Bullying in the classroom can come from many directions. Teachers have used their power to bully students on occasion. And this is something that not all parents are aware of. When a fifth-grader recorded an incident of bullying between a teacher and another student inside the classroom, he or she was given a five-day suspension.
Cooper was able to capture a teacher stating, “Don’t let the size fool you. I will drop you.” Then the teacher can be heard saying, “Biggest kid in the fifth grade and you acting like the smallest one.”
Cooper opted to hand over the recording to school officials. The teacher was dismissed as a consequence. Cooper, on the other hand, has been suspended for recording the event “illegally.” According to the school, Coopers’s recording was illegal since the teacher was unaware of it. This implies that Cooper went against the teacher’s expectation of privacy.
The Florida Statute reads:
“Florida makes it a crime to intercept or record a “wire, oral, or electronic communication” in Florida unless all parties to the communication consent. Florida law makes an exception for in-person communications when the parties do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the conversation, such as when they are engaged in conversation in a public place where they might reasonably be overheard.”
The school released a statement in response to the event:
“The staff at Sam Gaines Academy investigated the incident involving unprofessional behavior by the teacher and took swift, appropriate action. The teacher was dismissed and no longer works for the school system.” However, the school made no statement in response to the little girls’ suspension.
After hearing all of this, Coopers’ mother did not agree with the school administrators’ assessment of the instructors’ expectations of privacy. That is because her remark was made in a classroom full of pupils. And she clearly stated those words in such a way that everyone would hear. Cooper did not record a private discussion. It occurred in a class, according to the mother, which her daughter did not break any law.
Bullying is now getting a lot of attention. And these days, situations like this are being taken more seriously. However, the majority of the time, the attention is focused on one “kid-on-kid abuse.” The physical abusers, taunters, tormentors, and even the mean girls at school aren’t the only concerns for some children. In fact, despite their intentions to protect these youngsters from bullying., educators can actually contribute to their bullying.
The teacher is responsible for preventing bullying in the classroom. But what happens when the instructor uses his or her power to bully pupils? What occurs if the teacher is a bully? How should a youngster react when this happens?
If the instructor turns out to be unpleasant, everyone should understand that walking out of the class, fighting back, or ignoring the teacher is not the best answer. They may also believe that alerting another teacher, the principal, or any other adult who could assist you would be difficult.
Always pay attention to what your children have to say. Spend some time discussing how their day went at school with your kids. Encourage your kids to be open and honest with you, whether it’s good or bad. This way, when the teacher is being cruel towards them, they will be more secure in telling you about it.
