RH Jones: Continuing violence toward nation's teachers

From RH Jones, April 16, 2007
Subject: Continuing violence toward nation's teachers

To all:

Violence toward teachers continues. Just last week, the Beacon reported that in Philadelphia a teacher was attacked. It read: "A high school teacher was assaulted by two students and hospitalized with broken vertebrae after he took an iPod away from one of them in class, officials said. The two students, ages 17 and 15 were charged Friday night, police said." In Another recent Beacon article I read that in Jacksboro, Tenn. a boy admitted: "A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty Tuesday in the killing of a high school official and the wounding of two others under a plea deal announced after jury selection for his trial had started. the judge sentenced Kenneth Bartley, Jr. to 45 years in prison in the shootings at Campbell County Comprehensive High School. Bartley could be eligible for parole in 25 years." And yet another article in Chicago. This time a gun was discharged in the classroom: "A Chicago Vocational Career Academy student passed a handgun to a classmate when it accidentally discharged in the classroom Tuesday, striking both in the leg, police said. the two were taken to the hospital in 'critical/serious' condition, the Chicago Fire Department said." Police/fire arrive after the shootings. If the teacher was not armed, I wonder how that teacher managed to get the gun away from the student?

And, finally, "to take the cake", in the "Dear Abby" column last week entitled: "Parent must get help for bully son - Can't cope, Richardson, Texas" wrote: " Dear Abby; My son 'Caleb" has a serious bullying problem He is 14 and in ninth grade. His teacher has had to meet privately with me three times this week. Caleb will hit, bite slap the other students in the classroom. He has even hit his teacher..."

Abby went on to say: "...the young man is a serious danger to others."

Our nation's public school teachers are expected to be serve all children. Yet, the public does not provide the money available to serve all of them. There are those who would say that parents need "choice". Then take money away from already strapped public school districts and sent it to private entrepreneurial for-profit schools. Is it not a wonder that public school teachers Pre-K-16 need health care? The physical and psychological damage done to career teachers is not being addressed.The public's money is being pulled away from our Ohio STRS to fund a the failed experiment of private charter schools. This is "choice". I think not. That's my opinion.

RHJones, a retired Ohio public school teacher