http://video.foxnews.com/v/979330683001/teacher-punches-student-in-the-face 64 years old, not a bad response. Good to hear no charges were pressed against her and the student was suspended. Don't you love the stupid girl in the background "you can't hit him, he didn't do anything".
I don't know how you embed I've been trying for ages. Anyway I saw this earlier, I'd have liked to see the full video (if there was one) to have a better grasp of the story of course. But if what they say is true said student can't have any complaints, I tell you what teachers take a lot of garbage from disruptive/rude students, being backed into a corner shouldn't be one of them. Video in question: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AhRgazUEZM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AhRgazUEZM[/ame] As if by magic suddenly I embedded a video just goes to show.
My wife is a teacher. I can assure you that almost every teacher in the world watches that with envy. There's a real culture in schools that teachers can't even touch kids let alone actively defend themselves. This is not the case AFAIK and shold be clearly spelled out to kids. It is (and always should be) a basic human right for a smaller 60 year old woman that is backed aggressively into a corner by a larger younger male to defend herself. If that stand off was down a dark alley or car-park no-one wold even bat an eyelid IMHO.
even before getting moral/ethical issues into this, a physical threat is a physical threat, and not being allowed to defend oneself against it is a disgrace. if a student is committing what amounts to an unlawful act, he or she should suffer the consequences like any other human being. else you just teach him/her that rules are to be ignored, and you do not instill respect for the law and in this case for the integrity of other people. good on the teacher, i say.
In the UK a teacher can defend him or herself from assault by a pupil. They can then spend the next 5 years defending those actions in court.
the same way anyone who defends him or herself against an assault might, anyway. depending on the physical size difference and perceived threat level, though, i'd say it might be better to take the punishment and press charges yourself, which is what the other party in your example would be doing.
A person defending themselves on the street is in a much stronger position than a teacher against a pupil.
Why though? What changes between the two people that makes it different? There are boys aged 15-16 that are substantially bigger and stronger than their female teachers. Why should that female then leave herself open to physical attack just because she happens to like sharing knowledge with others?
@holy:yes? and? the fact that a position is stronger to defend than another one is not a function of whether it's right or wrong. it's a function of the evidence that can be collected and verified (or obscured), and of how much the minds of the judge and jury can be swayed.
I agree, I think it's ridiculous. But that's the way it is. Teachers basically have no power any more and the kids know it.
Didn't Ed Balls recently say that teachers can actually touch children if it is needed? Not in that way obviously. But to prevent other pupils from coming to harm and, I'd hope by extension, the teacher themselves. To me the right of self defence and the right to prevent a crime being committed (self defence being the prevention of an assault on yourself) is just something that should never change no matter what the relationship between the attacker and defender.
Teachers have always had the right to defend themselves in theory, but in practice teachers have always been put through the wringer. For a typical example: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8380620.stm
I know there have been times at school where I've wanted to hit a teacher, but I'm not mental, it's not a fair response. It's pretty despicable of this guy to be so aggressive to a teacher, especially at her age. Have there been any details yet about what started it all?
Indeed. My wife recently had some of that. Can't share the details obviously but sadly even the teachers take the side of the pupil right from the start.
I think what this teacher did was right. We have a habit of thinking of a teen as a child, but a high school student can hit just as hard as adult in most cases and at that age they know better. so If one threatens a teacher they should be able to defend them selves. Plus this kid needed to learn a little respect any way.
It's a real problem in front line public services. These kids grow up thinking they can just intimidate people to get their own way, because that's what happens in school. This does however very poorly prepare them for life, especially when the first person to meaningfully tell them no is me and they find themselves armlocked on the floor
A lot of schools operate a hands off policy which is actually against the law. Were instructed to use physical intervention if and when a pupil's behaviour is detrimental to safe learning environment. I work in an EBSD school and we offer courses to other special needs and mainstream schools in physical intervention techniques (its called team-teach if you want to look it up on the net). Its amazing how many kids think that teachers cannot lay a finger on them but think they can get in your face and swear and threaten you, they soon change their minds when they've been restrained and then taken away by the boys in blue.
That point is very key. The 500# gorilla in the room that noone wants to talk about is that Education as an institution has changed fundamentally from years ago. a.) Educational institutions are more about business than education. Sometimes you will see me reference MA schools as "martial commerce" or "businesses with a MA theme". Schools have devolved into "Educational Commerce" or "Education-themed businesses". Principals and Regional Supers have to know as much or more about negotiating with Unions and Fundraising than Educational models. b.) The students are not the kids of yesteryear. These kids know about character-assassination, liabilities, baiting and limit-testing. The greater number of these kids also know about the Economy and the Employment situation (IE. "Its not what you know but who you know...") and these kids know they don't have the connections needed to get good jobs. c.) The parents aren't as concerned with Education as they are about having the schools keep their kids occupied so they pretty much stay out of trouble. Its not that the parents are indifferent but rather that they have way too much on their plate. Fact is that somebody got lucky and had a cellphone camera on this occasion. These sorts of assaults between teachers and students happen a whole lot more than schools want the community to know. FWIW. Best Wishes, Bruce
unfortunately A lot of kids have gotten good at lying. The truth is if this didn't get caught on camrea that teacher may have been facing jail time. If you listen to the end of the video it sounds like another student tried to defend the teens actions and probably would acted as a witness on his behalf even though he was in the wrong.
WITH YOU! Physical danger is physical danger, and a person always has the right to protect themselves from it. Why does being a teacher mean she's obliged to just stand still and let herself be assaulted? Anyone?
