RE: [SPAM]Re: Digital recorder catches teacher

[Guest guest]

In light of this story, I want to remind everyone what Menniger clinic

research found out about elementary school teachers (my apologies to you

elementary teachers who are wonderful and dedicated angels )

Nearly half of elementary school teachers admit to bullying

HOUSTON, TX-(June 27, 2006)

Nearly half of elementary school teachers surveyed about bullying in

schools, admitted to bullying students, according to a study in the May

issue of The International Journal of Social Psychiatry. (You may access the

full-text of the Twemlow et al article by registering for the International

Journal of Social Psychiatry free

<http://www.sagepublications.com/ijspfreeaccess> trial. Current and back

issues are available until October 31, 2006. Also, access IJSP

<http://www.sagepublications.com/psychiatryfreetrial> and other SAGE

Psychiatry journals for free until August 31, 2006.)

The study surveyed 116 teachers from seven elementary schools. While more

than 70 percent of teachers believed that bullying was isolated, an

estimated 45 percent of teachers admitted to bullying a student themselves.

" It didn't surprise me that nearly half of teachers admitted to bullying,

because they are aware it is a problem, " says former teacher Stuart

<http://www.menningerclinic.com/research/researchers.htm#StuartTwemlow>

Twemlow , M.D., lead author of the study and director of the Peaceful

Schools and Communities Project of the Child and Family Program at The

Menninger Clinic. " Teachers need methods and help with disciplining

children. The tragedy is that school districts rarely give teachers any help

with discipline. They learn it by the seat of their pants. "

Dr. Twemlow is professor of psychiatry of the Menninger Department of

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine.

<http://www.menningerclinic.com/research/researchers.htm#Fonagy>

Fonagy, Ph.D., collaborated with him on the study. Dr. Fonagy directs the

Menninger Child and Family Program and is the Freud Memorial Professor of

Psychoanalysis and director of Clinical Health Psychology at University

College London.

Drs. Twemlow and Fonagy surveyed teachers who taught kindergarten through

fifth grade. They asked teachers about their job satisfaction, experience

with bullying teachers, personal experience bullying students and being

bullied by students and whether or not schools had a written procedure for

handling problem teachers.

The authors found a strong correlation between teachers who were bullied in

their past and teachers who bully students. The findings suggest that

teachers, who were bullied while they were children, are more likely to be

trapped in bully-victim relationships as adults and are more alert to the

bullying of others around them.

" If your early experiences lead you to expect that people will not reason,

but respond to force, then you are at risk of recreating this situation in

your classroom, " says Dr. Fonagy. " The climate you remember from your

childhood may even make you feel safe because it is familiar and consistent

with your expectations. "

Additional study authors include C. Sacco, Ph.D., president of the

Community Services Institute and adjunct professor at Western New England

College , and R. Brethour Jr., formerly with the statistical laboratory

of The Menninger Clinic's Child and Family Program. Research was supported

by Menninger's Child & Family Program and Baylor College of Medicine.

See more information on The

<http://www.menningerclinic.com/research/child-program.htm> Menninger

Clinic's Child and Family Program on the Menninger Web site. For a full text

copy of the article contact Anissa Orr , media

relations specialist for The Menninger Clinic, phone: .

The Menninger Clinic is an international specialty psychiatric center,

providing innovative programs in treatment, research and education. Founded

in 1925 in Kansas , Menninger relocated to Houston in 2003 and is affiliated

with Baylor College of Medicine <http://www.bcm.edu> and The Methodist

Hospital <http://www.methodisthealth.com/cgi-bin/hmdim/home/home.do> . For

14 consecutive years, Menninger has been named among the leading psychiatric

hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of America 's Best

Hospitals.

From: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

[mailto:Texas-Autism-Advocacy ] On Behalf Of A Chapman

Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:29 PM

To: Texas-Autism-Advocacy

Subject: [sPAM]Re: Digital recorder catches teacher

just follow the link below and click on the contact us button on the

right...

good thing the kid is verbal & parents seem to be good parents trying to

raise a good kid.

all this time i wanted to blame bad parents for creating bullies. shame on

me for trusting teachers.

Anne <Lady_Anne@... <mailto:Lady_Anne%40peoplepc.com> > wrote:

Anyone know how to contact this reporter?

Anne

-- Digital recorder catches teacher

Digital recorder catches teacher

Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | 11:36 AM

By Willey

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Local parents armed their child with a tape recorder and

sent the youngster off to class. They say they did it to help her, but what

was recorded has them demanding action from HISD.

At home, four-year-old is like any little girl her age. She likes to

play and loves her kitten, Jiminy. It's what was happening at school at

Memorial Elementary that has had her parents puzzled.

" She's been having behavioral problems in class, " said Mijares. " The

behavioral problems that were described are not things she does at home. "

So after months of wondering why, and Mijares spent 50 bucks on

a digital recorder, put it in 's backpack, turned it on and sent it to

school. The following is just a sampling of what they heard.

" Nobody are you good for. You're just a bad kid. When are you going to be a

good kid? Do you think any other class acts like this? No. You're just mean

to your teacher and I'm going to be mean to you, too. Everybody understand

that? You're mean to me so I get to be mean to you. "

" Ya'll are just stupid kids. I swear to God "

" I was just in shock, " said Mijares. " I couldn't believe it. "

The couple was stunned. This was a veteran teacher talking to 4 and

5-year-olds and sometimes singling them out.

" You don't hang out in the hall, Camille, and you don't act stupid, " the

tape continued.

They took the recording to the principal who in a statement to us called the

comments, " Reprehensible and totally unacceptable. " He writes he immediately

removed the teacher from the classroom and reassigned her as the

investigation continues.

But 's parents say the district has an obligation to keep this from

continuing.

" I really don't think she shouldn't be teaching anymore, " said .

's parents don't think this was an isolated incident. They believe

their daughter's behavioral problems are in part because of the way the

teacher speaks to her. We are not naming that teacher because this is all

still being investigated. She did not respond to my request for comment.

Video of story:

http://tinyurl.com/264a3e

Amy A. Sosa

<mailto:amy.sosa@... <mailto:amy.sosa%40verizon.net> >

amy.sosa@... <mailto:amy.sosa%40verizon.net> " >mailto:amy

sosa@... <mailto:sosa%40verizon.net> " >mailto:amy.sosa@...

<mailto:amy.sosa%40verizon.net> > amy.sosa@...

<mailto:amy.sosa%40verizon.net>

Coppell, Texas

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