Teacher Suspended For Telling Student To 'Go Back To Mexico'
VIDEO:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/texas-teacher-suspen...
Looks like this two-time "Teacher of the Year" will not be in the running to win the esteemed honor this year because of her derogatory comment to a Hispanic student: "Go back to Mexico."
Instead, 63-year-old Texas math teacher Shirley Bunn is fighting to keep her job.
Bunn made the comment on Sept. 30 while distributing Title 1 forms to her eighth grade students at Barnett Junior High School. Dallas-Fort Worth'sFox 4 reports that a disruptive student requested a Spanish-language version of the form, saying, "I'm Mexican. I'm Mexican."
According to public record, Bunn attempted to tell the student that he could retrieve forms translated into Spanish from the main office, but the student continued to repeat "I'm Mexican."
Bunn quickly responded, "[Then] go back to Mexico."
The school board placed Bunn on paid leave following the incident, until an Independent Hearing Examiner could review the case.
Late Wednesday, the examiner, Jess Rickman III, recommended that the school board allow Bunn to return to her post. In his 23-page opinion, Rickman determined that the district did not provide sufficient grounds for termination.
"Under the circumstances when taken in the context of the moment and the lack of intent for 'Go back to Mexico' to be a racially or nationality-based pejorative remark, I find it was not a remark of an egregious nature," Rickman said, Fox 4 reports.
Since Rickman's opinion is just a recommendation, the school board could still reject it and permanently terminate Bunn, who has taught at Barnett since 1999.
"It was almost instantaneous. I thought, 'God, I don't believe that came out of my mouth,'" Bunn told The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
"It was a very, very hard week, the end of six weeks. It was late in the day. It was a Friday. We were on the third day of the first curriculum assessment and I knew it wasn't going well. It was just an extremely bad day," Bunn said.
The school board is expected to decide Bunn’s fate before next month.
See Fox 4's report below.
Top Opinion
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Jack's Pearl 2012/02/17 19:55:36
+14I think it wasn't a wise choice of words but I do agree it was not wroth all of this. She should be able to return to work.
http://deepgreenresistancewis...
On the other hand, it is probably useful if the teacher, upon returning to the classroom, explain the comment and the context. It would also be useful if the teacher were able to explain to her eighth graders that repeatedly pestering someone is not a good way to get them to do something for you.
if she gets fired, then that is wrong.
That being said, the teacher worked in a "Title 1" class full of students. For those that do "not" know about "Title 1" programs, they are for "at risk students" and students who need extra help in school subjects.
I have been in and out of schools volunteering since my 36 yr old was 6. I realize the difficulties the teachers have with different students. But, I also realize the difficulties "Title 1" children have with teachers. My granddaughter was in a "Title 1" program until last year. She has since graduated. My granddaughter, who is learning disabled would get frustrated because she could not get the attention of teachers, because of the large classes.
As some get older the word "burn-out" is common amongst those that are in a helping profession.
Yes, the teacher was a "Teacher of the year" twice, but with the claases as large as they are, it is understandable that frustration would be there.
At the same time, the student "might" not have understood the teacher. That was one thing my granddaughter commented on about her school. So, we pulled her out to a school that was smaller, and she blossomed.
In MY opinion it was a very poor choice of words from the ...
That being said, the teacher worked in a "Title 1" class full of students. For those that do "not" know about "Title 1" programs, they are for "at risk students" and students who need extra help in school subjects.
I have been in and out of schools volunteering since my 36 yr old was 6. I realize the difficulties the teachers have with different students. But, I also realize the difficulties "Title 1" children have with teachers. My granddaughter was in a "Title 1" program until last year. She has since graduated. My granddaughter, who is learning disabled would get frustrated because she could not get the attention of teachers, because of the large classes.
As some get older the word "burn-out" is common amongst those that are in a helping profession.
Yes, the teacher was a "Teacher of the year" twice, but with the claases as large as they are, it is understandable that frustration would be there.
At the same time, the student "might" not have understood the teacher. That was one thing my granddaughter commented on about her school. So, we pulled her out to a school that was smaller, and she blossomed.
In MY opinion it was a very poor choice of words from the teacher. It was a poor choice of words from the student.
As far as the comment goes....it is NOT the responsibilty of the child as to where they live. If they are illegally here, it is not the fault of the child. Don't punish children for the poor action of their parents.
Maybe the teacher should teach children that are not special needs children. That could have prevented this situation.
she answered him properly the first time.. from then on he was just pushing her buttons..
I think a more appropriate snappy comeback to him would have been, "we don't have the forms in Mexican. They are in Spanish" or "go to the office and get the form".
How about the power of the "F" - "say one more and you got an "F" for the day (or week)."
When I was in school, and I spoke out of turn... I was punished first by the school (detention, an "F", etc) and then when I got home, by my mom.
The kids of today would have their parent(s) and lawyers in tow to contest the "F" or any remarks (appropriate or not).
Given her work history and reputation with other students, parents and teachers, this is a case of a student taken advantage of his ethnicity and the kid is in the wrong.
I say, her suspensions was over the top. I verbal reprimand as it "cool your jets" and