Each One Teach One or BEAT One!

This past Monday, a three-member tribunal made a recommendation to terminate a Georgia high school computer and business class teacher, Lori Ashford-Stringer, after she got into an argument with a student.  A student who had mouthed off and cut her class. 

The teacher allegedly yelled, cursed at and threatened him.  The confrontation spilled out into a hallway and ended up being heard by other students. 

Supposedly she got gangsta wit’ it and told him, “She would take off her earrings and shoes because after 3:45 p.m. she is no longer an educator, that she was no longer afraid of the student, that she was from the N-O (New Orleans) and that he did not know who he was dealing with, and that she knew people.”

Ms. Stringer insists she did not use bad language when the student confronted her after cutting class.

According to the attorney for the Clayton County School District, Stringer’s termination was effective immediately.

He went on to say that, “It was the ‘right decision’ ...and the school system had no choice but to fire her.”  

WTF?

Back in da day, all it took was one call from the school and your ass was grass when you got home.  There was no “mouthing off” to your teachers or any other adult, under any circumstances.  You were sent to school to get an education, not to show your behind in front of the class and cause your momma grief.  And God help you if she had to leave her job to deal with that drama.

Today, some of these kids (and even their parents) have absolutely NO respect for the men and women who make modest wages, but who spend more time with our kids than we do.  Trying to teach them, trying to get them to the next level.  The students have little or no fear of consequences and the teachers are forced to put up with their disruptive, rude, antagonistic behavior or be fired?  That’s B.S. 

Just FYI…According to teacherportal.com, the average yearly starting salary for teachers is $32,000.  Those with masters or higher degrees, can make an average of $10,000 more.  And of course some school “districts pay more to attract good teachers to their schools.” 

I’m not saying that all teachers are good teachers and I remember wanting to cuss out a couple of my own.  But I didn’t.  And do you know why?  Because it wasn’t an option!  My parents laid down the law at home.  It didn’t matter if they were good teachers or not.  You didn’t back talk them or any other authority figure.  If you had a problem with an adult, you let them (my parents) handle it.  If you had a problem with my parents…well, you better to suck it up and keep it movin’ or find another place to live. LOL.

My point here is that it all starts at home.  As parents, it’s our job to set the expectation so that when our children are out in the world, they are more likely to represent the best of us…the best of themselves.

Then it’s our job to stay informed about what our kids are doing in school, how well they are or aren’t doing it and then advocate on their behalf and help them when necessary.  It’s also our job to kick them in the butt and discipline them when they fall short.  As a parent that’s what you sign up for.

I’m not condoning teachers cussing kids out but I can understand how frustrating it must be to deal with some of these kids on a daily basis.  I personally couldn't do it.  You would probably see me in hand cuffs on the 6 o'clock news too. 

Teachers are there to do a job, not raise your bad ass kids!  If YOU don’t want to be bothered with the monster YOU created, what makes you think that anybody else does?  Either teach’em the proper way to conduct themselves, check’em when they get out of order, or home school them and let them work YOUR nerves all day!

Good luck Ms. Stringer.  You go girl!