Hung out to dry with no alternatives and no union to help protect her
A teacher at the Education Achievement Authority’s Pershing High School found herself with no way to communicate with security and no tools to disarm an exceedingly violent fight in her classroom. School rules prevented her from leaving the room and the walkie talkie she carried to call security was nonfuntional. With no other alternatives, she whacked one of the kids with a broom until they separated.
Here’s the video. It’s pretty alarming:
This is exactly the sort of thing that happens to teachers who are given completely inadequate resources to deal with what everyone knows is a frightening and dangerous work environment. We’re told she was supposed to stand in her doorway to call for help while the two kids beat the living daylights out of each other and turned her classroom into a blood fight. Meanwhile, other teachers were also prevented from leaving their rooms because they have, in most instances, no other adults working with them.
And now that it’s over, SHE is the one being punished. With no union to represent her, she has no recourse and may actually be charged with child abuse.
It’s a sickening example of how EAA teachers are in an impossible position. EAA schools have a well publicized discipline problem and they are clearly still unable to handle classroom and school security in a way that protects both teachers and students. The Pershing High administration is just as culpable in this situation as the two unrepentant boys who put her in this impossible situation in the first place and then threw her under the bus afterwards. It’s disgusting and completely unfair.
If you have any way to contact the teacher in this video, please let me know. WWJ is following up on the fact that her walkie talkie was not operational and would like to speak with her. Thanks.
