Topic : 12/06 Teacher Troubles

Ok... first the kids got the PORN... and then found out.... it was not that they found out she was a porn star, then went and got the porn... so that is still NOT right..... SHE made a mistake.... and she turned her life around..... that is the best lesson.....

You made good, healthy choices, and are not suffering the consequences of past actions.  Of course you should be respected for who you are.

The only thing I am personally uncomfortable with is the idea that if someone makes really stupid, lousy choices that it should mean the end of their life - forever!  I know people who have hit rock bottom in their lives, and completely rejected where they were at, abandoning their former selves forever, being completely new people, approaching life from an entirely new perspective.  The difference between them and this teacher is that their pasts weren't captured on camera and put up on display for people to have at it.

Both you and this teacher deserve respect, but for similar reasons.  Doing a complete 180 deg turn from a really rotten life is not easy.  It takes guts to try to start a new life, especially in a situation where an old life can come back to haunt you forever.

Whether or not returning to the classroom would be healthy for Tericka or anyone is not for me to say, but I feel the utmost pity for her that she now forever has a big sign on her head of a lifestyle she has completely rejected and divorced herself from.  It will be an issue that will never go away for her.  No matter how much she has truly changed her life from within, no matter how much she has taken responsibility for her bad decisions, she'll have to forever wash the mud off, forever have to prove herself in the court of public opinion.

It's not "respect" I have for Tericka, it's pity.  I feel for her because it's much harder for her to take hold of a second crack at life than most people get.

I did not see the show but just read the transcript and a couple posts.

 

I just quit a teaching job after only 3 years. I found most of the kids lack manners and respect. They are empowered by their parents and ofteh the administrators who choose to kiss the communities butts in order to be liked or get ahead. They really seem not to care about the character of the student and what would help them learn.  Some teachers have been told they are not there to teach values anyway, just their subject area. Wow!   Three years was enough for me. I will try another venue in order to make a difference.

 

If we took every teacher out of the classroom who did something morally wrong, there would be few left to teach. I remember years ago being in Florida watching TV and coming across a woman stripping and saying she was a kindergarten teacher. She was proud of the fact and seemed to think nothing of it.  Was she fired?  Who knows.

 

If you want to blame anyone, balme those adults who intentionally corrupt teens through their music and TV shows. Even the Prime Time episodes about Internet predators become pornographic with how explicit they are when reading the e-mails or IM's. The host seems to enjpy it and I am sure ot turns some people on hearing it.

 

This teacher had a past, like all of us. She worked hard to make something of herself.  I do not think she was doing the porn behavior after earning her degree and teaching. If we all lost out job for immoral behavior for which we regret, we would all be on welfare!

I wonder how many of the teachers and administrative personnel at Tericka's school smoked marijuana in high school or college?  Or how many of them tried speed so they could stay up to study for their exams?  If all those people were to be truly honest, a large part of that faculty may have committed crimes when (gasp) they were younger!  And according to this story, Tericka did nothing that was against the law.  I hope those (former?) potheads and speed freaks remember the Good Ol' Days when passing judgement on this woman.  And I think this incident could be used as a way to communicate to our children just how important the choices we make in life can be.  I think this woman has made tremendous strides in improving her life and should be recognized for that, not for some poor choices made over a decade ago. 

 

On a slight tangent, speaking of role models...Dick Cheney, US Vice President, shoots a man, which I believe is illegal.  And what happened to him?  He certainly didn't lose his job, at least not yet. 

OK I agree with you there.  I don't think this warrants a felony that they'll have to deal with every time they fill out a job application.  But their lives should definitely be very unpleasant for a good long while--but not forever.  I just feel very strongly about these "pranks" not being as innocent and harmless as people tend to think.

 Kids (especially boys) that age will look at porn every chance they get.  It doesn't matter if it's their teacher or a perfect stranger they will look at porn.  Only a handful wouldn't.

That being said,  my opinion is  this, everyone makes mistakes.  Some are bigger then others but everyone makes mistakes.  Some people are still in the porn business and don't feel like it's a mistake because it's big money.  I think it's disgusting but what do I know.....However, this teacher feels it was mistake back then because she was un-medicated bi-polar (sp), so for her it was a mistake, she's obviously changed her life and now she wants to teach.

I say if she doesn't mind that the kids she will be teaching  has seen or may see pictures of her in the buff..... then let her teach.

There are probably some teachers out there that have done way worst but nobody can ever find out about it so they are in the clear.

And is bullying ok with you??  You act like this is no big deal.  What if this happened to a student instead?  Maybe your son or daughter?  How would you feel then??  Or maybe you were a bully and you think this kind of thing is funny?  I truly hope your kids do not have to be victims of bullies, if you have kids.  I've heard the stories of these victims from a man who works first hand with them.  It is truly sad what they endure.  But what's even more sad is how they felt they had to deal with it--by bringing guns to school!!!  Bullying an asst. principal isn't any less damaging, except that she had the right of mind to deal with the problem the right way.  It's the kids who need to deal with the consequences of their actions, the asst. principal is the grown-up here--thank goodness she dealt with it in a civil manner rather than a tragic one.

By applauding legal action against children in this manner, you take justice to a new low. " you hurt me, I'm going to get you back!" is what I am hearing from Anna. I am saddened that she has been through this, but there are other ways to make children accountable AND change the education system.

The message of ACCOUNTABILITY and RESTORATION are corner stones of restorative justice. There is no restoration for Anna or the children ( yes they are CHILDREN) involved in this issue. Anna has a duty to herself to seek  a solution that will make her feel safe, and yes to other teachers, but what hits me so hard is that no one will win in this situation. I hate to say it but Dr. Phil dropped the ball on this. There are programs being put into place globally that work within the community to achieve justice to the victim, while giving the children a chance to learn, and stop the cycle of criminal behavior. Once a child is in the Justice system, they learn from even more jaded individuals, it begins a perpetual cycle. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read up on restorative justice. There is an amazing Canadian, and New Zealand model out there, and I am sure that there are working American systems as well.

One thing Anna will NOT get by using a Restorative approach is money. She would be able to get something she needs though. A chance to confront those that made her a victim, and the parents that continue to dodge the issue. With  the help of a non bias facilitator she would be able to find peace.

Why would kids be more likely to watch her porn than any other porn? This makes no sense to me.

 Wow, one of the things that irks me as a Christian is hearing the phrase " bible belt" and immediately hearing about  someone being hurt because of a lack of FORGIVENESS. I guess the people in the Bible belt got a different Bible than me. Mine says to forgive.

As for them screaming that an ex porn star should not teach their children...what about God asking Saul, who became PAUL to teach His children about his beloved son? OUCH !! God could forgive a man that KILLED his children. tortured them for their Faith in his son.Stephen ,dying at Saul and his cronies hands by stoning begged God to forgive them all. In the end Paul went on and wrote much of the New testament.

Terikka, God be with you hun, Fight this all the way. You might want to talk to Melanie, the previous host of the Goodnight show for PBS sprout. She lost  her job for the same thing basically.

I realize there is a limit to saying " its in the past", but what are we afraid of ?????. We need to deal with our insane fears of the Internet and of our own children. The Principal saying " its out there it will keep being watched" (not a direct quote I admit) is so insane!. Cheese and crackers people, then deal with it every time until it ends!  Even a dog eventually learns not to be bad if you correct it enough. Why not spend time teaching our teens what is appropriate? Makes a little more sense than throwing a perfectly good ( superior ratings I believe?)teacher to the wolves.