Comments on: Some teachers are bullies too http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/ Elona Hartjes shares the insights, resources and practical classroom strategies that have earned her A Teacher of Distinction Award. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:44:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SHARON MULBERRY http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-55944 SHARON MULBERRY Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:00:57 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-55944 EDUCATORS: EDUCATE, BULLIES: HUMILIATE EDUCATORS: EDUCATE, BULLIES: HUMILIATE

]]> By: SHARON MULBERRY http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-55942 SHARON MULBERRY Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:40:05 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-55942 I have endure this same type of behavior from the public school system every since my children have been in school.I have come to find out recently that the school system is gonna cover up malicious by their because it takes between 50.000 to 250.000, so they would rather fight you. currently I'm in the first district in Florida in Tallahassee because i refuse to give up, and i also have contacted The Dept. of Education in Washington. I hope that you all was successful in what you were doing, because Teacher Bullying is a Major Problem in our Public School System. I have endure this same type of behavior from the public school system every since my children have been in school.I have come to find out recently that the school system is gonna cover up malicious by their because it takes between 50.000 to 250.000, so they would rather fight you. currently I’m in the first district in Florida in Tallahassee because i refuse to give up, and i also have contacted The Dept. of Education in Washington. I hope that you all was successful in what you were doing, because Teacher Bullying is a Major Problem in our Public School System.

]]> By: Elona Hartjes http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-19347 Elona Hartjes Wed, 07 May 2008 01:44:45 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-19347 Tanya, There's lots you can do. I can't talk in specifics but let me generalize. Bullying is against the law, at least here in Ontario. Check it out where you live if it isn't Ontario. This is how I see it as a teacher on the inside advocating for parents and students. If the principal is really standing by his staff and that staff member is bully, s/he should get the staff member help with the bullying. That's standing by his staff. Any staff member who bullies needs help. Being a bully is not psychologically healthy either. The principal is there for parents and children. He needs to stand by his students. Without parents and kids, the principal and teachers wouldn't have a job. They are there for you! The principal should be trained to deal with situations like this. Here's what you can do. -document all instances of bullying-that so important -document all meetings between teachers and principals -talk to parents and find out if this teacher has bullied other students thats important- them you have a group- strength in numbers- go as a delegation with all the documentation from different kids- find a parent with those strengths and get organized- parents have joined together to effect result. - take all the documentation and go above the principal's head to the superintendent- ask for a meeting- he's there to help you that's what he's supposed to do- he's there for you and your child - go to the trustee or elected official for the school board- he/she's there to support you and look after your interests since the public elected him/her he's there for you. - go to parents' council- talk to people about issues -they may have ideas or may have inside pull - if students has been identified with learning disability get an LD support organization they can help- any advocates can attend meetings- one takes notice when an advocate comes to the meeting. believe me every -get someone to be at meetings with you - someone who can support you- someone who isn't intimidated by it all - remember all the officials are just people like you and me and they are there to serve you -be a squeeky wheel - check to see if there is an anti-bully organizaton in your area and get in touch and get support -don't give up -don't give up -don't give up. I'm serious. Parents are really powerful. They just don't know it. The system has to pay attention to parents. Tanya,
There’s lots you can do. I can’t talk in specifics but let me generalize.

Bullying is against the law, at least here in Ontario. Check it out where you live if it isn’t Ontario.

This is how I see it as a teacher on the inside advocating for parents and
students.

If the principal is really standing by his staff and that staff member is
bully, s/he should get the staff member help with the bullying. That’s standing by
his staff. Any staff member who bullies needs help. Being a bully is not psychologically healthy either.

The principal is there for parents and children. He needs to stand by his
students. Without parents and kids, the principal and teachers wouldn’t
have a job. They are there for you! The principal should be trained to
deal with situations like this.

Here’s what you can do.

-document all instances of bullying-that so important

-document all meetings between teachers and principals

-talk to parents and find out if this teacher has bullied other students

thats important- them you have a group- strength in numbers- go as a
delegation with all the documentation from different kids- find a parent
with those strengths and get organized- parents have joined together to
effect result.

- take all the documentation and go above the principal’s head to the
superintendent- ask for a meeting- he’s there to help you that’s what he’s
supposed to do- he’s there for you and your child

- go to the trustee or elected official for the school board- he/she’s there
to support you and look after your interests since the public elected
him/her he’s there for you.

- go to parents’ council- talk to people about issues -they may have ideas
or may have inside pull

- if students has been identified with learning disability get an LD
support organization they can help- any advocates can attend meetings- one
takes notice when an advocate comes to the meeting. believe me every

-get someone to be at meetings with you – someone who can support you-
someone who isn’t intimidated by it all – remember all the officials are
just people like you and me and they are there to serve you

-be a squeeky wheel
- check to see if there is an anti-bully organizaton in your area and get in
touch and get support
-don’t give up
-don’t give up
-don’t give up.

I’m serious. Parents are really powerful. They just don’t know it. The
system has to pay attention to parents.

]]> By: Tanya http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-19346 Tanya Wed, 07 May 2008 00:26:15 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-19346 One of my children has experienced this very badly all year from both Teacher who is has no idea how to manage her class room and has resorted to picking on kids for control. I feel she is also punishing him for my coming forth on these concerns. As well the principal who stand behind the staff...she is never there to see the issues. I understand that it must be difficult to handle the classroom and some students may be difficult I am sure mine now who is so frustrated and does not trust these adults is most likely not the perfect child but it is her job which she chose to be an example and a caring role model whom we trust to educate our children We send our children and hope they will excel in a safe and healthy environment. This is not happening what can we as parents do? As mentioned before going to them makes it worse, writing the board produces no response. I am so upset this is the first year I have these issues. The past principal was wonderful and would have NEVER allowed this to go on in his school One of my children has experienced this very badly all year from both Teacher who is has no idea how to manage her class room and has resorted to picking on kids for control. I feel she is also punishing him for my coming forth on these concerns. As well the principal who stand behind the staff…she is never there to see the issues. I understand that it must be difficult to handle the classroom and some students may be difficult I am sure mine now who is so frustrated and does not trust these adults is most likely not the perfect child but it is her job which she chose to be an example and a caring role model whom we trust to educate our children We send our children and hope they will excel in a safe and healthy environment. This is not happening what can we as parents do? As mentioned before going to them makes it worse, writing the board produces no response. I am so upset this is the first year I have these issues. The past principal was wonderful and would have NEVER allowed this to go on in his school

]]> By: Laurie http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-19342 Laurie Sat, 03 May 2008 14:18:43 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-19342 I am currently dealing with a bullying teacher at our school. Our Principal is refusing to believe the kids or the parents. I can't stand to hear the statement "I'm going to have to stand by my teacher" one more time. There has got to be more that we can do as parents to get situations like this taken care of. When the parents have spoken out about the situation, the teacher is covered by the principal, then the bullying has only increased. So in other words, we have just made what is going on in class get worse! What can we do as parents? What kind of example is this showing our kids? Verbal abuse in the classroom is unacceptable. She will even deny a child access to go to the office without telling her why, if she thinks they are going to complain about something she has done. I realize no one is perfect, and no one can say they have handled every situation correctly all the time, but this teacher has some serious issues that need to be addressed. I am currently dealing with a bullying teacher at our school. Our Principal is refusing to believe the kids or the parents. I can’t stand to hear the statement “I’m going to have to stand by my teacher” one more time. There has got to be more that we can do as parents to get situations like this taken care of. When the parents have spoken out about the situation, the teacher is covered by the principal, then the bullying has only increased. So in other words, we have just made what is going on in class get worse! What can we do as parents? What kind of example is this showing our kids? Verbal abuse in the classroom is unacceptable. She will even deny a child access to go to the office without telling her why, if she thinks they are going to complain about something she has done. I realize no one is perfect, and no one can say they have handled every situation correctly all the time, but this teacher has some serious issues that need to be addressed.

]]> By: Julia http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-19337 Julia Fri, 02 May 2008 13:29:21 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-19337 Thank you for giving this podcast on a very sensitive topic. My child has been bullied by more than one teacher at our school -- name calling, humiliation as punishment, etc. He's had a teacher tell him straight out that he's a bully, but no one has ever offered him help. He will tell you (he's in elementary school) that he feels like there's no point in even talking to grownups at school because they never listen to him and they never believe him. Teachers will tell me that his past behaviour precludes anything he could say to defend himself. The behaviour he displays at school is the opposite of what we get anywhere else, and that includes overnight camp, piano lessons, etc. When I try to talk to our administration about this, I am either ignored or straight out told that I'm wrong. The staff has now ostracized me as a parent (I'm at the school often to volunteer), and all I'm trying to do is to show them how they have convinced my child that he is bad, and how this has to change so that we don't lose him. Am I crossing a line here? Should I just step back and let the teachers deal with my son, and trust that what they are doing is right eventhough it feels so wrong to me? Am I being overprotective? I just think that the teachers are sending a really mixed message when they publicly humiliate and spread rumours, and then preach on and on to the kids about anti-bullying. And if they truly think that a child is a bully, then shouldn't they be doing more than just labelling him, and then punishing for every small mistake he makes? Isn't it someone's responsiblity at the school to help my child realize that he's worth it? It's all very upsetting to our family. Thanks Julia Thank you for giving this podcast on a very sensitive topic. My child has been bullied by more than one teacher at our school — name calling, humiliation as punishment, etc. He’s had a teacher tell him straight out that he’s a bully, but no one has ever offered him help. He will tell you (he’s in elementary school) that he feels like there’s no point in even talking to grownups at school because they never listen to him and they never believe him. Teachers will tell me that his past behaviour precludes anything he could say to defend himself. The behaviour he displays at school is the opposite of what we get anywhere else, and that includes overnight camp, piano lessons, etc. When I try to talk to our administration about this, I am either ignored or straight out told that I’m wrong. The staff has now ostracized me as a parent (I’m at the school often to volunteer), and all I’m trying to do is to show them how they have convinced my child that he is bad, and how this has to change so that we don’t lose him. Am I crossing a line here? Should I just step back and let the teachers deal with my son, and trust that what they are doing is right eventhough it feels so wrong to me? Am I being overprotective? I just think that the teachers are sending a really mixed message when they publicly humiliate and spread rumours, and then preach on and on to the kids about anti-bullying. And if they truly think that a child is a bully, then shouldn’t they be doing more than just labelling him, and then punishing for every small mistake he makes? Isn’t it someone’s responsiblity at the school to help my child realize that he’s worth it? It’s all very upsetting to our family.
Thanks
Julia

]]> By: Elona Hartjes http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-18905 Elona Hartjes Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:22:09 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-18905 Jill, Thanks for the encouragement. I'm not sure about any court cases with teachers. I haven't heard of any, but that doesn't mean there haven't been. Jill,
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m not sure about any court cases with teachers. I haven’t heard of any, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been.

]]> By: Jill Lezotte http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/comment-page-1/#comment-18895 Jill Lezotte Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:42:43 +0000 http://www.teachersatrisk.com/2007/04/29/some-teachers-are-bullies-too/#comment-18895 thanks for the great articles. Are there any court cases where a teacher has harassed and bullied a student? I would really be interested. It is happening to my granddaughter by a teacher. It is affecting her self esteem. She is an A student, talented musically, has won writing awards since she was very young. thank you, Jill thanks for the great articles. Are there any court cases where a teacher has harassed and bullied a student? I would really be interested. It is happening to my granddaughter by a teacher. It is affecting her self esteem. She is an A student, talented musically, has won writing awards since she was very young.
thank you,

Jill

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