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Location: Concrete jungle where dreams are made of.
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I teach in a school in the south Bronx where it happens on a regular basis. We have kids with severe autism in general ed classrooms where there's 30 kids and the teacher is alone all day. We had 150 incident reports filed between Sept-Dec of kids attacking the teachers. Us teachers file an incident report and nothing is done.
A kid even kicked the Principal and all she did was send him back to class. Real bad idea. He bit the teacher so had she had to go to the hospital. Our Principal doesn't do a thing about our school-wide discipline problems.
That's definitely a pattern with this family (similar situation with an older child years ago). I do think the more we've given everything she wants, the worse it has gotten. It just seems to add fuel to fire. But still, I'm stumped about how the school would go about proving they've done their part. And it was my understanding that there would not necessarily be a financial outlay for this on the parent's part? I mean, what if it was a parent in poverty who genuinely did need to challenge a district for failure to provide services?
IEP review is tomorrow. I'm eager for it and dreading it all at the same time. Not one of those quick and happy IEPs.
This is exactly why schools need to act in the way they think is right and not just the way they think will avoid litigation. Every time she threatens litigation she gets what she wants. Why would she stop? If the school said fine-litigate it she would have to get a lawyer, and put her money where her mouth is.
I was teaching a lesson and an HFA kid was banging rulers against the desk. My mentor went over to take the rulers from him (imagine a tug o war). After my lesson, I asked her about it and she said, "And to top it off, he threw a pen at me!!!!!" She's funny.
I am hit nearly weekly by middle school kids. It is ridiculous. My school barely does anything about it. Kids should be suspended/expelled. Even if they just verbally threaten a teacher. I think they don't follow much of this procedure because half of our school would be out!
I teach in a school in the south Bronx where it happens on a regular basis. We have kids with severe autism in general ed classrooms where there's 30 kids and the teacher is alone all day. We had 150 incident reports filed between Sept-Dec of kids attacking the teachers. Us teachers file an incident report and nothing is done.
A kid even kicked the Principal and all she did was send him back to class. Real bad idea. He bit the teacher so had she had to go to the hospital. Our Principal doesn't do a thing about our school-wide discipline problems.
Welcome to south Bronx schools lol.
And people wonder why I want to home school.
In this area, it's not only kids hitting adults, it's the kids hitting other kids, and the teacher not doing a damn thing about it.
As far as "teacher's fault", I mean along the lines of "You should have phrased the request differently". He does have an aide. He hits her too. Especially her.
As stated in school policy, "assault on a staff member" is automatic suspension, but admin is leary of enforcing this given the parent's, uh, proclivity towards legal interventions. So, instead, he comes back to class within 10 minutes or so. And the fact does remain that the student is so young and does a hitting 6 year old merit the same consequence as a hitting 12 year old?
I guess at least part of the answer to this question is "Current interventions not working!"
In the case of a parent threatening a lawsuit, I think I'd mandate that the parent attend the class with the disruptive child for a little "observation" and intervention - preferably until the behavior stops. I had a friend whose child was very difficult with his teachers, and that was exactly what she ended up doing. If the parent is working, then perhaps a video "journal" of sorts throughout the day would be in order to show just how disruptive and abusive the child can be. Of course, privacy laws may dictate that this is illegal in your area, so you may have to have someone look further into that. Sometimes parents don't realize just exactly what effect behavior can have on not only their own child, but the children of others. A video may also be an effective deterrent or useful tool of evidence if the school is subsequently sued. Again, it would depend on the FERPA laws in your area.
If the child has a disability which is causative to the hitting, then the child should be removed from the classroom proper and be taught elsewhere in the school and away from the other students. Students who behave themselves ought not to be subjected to the distraction while they are trying to learn. I'm all for intergrating the classroom, but when it comes to the point where the child is so disruptive (and hitting to boot!) that it effects the others, then it's time to remove him or her from the class. That's basic fairness to the other children, and may also get him or her to think about whether he wants to be with his "friends" enough to stop the behavior.
I am hit nearly weekly by middle school kids. It is ridiculous. My school barely does anything about it. Kids should be suspended/expelled. Even if they just verbally threaten a teacher. I think they don't follow much of this procedure because half of our school would be out!
Are you a teacher? If so, and the school does nothing about it, maybe it's time to call the cops and file assault charges.
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I had a friend whose child was very difficult with his teachers, and that was exactly what she ended up doing. If the parent is working, then perhaps a video "journal" of sorts throughout the day would be in order to show just how disruptive and abusive the child can be. Of course, privacy laws may dictate that this is illegal in your area, so you may have to have someone look further into that. Sometimes parents don't realize just exactly what effect behavior can have on not only their own child, but the children of others. A video may also be an effective deterrent or useful tool of evidence if the school is subsequently sued. 
Again, it would depend on the FERPA laws in your area. 
If so, and the school does nothing about it, maybe it's time to call the cops and file assault charges.
