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

[Anonymous]

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?

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

ZERO abuse from students should be tolerated. Zero.

[Anonymous]

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

[Anonymous]

Not normal in our building. We have some students who have anger and behavioral issues and have had some incidents, but they aren't "tolerated". Admin and security do all they can. But some things don't get "punished" the way I'm sure many people might think they should be because of the student circumstances. The reality is that our society doesn't really have a process to handle students who are mentally ill or have serious behavior issues when the parents refuse to acknowledge them.

Now, abuse from parents (entitlement over grades) ... Fortunately, our administration is very supportive, provided that the teacher has been properly following policies and has documented communications.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Just wow. How can anyone learn? Or teach??

[Anonymous]

HS for the post above.

[Anonymous]

Wow OP. Your principal sounds awful. That's not the experience at our school at all.

[Anonymous]

At my school teachers are not allowed to intervene in physical fights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my school teachers are not allowed to intervene in physical fights.

That would be physical intervention...

[Anonymous]

HS:
Students come to school high as a kite, around 1:00 in the afternoon. Nothing is done.
Students have parent notes "please excuse so-and-so for being late today," no reason and students have 20+ of them per quarter with no consequences.
Parent demands to know why I "gave so-and-so a B" when they worked so hard. I explain that so-and-so earned a B, parent complains to AP and P and I am told to change the grade.
ES - student throwing chairs, scissors, staplers, books, even a desk once, multiple times a week (well, 3 times in 2 weeks). We evacuate the classroom, kids are afraid, I am afraid, but parents say we have to be nicer to their child (denile!) and administrator says we need to collect more data.

I could go on and on. There are no consequences for anything at schools right now. The students are in charge, the Administrators have to backbone and central office is a joke. Oh, and BTW, don't complain to much, it you will find yourself involuntarily transferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HS:
Students come to school high as a kite, around 1:00 in the afternoon. Nothing is done.
Students have parent notes "please excuse so-and-so for being late today," no reason and students have 20+ of them per quarter with no consequences.
Parent demands to know why I "gave so-and-so a B" when they worked so hard. I explain that so-and-so earned a B, parent complains to AP and P and I am told to change the grade.
ES - student throwing chairs, scissors, staplers, books, even a desk once, multiple times a week (well, 3 times in 2 weeks). We evacuate the classroom, kids are afraid, I am afraid, but parents say we have to be nicer to their child (denile!) and administrator says we need to collect more data.

I could go on and on. There are no consequences for anything at schools right now. The students are in charge, the Administrators have to backbone and central office is a joke. Oh, and BTW, don't complain to much, it you will find yourself involuntarily transferred.

OMG. I’m so sorry. Which county?

[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

Welcome to any Title 1 or Focus school in MCPS. It sucks and is emotionally draining.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

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.