wcusd investigation into a sixth-grade teacher

8/2/2019 WCUSD Investigation into a sixth-grade teacher

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AppealtotheNoticeofIntenttoSuspendwithoutPay

OnMarch19,2012,aletter,writtenbyMichaelF.Seaman,AssistantSuperintendent,HumanResources,

waspresentedtomeoutliningthebasisforarecommendeddisciplinarysuspensionfromDistrict

employmentwithoutpayforthree(3)days.Isubmitthefollowingresponseinmyappealtothe

suspension.

Forthefollowingreasons,Ibelievethatthesuspensionisunwarranted,unfairlyimpactsthe

instructionalprogramforthestudentsandmalignsmyreputationasateacher.Myabsencefromthe

classroomhascausedsignificantstresstomystudentsanddisruptionoftheireducation.

A. TheSwornAdmissionStatementofthepupil,,regardingtheincidentonFebruary15,2012,appearstobewrittenbythestudentinconjunctionwiththeparentwhowasnot

presentduringtheincident.Thestatementhasadditions([sarcastic],(x3)withforce,

shutup,Pissed)inhandwritingwhichdoesnotmatchthewritingofthestudent,andis

signedanddatedbytheparentatthebottomofthefirstpage.Theparentwasnot

involvedinthefollowingon2/15andshouldthereforenothavebeenpermittedto

contributetothewrittenaccountingoftheincident.Itwaserroneoustofullyconsideran

admissionstatementpartiallydictatedbyaparent.

1. UnderSpecificActsorOmissionsintheletterdatedMarch19,2012,Item1statesthatitwasreportedthatIgrabbedastudentbythearm/shirtandpulled/yankedhimoutofhisseat.Ididnotgrabastudentbythearm/shirtandpull/yankhimoutofhisseat.TheSwornAdmission

Statementstatesthatshegrabbedmyarmandyankedme.Thereisnomentionofshirtin

theSwornAdmissionStatement.Inaddition,item1oftheInvestigativeReportstatesthatI

grabbedastudentbythearmand/orshirt.Item1statesthatthiswascorroboratedbysix

studentwitnesses.TheNoticeofSuspensionfailstoconsiderthattherewereonlysix

corroboratingwitnessesoutoftwenty-sixinacontextwhere,atthetimeoftheactsin

question,Ihadallofthestudentsattention.Giventheambiguousdescriptionpresentedtothe

studentsforcorroboration,itcanonlybeassumedthatthesixcorroboratingwitnesses

misinterpretedmydirectivearmmotionsassomeformofphysicalcontactbecauseIdidnot

physicallytouchthestudentmentionedandthereportedactsinitem1areaninaccurate

descriptionofthefactsthattranspired.Furthermore,mydescriptionoftheactwas

corroboratedbythestudentsinterviewedbytheWestCovinaPoliceDepartmentundera

separateinvestigationoftheincident.

a. DuringourStandardsPlusMathLesson,studentreferencedinItem1wasaskedtocometothefrontoftheclassroomtodemonstrateaproblemonthewhiteboardthathehad

completed.Havingstudentsdoproblemsonthewhiteboardisacommonpracticefor

allstudentsintheclass.Hewasencouragedtousehisworkbooktotranscribethework

fromthebooktothewhiteboard.Imotionedwithmyarmsinthedirectiontothefront

oftheroomwherethewhiteboardislocated.Ipolitelyaskedthestudenttwoseparate

timestostandupandusetheworkfromhisworkbooktocopythecontentontothe

whiteboard.IinformedhimthatIwouldverballywalkhimthroughthemathproblem


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step-by-step.Thestudentremainedseatedafterbeingaskedtwiceandthenproceeded

topropbothfeetupontopofthedesk.Iaskedthestudentathirdtimetopickupan

expomarkeranddemonstratetheproblem.Imotionedwithmyarmsinanupward

motiontowardthefrontoftheclass.Atthistime,hestoodupbutdidnotwalktoward

thewhiteboard.Ididnotpull,yank,ortouchthestudent.Hestooduponhisown

withoutanyphysicalcontact.

2. Item2statesthatIpushed,nudged,and/orphysicallyleadastudenttowardthewhiteboard.Ididnotpush,nudge,orphysicallyleadthestudentinanyway.Item2statesthatthiswas

corroboratedbysixstudentwitnesses.

a. Afteraskingstudentthreetimestogotothefrontoftheroom,hestoodupbutdidnotwalktowardthewhiteboard.Heremainedstandingathisdesk.Imotionedwithmy

armsdirectinghimtothefrontoftheroom.Herepositionedhisfeetandproceededto

leanbackwardagainstmyoutstretchedarmandupperbody.Inordertoavoid

sustainedcontact,Isteppedbackandaroundhimtotherightwhichcreatedaphysical

separation.Hecontinuedtostandathisdesk.

Item2oftheInvestigativeReportstatesthatIstatedthatIused[my]bodytoblockhimfrom

goingawayfromthewhiteboardwhileshowinghimthedirectiontothewhiteboard.Ididnot

statethatIusedmybodytoblockhimfromgoingawayfromthewhiteboardwhileshowing

himthedirectiontothewhiteboard.

b. Thestudentbeganmovingtowardthewhiteboard.Atthispoint,Isatdowninthestudentsdesk.Hethenstoppedmidwaytothefrontoftheroomandbegantoreturn

tohisdesk.Istooduptomotionhimbacktothefront.Heinitiatedcontactwithmy

rightshoulder,usingtheweightofhisbodytoleantowardsthegapintheaislewayandmypointedarmashepassedbyme.

3. Item3statesthatIpokedastudentintheheadwith[my]fingerswhilemakingastatementaboutstudentswhodonotlistenduringclass.Ididnotpokethestudent.Ilightlytapped

thestudentontheheadwiththebottomofmyindexfingerandstated,Youneedtogetto

work.

a. DuringourStandardsPlusMathLesson,aftergivingthestudentsapproximately15minutestowork,Iaskedthestudentstoraisetheirhandsiftheyneededmoretimeto

completethetask.Severalstudentsraisedtheirhands.AsIcirculatedaroundtheroom

toassiststudentswhowerecompletingtheassignment,Istoppedbehindastudentschairandnoticedthattheassignedpageswerecompletelyblank.Thestudentwas

talkingtoanotherstudentandcontinuedtodosoasIstoodbehindhischair.Atthat

point,Itappedthestudentwiththetipofmyfingeronthetopofhisheadandsaid,

Youneedtogettowork.


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4. Item4statesthatIthrewastudentsbookonthefloorfromhisseattowardthewhiteboard.Ididnotthrowthestudentsbookonthefloor.Itossed(withanunderhandmotion)the

studentsworkbookontotheworktablenearthewhiteboardapproximatelythreefeetaway.

Theworkbookslidtothefloorafterlandingontheworktable.Theworktableisaspace

designatedforplacingitemssuchasworkbookstobeusedwhileworkingonthewhiteboard.I

tossedtheworkbookontheworktableinordertoencouragethestudenttogotothe

whiteboardandusehisworkbook.IdidnotwalktheworkbooktothefrontoftheroomasIdid

notwanttoturnmybacktothestudentbeingpromptedtothefront.

5. Item5statesthatIembarrassedandridiculedstudentsandexpressedunprofessionalcommentsandangertowardclassbypublicallydiscussingstudentslackofabilities,mocking

students,andconstantlyyellingandscreamingatthestudents.Thestandardbeingappliedto

theunprofessionalbehaviorisvagueandambiguous.Examplesofstatements/actionsmade

bymeintheInvestigativeReportinclude:Ihatepeoplewhodontlisten,Mockingastudent

bysittinginhisseatandmimickinghisactions,Impissedatyouguys,youdontwanttomake

memad,Whenonegetsintrouble,weallgetintrouble,Referringtostudent(s)bytheir

nameand1.0or2.0or3.0toindicatethestudentslevelofattentiveness,effort,and/or

understandingofthelesson.Theseactions,someofwhicharemisquoted,aretaken

completelyoutofcontext.

a. Asaclasswidepositivebehaviorweeklyincentiveprogram,IhaveimplementedmethodsbasedonWholeBrainTeachingdesignedbyJeffBattle.WholeBrainTeaching

isaneducationalclassroommanagementprogrambasedonbrain-basedlearning.The

techniquetoconsistentlycatchtheattentionoftheclassissimple.Togetmyclasss

attentionIsimplysayClass!andtheyreplyYes!WhenIsayClass!andtheysay

Yes!theyhavetomatchmytoneandintensity.Thismaybeinaloudvoiceoraquiet

voice.Thiswasmisinterpretedintheallegationasconstantlyscreamingandyelling.

Duringthelengthoftheschoolday,agridiskeptonthewhiteboardwithpoints

awardedtothestudentsideforactionsperformedwell.Pointsareawardedtothe

teachersideifstudentsdonotlistenorfollowinstructions.Incorporatedinthesystem

areclassdiscussionsregardingbehaviorandtherationalefortheawardingofspecific

points.Inaddition,theentireclassworkstowardafunactivitybyearningweekly

points.Therefore,ifonestudentcausestheclasstolosepoints,theyalllosethe

reward.

PartoftheclassdiscussionsincludesroleplayingwhereImayimitateacertainactionon

thepartofthestudentsandtheclassdiscussestheappropriatenessoftheaction.This

wasmisinterpretedintheallegationasmockingastudentandmimickinghisactions.

SinceIhaveboththespecialeducationclusterandthebilingualclusterinmyclassroom,

itisanappropriatemethodologytoemployvisualsalongwithanyverbaldiscussionto

increaseunderstanding.SomeofthestatementslistedinItem5wereusedwithinthe

contextoftheroleplay.


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b. Furthermore,thestatementthatadding1.0,2.0,or3.0attheendtoindicatethestudentslevelofattentivenessinclassandtheirunderstandingofthelessonhas

nopejorativemeaning.Ihaveneverusedtheterms1.0or3.0.Theuseoftheterm

2.0wasnottoshowthestudentslevelofattentivenessinclass.Attachedpleasefind

anexamplefromprofessionaljournalismwherethe2.0hasbeenaddedtoanameto

indicatethatanewerversionoftheoriginal.Also,pleasefindacopyofmyParent

ContactLogPage2,whichindicatesmyconfirmationtotheparentsthatithada

positivemeaning.

6. Item6statesthatduringthe2012/2013schoolyearItoldtheclasstoshutup.IhaveadmittedtousingthetermshutupwiththeclassonceonoraboutFebruary15,2012.

7. Item7statesthatitwasreportedthatonseveraloccasionsthroughoutthe2012/2013schoolyearIusedthetermcraptowardthestudentsorreferringtothestudentwork.Thereare

inconsistenciesbetweenItem7ontheInvestigativeReportandItem7ontheNoticeof

Suspension.Item7oftheNoticeofSuspensionstatesthatIusedthetermcraptowardthe

studentsorreferringtostudentwork.TheonlythingcorroboratedintheInvestigativeReportis

thatninewitnessesrecalledtheuseoftheword,notwithinanyspecificcontext.Furthermore,

thereisnothingintheInvestigativeReportthatsuggeststhatstudentscorroboratedtheuseof

thewordcrapmultipletimes.Ihavenotusedthetermcraponseveraloccasions.Ihave

usedthewordcrapasasynonymforfecesinreferencetotheRomanaqueductsystemasa

sewagetransportationsystem.Thisdidnotoccuronthedayinquestionandwasunrelatedto

theallegations.

8. Item8statesthatIhaddiscussionsrelatedtostudentsbeinggirlfriend/boyfriendandboyfriend/boyfriend.Anystatementsregardinggirlfriend/boyfriendorboyfriend/boyfriend

statuswereusedtoanalogizetheamountoftimestudentsspendtogether.

9. Item9statesthatitwasreportedthatonseveraloccasionsthroughoutthe2012/2013schoolyearyouhavemadethestatementwhentalkingaboutstudentswhoshowyoudisrespect/Its

abigFUtoMrs.Lawson.ThereareinconsistenciesbetweenItem9ontheInvestigativeReport

andItem9ontheNoticeofSuspension.TheInvestigativeReportonlyreferencesoneoccasion

ofthosestatementsbeingmade.Theobscenegesturereferredtointhisitemconsistedof

motioningmyfistforwardinfrontofmychestbutIdidnotstickupmymiddlefingerordoany

obscenehandgestureasthetermobscenegesturewouldsuggest.Ihaveneverused

profanitywithintheclassroomin12yearsofteaching.ThefactthatIusedanacronymfora

swearwordindicatesthatIamawareoftheinappropriatenessofactuallyusingthosewords.

__________________________________________________________

MarianneLawson Date

wcusd investigation into a sixth-grade teacher

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