So funny I forgot to laugh
Parents Sue Teacher Who Called Kids Gay
7th grade teacher William Sheehan referred to two boys in his class as homosexual lovers. Twice. He spoke with the girlfriend of one the boys, telling her why he thought the boy was gay. When the boys’ parents found out the principal tried to get the girl to lie about what the teacher had told her. There is now a lawsuit over the teacher’s and principal’s actions.
The parents, Stephen and Dawn Call and Nathan and Julie Cheney, said O’Neil and the school superintendent didn’t do anything to the teacher after receiving complaints.
The teacher’s lawyer says the school offered to have the teacher apologize in class, but the parents wanted a larger, multi-class assembly for the apology.
Lawyer Steven Sacks called the incident a lapse in judgment. He said Sheehan made one remark “in jest.”
The parents want a public apology but this will never happen. Schools do not do this. A private apology is the most the parents can realistically expect to get here. But what’s the big deal anyway? It was a “jest”. The teacher was just kidding when he called two boys homosexual lovers in front of his class. The punchline must have been telling the girlfriend that her fella was gay and then explaining why.
[Lester Firstenberger, who is representing the parents] said the boys are best friends, who sit together and talk to each other in class. “They were told not to sit together, and they were sitting together, and the teacher made the comments then,” he said.
Looks like two friends were disruptive in class and the teacher chose to humiliate them into order. Why not when you’ve got a boss who’ll not only back you up but try to corrupt witnesses for you?
(Hat tip to WizBang!)
Okay so an assembly wide apology is a little much. But I think an apology infront of the class that was there when the comments were made is apropriate, along with a written reprimand. The real issue I think is that The super intendent or Principle or who ever it was tryed to get one of the whitness to lie. He should Be removed from his possition right away. No pay np contract Gone. That is clearly an abuse of power, by the admin. He should be kissing his Job good bye.
A classic example of why we are all, at one time or another, embarrassed by one of our colleagues. The teacher used poor judgement in making the comment — especially with 7th graders, who are very confused about relationships and sexuality. I think the teacher is a real jerk.
However, haven’t we all made stupid comments that after we make them, wish we hadn’t? And we don’t want to apologize publicly either — rather hoping we “got away with it”. Well he didn’t. But an apology in an assembly or even in front of the class is not only overkill but counterproductive to the reason the kids and students are in school. Anything like this will interfere with education. What if the student had called the teacher a name? Would the parents expect their student to apologize at a school assembly? Of course not! Nor should we expect it. An apology is a private event if it is to be sincere.
As for the administrator — what did you expect? Most of them are liars and only concerned with their jobs! If you get rid of the one in this case you will just put another one who would do the same thing in their chair!
barry
I did once see a teacher forced to make an assembly wide apology. He had discovered a “prank” that plugged up the toilets and flooded the boys’ room, jumped to a conclusion, and spent half an hour at lunchtime haranguing half of the Jr High student body about how terrible one student was. Everyone who knew that student knew the teacher was wrong - and that included the principal, because the student’s mother was the principal’s secretary.
It would have been kinder to just fire the teacher. I doubt someone named “Mr. Fitch” with a tendency to unpredictably rant and rave in public would have lasted long anyhow - this asn’t the first or last time, just the most public. I’m not sure if the obvious twist on that was current before the cafeteria incident, but afterwards it was darned hard to pronounce tha name with an “F”.
The teacher made the rude comment in front of the class. His apology should be made in front of the same audience. It should be sincere as well.
The principal should be dealt with by the school board.
The parents are going too far by asking for more. The teacher made a mistake and should have the ability to atone for it. When I went to school I had a teacher that allowed a student to offer a real apology in front of the class for some harsh words instead of punishment (after a good dressing down). Worked well. Later he tried bravado, but everyone knew he was darned sorry for being a jackass in class. It’s a two way street.
Hi I’m Thomas from North Carolina and I’m a 12 and a half year old gay boy, I have just now started the 7th Grade. I think the teacher should be fired, and the principal should be fired as well. I think teachers get away with way too much these days. They think since they are a authority figure they can embarasse, humiliate, and make smart remarks which any adult has no place in saying them. And teachers will say something cruel even when you haven’t had bad behaviour.
I think you all need to calm the hell down. Sorry, but if you’re homosexual and you’re offended by the teacher calling two straight guys “gay”, you obviously aren’t secure enough about your own sexuality to recognize it as a joke, but I wouldn’t expect a 12-year-old to completely understand that.
And to the first person who commented (you know, the one who can’t spell “tried”), saying the teacher should be fired for making a joke is completely irrational. It. Was. A. Joke. Why the hell should a teacher get fired for making a joke that wouldn’t have been taken so harshly if the students could just CALM DOWN and laugh it over? No, apparently everyone’s a conservative christian bigot and they can’t take a damn joke.
Now, to the second person who commented, and I quote: “What if the student had called the teacher a name? Would the parents expect their student to apologize at a school assembly? Of course not!” Um, yeah, no. That’s the stupidest example I’ve ever heard. Why the hell would a student have to apologize to an entire school for calling the teacher a name? It makes more sense the other way around. You can’t just say “What if it was the other way around?” because the abilities of a student and a teacher are completely different.
I’m not saying the teacher is just plain hilarious, I mean, when he went as far as going up to this kid’s “girlfriend” (middle schoolers and the whole relationship thing doesn’t really count, so this can’t even be taking that seriously) and telling her that her boyfriend was gay, that was going a little too far. Still, the parents seem to be insane enough as well. I’m assuming they’re christians who are totally not okay with the whole gay factor, but who knows.
You know what I think should happen? I think everything should be dropped. The principle and teacher could write letters of apology to the parents, and ta-da, you’re done.
Oh, and to the third commentor, I think they only commented to tell their own story instead of the thoughts/feelings of the one above.
My 7th grade humanites/english teacher Mrs. J. is extreamly rude. She is constantly calling me and my peers stupid, and acting as if she is superior to us, when really it is our parents that are paying her. She called me obrasive, Impertinant, and Impudent. Name calling is childish, even though I am opinionated, It doens’t mean I call people names. Who’s the adult here? She sets a horrible examplefor every one, and therefore, I think she should be fired.