior is ideal. If you are a new teacher in this schema you will probably not get through your first year successfully, if you address problems in MCPS admin. will likely blame you like you caused these problems that are more systematically in place. Whatever you do don't go to the union for anything. That is the coup de gras for your job at MCPS.

[Anonymous]

At our Focus ES, we have had so many issues. Kids who start fights IN class. Right in front of the teacher. Kids throwing chairs and desks. Definitely kids who run out of the classroom.

Admin is terrible and there are zero meaningful consequences. Just a useless focus on PBIS. And more conferences on how to implement PBIS properly.

We had a 4th grader last year who was acting out constantly. One of the young teachers (well-meaning) asked the other students in the class to actually write a note to this kid because he obviously wasn’t ‘feeling well’.

As a mom with two young teen girls, I was horrified. Are they trying to teach the girls in that class that when your spouse acts out or acts violently, the appropriate response is to make sure he’s feeling okay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't share what was happening in your school.

Ok, that's fair. Students who yell and curse at you. Students who are allowed by admin to not follow the rules that everyone else has to follow, which causes a domino effect as soon as one doesn't have to follow a rule. Once admin tells them they don't have to follow a rule, then they have zero respect for you as the adult in charge whereas admin comes in to "fix" the problem but then is nowhere to be found once they've created this detrimental dynamic between you and the student. Students who scream directly in your ear when they don't like what you ask for them to do. Students who throw objects at you. Admins who encourage teachers to put themselves between students who are physically fighting. Students who disrupt the learning environment nearly every day for the 20 something other students in the room and we're told to not do anything that will set them off --like complete their assigned work--but we're held responsible when they haven't completed assignments.

These are not students with IEPs or students who are allowed to be brought up for EMTs. Elementary school. -OP

OMG, this is untenable. You should not have to suffer, and what’s worse, the other students suffer. Can you get the other teachers and the union together to organize a sit-out?

This happens in so many schools. Ask your kids! Ask whether there were any issues in the classroom today? If you’re willing to listen, I bet your kid will report back on all sorts of horror stories.

Teachers are in a really bad position. Students know that they can get away with terrible behavior. And principals don’t want to acknowledge anything that reflects poorly on the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't share what was happening in your school.

Ok, that's fair. Students who yell and curse at you. Students who are allowed by admin to not follow the rules that everyone else has to follow, which causes a domino effect as soon as one doesn't have to follow a rule. Once admin tells them they don't have to follow a rule, then they have zero respect for you as the adult in charge whereas admin comes in to "fix" the problem but then is nowhere to be found once they've created this detrimental dynamic between you and the student. Students who scream directly in your ear when they don't like what you ask for them to do. Students who throw objects at you. Admins who encourage teachers to put themselves between students who are physically fighting. Students who disrupt the learning environment nearly every day for the 20 something other students in the room and we're told to not do anything that will set them off --like complete their assigned work--but we're held responsible when they haven't completed assignments.

These are not students with IEPs or students who are allowed to be brought up for EMTs. Elementary school. -OP

OMG, this is untenable. You should not have to suffer, and what’s worse, the other students suffer. Can you get the other teachers and the union together to organize a sit-out?

The union is worthless. They will pretend like they are interested in hearing about it, but then will turn right around and tell your admin who talked to them. Then it's game over. There are always martyr teachers in the building who believe that they are betraying their students if they put their own safety and needs first, so not all teachers in the building would go along with a sit out or something of that nature. Then it creates a huge divide in the school and those people are praised while the others get labeled with being selfish and not caring enough about the students. -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't share what was happening in your school.

Ok, that's fair. Students who yell and curse at you. Students who are allowed by admin to not follow the rules that everyone else has to follow, which causes a domino effect as soon as one doesn't have to follow a rule. Once admin tells them they don't have to follow a rule, then they have zero respect for you as the adult in charge whereas admin comes in to "fix" the problem but then is nowhere to be found once they've created this detrimental dynamic between you and the student. Students who scream directly in your ear when they don't like what you ask for them to do. Students who throw objects at you. Admins who encourage teachers to put themselves between students who are physically fighting. Students who disrupt the learning environment nearly every day for the 20 something other students in the room and we're told to not do anything that will set them off --like complete their assigned work--but we're held responsible when they haven't completed assignments.

These are not students with IEPs or students who are allowed to be brought up for EMTs. Elementary school. -OP

OMG, this is untenable. You should not have to suffer, and what’s worse, the other students suffer. Can you get the other teachers and the union together to organize a sit-out?

This happens in so many schools. Ask your kids! Ask whether there were any issues in the classroom today? If you’re willing to listen, I bet your kid will report back on all sorts of horror stories.

Teachers are in a really bad position. Students know that they can get away with terrible behavior. And principals don’t want to acknowledge anything that reflects poorly on the school.

This is it in a nutshell. Especially princials not wanting to acknowledge anything that would reflect poorly on their school, because then they have to be held accountable for it. So many spineless administrators currently in school buildings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't share what was happening in your school.

Ok, that's fair. Students who yell and curse at you. Students who are allowed by admin to not follow the rules that everyone else has to follow, which causes a domino effect as soon as one doesn't have to follow a rule. Once admin tells them they don't have to follow a rule, then they have zero respect for you as the adult in charge whereas admin comes in to "fix" the problem but then is nowhere to be found once they've created this detrimental dynamic between you and the student. Students who scream directly in your ear when they don't like what you ask for them to do. Students who throw objects at you. Admins who encourage teachers to put themselves between students who are physically fighting. Students who disrupt the learning environment nearly every day for the 20 something other students in the room and we're told to not do anything that will set them off --like complete their assigned work--but we're held responsible when they haven't completed assignments.

These are not students with IEPs or students who are allowed to be brought up for EMTs. Elementary school. -OP

OMG, this is untenable. You should not have to suffer, and what’s worse, the other students suffer. Can you get the other teachers and the union together to organize a sit-out?

This happens in so many schools. Ask your kids! Ask whether there were any issues in the classroom today? If you’re willing to listen, I bet your kid will report back on all sorts of horror stories.

Teachers are in a really bad position. Students know that they can get away with terrible behavior. And principals don’t want to acknowledge anything that reflects poorly on the school.

This is it in a nutshell. Especially princials not wanting to acknowledge anything that would reflect poorly on their school, because then they have to be held accountable for it. So many spineless administrators currently in school buildings.

Honestly, the biggest issue is the parents. The parents of troublemakers and bullies who don't want to accept any kind of responsibility or who refuse to admit that their child is a problem. I've seen entitled or ignorant parents fight with administrators to keep their kid in a classroom where the child has clearly have been violent or disruptive.