What is the world coming to?

I have a friend who works in an elementary school. She teaches second grade. She is a dedicated, first class teacher.
She has child in her class that was supposed to take a note home to his parents. She told the child to put the note in his backpack and to show it to his parents. He put the note in the backpack, but didn't show his parents.
This went on for a couple of days.
At the end of the day, she taped a small note to the kid's sweater that said something to the effect, "Please see note in backpack." It was not a large note on his sweater. It was a small post-it sized note. It was not pinned to the child or his body. It was taped to the kid's sweater.
The child left her classroom and went to his after care classroom where he spent another 2.5 hours. Not one person said a thing. Not one teacher took off the note. The kid was not bothered by the note - because if he were, he would have taken it off. He played with his friends all afternoon without a single mention of the note on his sweater.

The next day, my friend got a call from the parent telling her that they were going to sue her and the school system for "psychological damage" to their child because she taped the note to the kid's sweater. They said the note was like a "scarlet letter". They told her they were going to the media. Obviously, they have not done that because if they had, you'd have heard about it and the issue would be over and done with...

The principal of the school, who had just met with my friend the afternoon before about her lesson plans and the goings on in her classroom and had only kudos for my friend, told my friend that she was now on administrative leave.
Just to be totally obnoxious, the parents of the kid turned my friend and her family into DSS. Fortunately, DSS has better things to do and and sent her a letter stating that they were not going to do anything about this issue because there is no issue.

That afternoon, my friend got an email totally unrelated to this issue from a parent. She typed up an answer and forwarded it to her idiot principal with a note stating that she wasn't sure if she should answer directly, but that if he would like to forward her answer that would be fine. He told her that the response she typed up was wonderful and that she could go ahead and send it to the parent. (Excuse me? Isn't she on administrative leave because she's such a bad teacher?)

My friend was then called into the Superintendent's office. He had never met her. He just told her that she was an awful person and that it would be best if she resigned. She has not yet resigned. I hope she doesn't. She didn't do anything wrong. She retained a lawyer who told her that the county did intend to go forward on her case and get rid of her.

So... she has 15 days to decide if she wants the issue investigated by a 3 member panel. She picks one member, the family picks one member and then those 2 members choose a 3rd. After that, they have 30 days to investigate and decide her fate.

She did not hurt the child; she did not rape the child; she simply taped a note to the kid's sweater.

So the county that this woman works for is going to lose a terrific teacher because of some stupid parent. The kids in her class are losing because their teacher isn't in the classroom - they have a long term sub. Oh, yes, that's so much better... NOT!

Those of you who teach in public school - don't tape notes to your kids' sweaters... It supposedly scars the kids for life.

So - what do you think? Should this teacher lose her job for taping a note to a kid's sweater?

He can still make me...

giggle!

Mr. rolled over to turn the alarm off.
As he did so he took 99% of the covers with him.
I said, "See... look where the covers are..."
His reply, "With their rightful owner."

Thursday 13

Thirteen Things Ladybug is Thinking About Today 1. I have a dentist appointment today. I am desperately trying not to forget to go. It's at 11:30. That's a BAD time for remembering... 2. I went to my friend R's bell rehearsal on Tuesday. R is a saint to put up with that director. I was amazed at how the woman ran the rehearsal. She counted out loud, but didn't keep a steady beat. She sang.. OMG! Don't sing!! Singing is not helpful. :-) 3. The sad thing is that I invited that director to go to the Directors' Seminar so she could learn how to direct a bell choir (she's new to this stuff) - But she refused. There was a track for beginning directors and directors of new choirs. She really missed out. 4. The woman did ask me if I had any suggestions. I told her not to count that these people are adults and they can count for themselves. It would have been better if she were up front during the rehearsal, but she was trying to fill in for missing people. But, the group did much much better when she didn't count. 5. I think am going to go back next week. I feel like I can contribute positively and maybe get them on track for this year. I'm going to strongly suggest that their group attend an Area Festival so that they can all learn the basics. The Genesis track - for beginning choirs is exactly what they need. 6. LLB and I are headed off to the 8th grade retreat this weekend. We are both very excited to be going. We are going to drive up with R and HP. HP and LLB are the only 8th graders from their respective churches, so they've formed their own youth group. LOL! 7. This weekend is homecoming for #1. I'm kinda sad to be missing it, but he'll manage. He is going to be marching at the game on Friday - they gave him a special thing to do during the show that will be hysterically funny if it works right. 8. He's off to the dance on Saturday. Ahh... the social life of the high school student! 9. I'll have to make sure the old digital camera is loaded up with batteries and an empty memory card so that Mr. can take some pix for me. 10. I got a Wii Fit for my birthday! I LOVE it! 11. I love the step aerobics and the balance games the best. The strength exercises are great - I can feel my muscles working! 12. Hopefully I can lose my extra 10 pounds before we go to Nicole's for Christmas... 13. Well, I've got lists to make and bags to pack. If I don't post tomorrow, I'll post when we get back. Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Responsibility

Why is it that some people sign up to do a task and then drop the ball? If you sign up to be the "Hospitality" person for the high school band, you best show up with food and do all the prep work before 8am on Saturday morning.

Needless to say, my friend C and I, spent 2 hours on Friday afternoon getting all the essentials that the band would need the following day. Where was the Hospitality person? Not there.

Did she even consider going on Thursday if she couldn't be there on Friday... ummm... no. She figured that the cups and forks pack themselves. Did she go get ice - free at the school - on Saturday morning so the kids would have cold water? Ummm... no... we did that, too.

Why did we do it? Because it's for the kids.
Was I annoyed? You bet!
Am I still annoyed... ummm.... yup.

I have my own job to do - Uniforms. I don't have time to do hers. That was the last time I'll do hers.

Oh and when one arrives at the competition site and it's time to set up the food - the hospitality person is supposed to work, not stand around and eat. The rest of the parents waited until all the kids had eaten before we even took a chip... Grr...

We packed the buses after the kids were done. We left the food table out. I was NOT packing that up. It's her job. I don't know who eventually did pack up that stuff, but I don't think I really want to know.

I was not my happy bubbly self yesterday and some of the parents and staff noticed. I was quiet. I was melancholy. I was not myself because this person didn't do her job and it irritated me. (And then she sat behind me on the bus and tried to yak at me the whole way.) I was conflicted. What to do... I didn't want to vent. I didn't want to make scene. I wanted her to shut up and leave me alone. Most of all, I wanted her to do her job.

Maybe her kid will quit...

Well, I can hope, can't I?

Busy...

So I survived my day in P.E.
I had one kid who tried to rattle me during my first class - Alas, I'm the mother of a teenaged boy... I cannot be rattled. I pointed right at him with my magic index finger and said, "Don't stahht!"
He was rattled...
It's nice to see I've still got it.

I had one little girl who wanted to switch teams. Ummm. No.
She tried. I caught her. I pointed right at her with that magic index finger of mine and, with the precision of Harry Potter and his wand, put her right back in her soccer field. Next time I'll try to fling her in the air...

Yesterday morning at approximately 7:18am, I got a call from the Assistant Principal. You know he was desperate when he asked me to sit in the Nurse's office for half the day. I have little tolerance for this crap. Unless you are bleeding from 10 places or puking, you best be in class... just ask my kids.
I had a kid puking right after she arrived at school - I sent her home!
A broken arm - This one got shipped out, too!
Then it quieted down a bit... I had a bloody nose, a half a dozen hang nails, an asthma inhaler usage, an ear ache, and 3 or 4 ice requests.
My favorite was this one - A kid came in and asked me for a mint... Are you kidding? A mint? LOL! Get to class.

Just Stuff

I got called into the Assistant Principal's office last week.
Don't worry... I didn't do anything bad - yet...
He asked me if I'd sub.
I said, "sure.. what class"
"Well, are you free on Thursday?"
"Thursday is my birthday. It depends... what class?"
"What do you think about P.E.?"
"You're funny. Really... what class."
"P.E."
"You obviously don't know my basketball story... Whose class?"
"Mr. S"
"Sure! LLB has him last period. I'm in!"
"Now... tell me your story."

In case you've all forgotten, I flunked the basketball practical exam in college... I got big fat 0. (Thank GOD for the written.)

Fortunately for me, they'll be playing soccer today. I wasn't much better at that and the coach let me stand down by the net - not in the net... near the net... I still don't know what I was doing.

Think they'll fire me before the end of the day for incompetence??

Wordless Wednesday

The first band competition of the year... they got 2nd place.
Next week they want 1st!