Thread

1. ValueTheory · 1790606717 · focus · HN ↗

   "The parents of the student who assaulted me sued the district, claiming it had failed to prevent the incident. Suddenly, I found myself on phone calls with administrators and attorneys questioning whether I had done enough to stop the assault."

   This is the root of the problem. Of course, civil lawsuits are important to correct actual wrongs, but school districts seem to be so cowardly in the face of bad lawsuits that they are willing to throw teachers under the bus to avoid them.

   1. armada651 · 1790606902 · focus · HN ↗

      I wonder if the student faced any consequences, none were mentioned in the article. Another slap on the wrist I assume?

      1. obscurette · 1790607997 · focus · HN ↗

         You can't even touch student and don't even think about slap. Some years ago I witnessed the case where teacher grabbed the student (14y old) who ran around screaming, kicking things and other students. A teacher was charged with a criminal offense (physical violence against a minor) and must now comply with behavioral supervision. What happened with kid? Nothing. He had a bad day and don't have skills to regulate his emotions yet.

         1. foobarian · 1790609548 · focus · HN ↗

            Really wonder if corporal punishment wasn't such a bad idea after all

            1. alexgieg · 1790611826 · focus · HN ↗

               For the rare few cases it may have been warranted, it wasn't a bad idea. The problem is that for the vast, vast majority of cases in which it was used, it wasn't warranted.

               Remember: schools don't have tribunals to judge which student was or wasn't actually guilty of what, to which extent, with which attenuats if any, etc., to then decide who was going to be beaten and how much. The teacher merely looked at you, decided you were guilty because you didn't look into his eyes while he was speaking (autistic children were typical cases of this), and decided to traumatize you for life, fully unjustly.

               When modern schools do the same but in the opposite direction, unjustly punishing teachers, that simply shows they haven't changed one iota from what they have always been.

            2. robocat · 1790623072 · focus · HN ↗

               As far as I can tell, the problem is that abusive adults with a power imbalance really enjoy dishing out corporal punishment.

               I'm guessing you're supporting when a loving parent smacks their kid in outlier circumstances.

               Your comment includes the abusers.

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