chickenscratch Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 The little angel was in class today... no consequences for his behavior. Principal had a conference with his parent. Nobody bothered to call me in. He came in today and was acting overly sweet, offering to help me pass things out and asking me if he was being good. That made me feel more nervous than his threat yesterday. I talked to counselor this morning. She suggested I go to my doctor for anxiety medication because she asked some of the other kids and they said he did not threaten me. Imgine that, believing the kid over the adult. (Of course they are going to cover for him, he's a gang member and they are scared of him) I am going to continue to document, document, document, and take lots of video. Quitting is not an option because we would lose our house and car if I did. I make half of the house payment and all of my car payment out of my paycheck. Thanks all for listening and offering advice. It is greatly appreciated. On a happy note, one of my intervention students (who never started school until he was 12 because his parents locked him away in the house) wrote his first and last name today and copied soem words I had written on paper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 We'll hang in there. Glad you can feel good about helping one student start to see potential. After someone threatens you and then becomes overly nice, you wait on pins and needles for the knife in the back. Shirley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy (SewAsylum) Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I agree with what everyone has said and have no sage advice to add. I am not a teacher, nor do a have a teacher in my family. But I am commenting because I think it is totally not right that you should have to take this and be in fear at work. I am commenting only to say that I support you and I hope this works out for you and your safety. I would hope, also, that you could do quilts for a living and give up teaching but that is easier said than done. I have to give up my vet tech license this month because I can no longer work due to a pain issue. I cannot even go to the continuing ed classes that are required to keep my license. I am devastated about this. So I understand that you may not want to give up teaching. But no one should have to go thru what you are going thru. Document everything and think ahead about what could happen and how you could react to be safe. Please keep us posted as to what is happening so we all don't keep worrying, and we know how things come out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted October 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I would love to do quilts and quit my job. If you would all send me your customers I would appreciate it. But then you'd have no business. I am making about $100 a month from quilting, on average. Hardly enough to pay the bills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy (SewAsylum) Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 I am so sorry you are having to put up with this, it is not right. I agree with what everyone else has said, and to document everything. I hope this works out for you and I hope you stay safe. I am just throwing in my support for you, and please let us know what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyh Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Teresa, i know from your previous posts that you take your teaching seriously and want to help your students. I bet you spend a lot of outside time thinking about how to reach your kids. I also have no teaching experience but I do have teachers in the family. The one thing I know from talking to them is that your staff support is so important! Your principal sounds like she is afraid of the students and their parents, and I am a little shocked that the counselor's solution is for YOU to take a drug to make YOU less anxious, when the student is the problem. You have gotten some great advice from forum members. I hope that you can stay strong and safe-- please keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delores62305 Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Teresa: I am so sorry you are having to go through this. With all the school tragedies in the news these days, you really have to take everything seriously; whether it's a verbal threat or even a threatening "look." It sounds like your administration is in denial, so you will need to do whatever you need to do to keep yourself (and the other children) safe. IMHO, you should go to your local law enforcement and make a report. They should at least be aware of what is going on and how the school is handling it. I think law enforcement would take it more seriously. Good luck and wish your the best. May God keep you safe in His loving arms..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merryjo2003 Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Sounds like a creditable threat to me. Sounds like the principal is scared, too. I think the advise to document and report is very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Teresa, I keep coming back to this post when there is something added and I do it with dread. What's happening is awful and all the advice you've been given is spot on and also terrifying. It's unfair for you to be put in the position of having to cope with this terror alone. I agree that you must pass this nastiness up the chain of command but the wall of dis-interest, skepticism, and avoidance terrifies me as well. Recent history teaches us that early intervention could have helped with some of the school violence that stuns and scars us. I'm so angry when I think about you in this situation. Please keep safe and let us know how things are going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Ive been following this thread and feel just awful for you. Everyone is offering great advice, and I hope you are getting a bit of comfort. Please, alert your local police to the situation. I think this needs to be on their radar. Especially since you have so little support from your admin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 The reason the other kids said nothing happened is the gang or retribution fear. If the say something happened they will have a target on them. It was wrong for the school to even ask knowing the situation. They would have to know about the gangs, etc or they are wearing blinders. Hang in there. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy (SewAsylum) Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 How is it going today at school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted October 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 Today the resource officer came to me with one of the girls from that class. Seems like that same boy threatened her. The girl was being placed in the office for the rest of the day for her protection. The resource officer also said they know he is a gang member and they have been watching him. He will likely be going to alternative school before Christmas if they can get enough of a paper trail together. My discipline referral was added to the computer. I'm just glad they took it seriously when he threatened the girl. I just hope he didn't threaten her because she told what he said to me. I just don't know the whole situation. Pray for the girl, and pray that the demons are removed from this boy and he finds guidance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyG_Quilts Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 I am a teacher and have also been through a tough situation, although not nearly this bad! I had been hired as a long term substitute for a whole year and the situation in all six of my classes kind of fell apart in February. It got to the point where I would sit in my car for a moment every morning and say to myself, "oh f*** here we go again..." They had an older more experienced teacher sit in to help with discipline for a couple weeks. then they fired me. I have never been so glad to get fired in my life. I was lucky I had excellent representation from my union, both at local and state level. They got me a great severence package and I got out of hell. I was a new teacher with little expereince. I had a newly minted masters' degree on top of a new bachelors'. If it were not for two years of teaching while I worked on the masters', I would have been convinced I had spent six years and lots of money training for the wrong profession! I made it a goal to not ever teach in a public school again. I have now been happily teaching at a community college. It is a different world. Sure, students still have problems, but they are much different problems. The troubled ones rarely come to class. If you can, you might want to consider this option. Meanwhile, you are in my thoughts. On a lighter note, the other day, out of the blue, I got an email from my ex (he is an abusive alcoholic) telling me he had read about the teacher who was likked the day before in Nevada and thought maybe I should try a different profession, perhaps security guard on a Brinks truck! I laughed long and hard. (it is my personal feeling that humor can relieve a lot of stress...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggy (SewAsylum) Posted October 26, 2013 Report Share Posted October 26, 2013 I am glad they are now taking things seriously. Hopefully they will keep a close eye on this kid now. Please keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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