Topic : 12/06 Teacher Troubles

I want to start by saying that I think this was a great show and I'm happy they have shed some light on the subjects that arose within this episode.

I definately think that the AP should follow through with the steps she has taken so far. I think parents should also be held accountable for these kinds of things. If they had been watching what their kids were doing better then it never would have happened. If they would have set up parental controls to PROTECT their kids this again never would have happened. If they would have really taught their kids about how to treat other people, and maybe showed their kids that they supported the teacher's decisions maybe their kids would have made better decisions. I think that by making these parents pay for what their kids have done also shows these kids that not only do they have to pay for the mistakes they make but when they do such terrible things they effect many other people.

I'm only 19 years old, so my opinion may not be taken seriously. But, I think my still being a teenager and feeling the way I do about the subject should really say something. I made my mistakes while I was in school and I did not always like the way I was treated by teachers but never did I think to do something so horrible o someone else. Maybe because I knew that lashing out wouldn't be justifyable and that more often than not my Teacher's intentions were for my own good. And, my parents didn't have to teach me that. These kids should have known from the start that they were going too far. I think they deserve whatever is thrown at them and I hope they learn from it. I think this is a message to other kids to think about things all the way through before they act on their impulses/ideas.

You can tell this woman never had a kid.  I am at a complete loss how a teacher who is supposed to be looking out for the best interests of kids has gone to these lengths.  I am sure her lawyer has something to do with it.  If she does not win, he gets no money. 

She said she will be in fear for the rest of her life from the My Space posting.  If she goes through with this, I would guess she will have twice the reason to watch her back.  This is no threat on my part, just reasonable assumption.  The saying is, what goes around comes around.  I would be more worried about my future should I go to the legal actions she is anticipating.

Get over it, lady.  Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.   Vengeance is the most destructive thing one can try to justify.  Tell your attorney to go fly a kite and forgive these kids.  I know you won't regret it.  I don't know your religion, but I would go to a priest, rabbi, or minister to look for peace, not an attorney. 

Please, if you have any decency in your soul, Let This Go.

As a teacher I whole-heartedly agree with the actions Anna is taking against the boys that wronged her. I agree for several reasons:

First, there is not an adequate way to deal with students who commit crimes in school. Students steal, destroy teacher belongings, purposely scratch their car with keys, flatten their tires and physically assault teachers, only to get a few days off from school where no parent will be home to ensure that the child stays there.

Secondly, the school tends to try to hide crimes to promote their reputation at the teachers expense. The teacher is expected to replace not only their own possessions as they are destroyed, but they are also responsible for all of the materials the school entrusts their students with, so when the students think that it is funny to throw calculators out of a second story window, the teacher is then responsible to pay for them when they break.

Finally, the laws of our government are there for a REASON! If we disagree with the laws, then we should fight to change them. Otherwise, our government very clearly states that those boys broke the law and should be held accountable. It is not the Assistant Princiapal's fault that the boys made their choice.

I recall a show not too long ago in which Dr. Phil and his staff went after (to the fullest extent of the law) a group of women who had stolen his and Robin's identities and were soliciting money from troubled folks who thought they were being put in touch with Dr. Phil or Robin for advice.  The show highlighted Dr. Phil's teamwork with a private detective, the pursuit of the suspects, and finally, the on-camera confrontation between Dr. Phil, his staff, and the ladies. 

Today, Dr. Phil hosted a teacher whose identity had also been stolen.  However, her identity was stolen by students she teaches via a My Space account.  The information posted on the web site was highly disparanging, vulgar, etc.  to this female teacher.  Dr. Phil repeatedly asserts that  he has the highest regard for teachers, but  obviously didn't agree with the teacher pursuing (to the fullest extend of the law) the group of teenagers who victimized her.  I support this teacher.  Today, teachers are victimized in so many ways and parents as well as students need to be held accountable.  The example of a lawsuit compounded with a  financial judgement should serve as a powerful deterrent for students, and motivation for parents who so often are unaware/unconcerned/not paying attention to what their teenagers are doing. 

This discrepancy begs the question....Are the rich the only ones who can sue for identity theft? If the women who stole Dr. Phil's identity wrote him a nice letter would he put the matter to rest?  I wonder......? 

 I think the teacher should be hired back, she should not be held hostage to her past, this is my opinion, we all make mistakes. We all need to check our hearts!

The teacher that was wronged on the web, I think should accept the students plea for forgivness, I think this shows true charecter and displays  a muture attitude, the teachers should punish the action, but also display a forgiving spirit. The life sentence is not a good example in my opinion!!

Again this is my opinion, and I understand your pain, but I think it has to be looked at from all sides.

I have come across kids whose parents claim they "discipline" their children, but I have seen first hand that all they do is let the consequences fall where they may.  These parents seem to feel that their children will learn from their mistakes (eventually) and that all they need to do is love and accept them as they are.  While I do agree that parents should have unconditional love for their children, this does not include letting them do what they want and not being upset when they do wrong.  Discipline IS love.  The world is not going to accept a young adult who does whatever he pleases.  They are sending these children out into the world unprepared for reality, and forcing teachers and peers to try to learn and live while distracted, ignored and sometimes even terrorized by an undisciplined child.  It's not fair for everyone else that one or two should get their own way and ruin things for the ones who want to do the right thing.

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I  work in the education field, as most of my family, times have changed, at one point if you got in trouble at school you didn't want to go home because you were going to be in more trouble there.  Having the society we do today, with both parents working, the parenting isn't there. 

However, the stripper losing her job, other co-workers  saying that she is a role model and the board was correct in what they did, ever here if you live in a glass house don't throw stones, where do you start and stop with this?  Smoking, drinking, inappropriate language, road rage, how you dress for work, attitude, how you act in public, going to bars (even if you don't drink) the list is endless, to be a role model you shouldn't do any of this, remember a sin is a sin, it is not on a sliding scale.  Who are we to say which of the above is okay to do while the others are not.

The teacher that is suing her students and their parents, it is a shame that it has to go this far, but what else can be done?  They humilated her and her family, people need to start taking responsibility for their lives, children, everything.  If they did this to her - they need to be punished.  Teachers/Administrators hands are tied, if a child misbehaves, they have to sit somewhere to reflect on what they have done, but we have to be very careful that while they are doing this we are not causing the student any ill will, making sure they get their proper education, aren't being singled out, again an endless list.  They need to have some kind of punishiment that makes them take notice, that it is wrong to do this type of thing, and to know that whatever action you take in life has consequences, but you have the choice to make them either good consequences or bad.  There is no easy fix .  However, parents need to take responsibility for their children, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

I am a mother of three wonderful girls, ages 3, 9 and 12.  Two of them in school with wonderful teachers.  . I am so very confused by the parents that don't want her teaching there children???  As a mother I would hope that they as parents would stop to think that they themselves made mistakes as teens or maybe even as adults. I am sure that every person has. I for one would want my child to know that one mistake does not have to ruin your life.  I would hope that others would see her as a person that wanted better and only wants one thing that seems to be the hardest thing to give and that is forgiveness....  It's not that hard to do...