Yesterday I wrote a post about a special needs child who was bullied by her teacher and the teacher’s aide. The aide was fired, but the teacher was not. I don’t know why not, but if I had to hazard a guess, it probably has plenty to do with the teacher’s union fighting for her. Today, somebody (not me) began an online petition to get this teacher fired. Now, after fully examining the karmic ramifications of this and deciding that I am in the right, I am going to ask you to sign it.
It doesn’t matter than the student was a special needs student, although that takes the situation to another level. What does matter is that bullying was involved, and the bully was the person that is PAID to EDUCATE this student, not to criticize her belly, not call her names, and not impugn the character of her parents. I have friends and family members that are teachers. They’re overworked. They’re underpaid. They can’t watch everything. It’s hard to remain impartial. I sympathize, and that is why the teaching profession is not for everybody. I really feel that the teaching position is not for Christie Wilt (the name of the teacher), because she is a bully.
Is there anyone reading this that hasn’t had their self-esteem shredded at the hands of a bully? I remember my own terrorist, from fourth and fifth grade. Her name was Jane Fisher. She called me names and made fun of my teeth (this was pre-braces.) She ripped the ribbons out of my hair, threatened to punch me in the nose, and poked a hole in my favorite yellow dress with her pencil. Her mother was my math tutor, so Jane also knew what kind of idiot I was. And she told everybody. I cried every day that I had to go to school. Teachers told me to suck it up. We thankfully moved away right before sixth grade.
When adults do not do what they are supposed to do when they see a bullying situation, they are in the wrong and it can adversely affect children for many years to come. Hell, 20+ years later I remember the teacher that told me to ‘suck it up’ just as much as I remember Jane. When adults do not do the right thing, it only validates the bullying behavior and smashes the self-esteem of the one being bullied. The one being bullied either no longer trusts adults; or, in the case of my daughter, the one being bullied takes matters into her own hands, earning her the nickname “Ali”. And when you are an adult that is doing the bullying, you just need to be plain old eradicated. And that’s exactly what needs to happen to Christie Wilt.
Please sign. Please. Spare her next victim.
My questions regarding the teacher, Christie Wilt is, why did the mother not contact the teacher immediately? Why not the principal? Why did they immediately hire a lawyer to pursue this? There is so much more to this story than the media has shared. Mrs. Wilt wasn’t quoted in any way that I’ve read that would make me think she was abusive. She’s not and she wasn’t.
Hi Ms. Mavis, thanks for commenting and I absolutely love a good, respectful interchange on my blog!
Your question isn’t really about Christie Wilt at all, but about the parents. The parents did talk to the principal, and the superintendent, and as a result they were sent a cease-and-desist email where they were accused of “borderline” slander and harassment. It was only at that point that they began taping. Defamation and slander allegations can be disproved with proof of truth of character, which can definitely be obtained in audio and video recordings, as well as emails, texts, and phone messages. If somebody accused me of slander, I’d arm myself with evidence as well, because if you read the email it really and truly sounds like the superintendent is willing to sue the parents for the allegations that they made on behalf of their daughter.
You clearly question the motive of the parents. I myself questioned, not the parents,but why Channel 10 ran the story on the eve of Election Day. I wondered if the airing of this item was supposed to sway voters to vote for SB5.
But none of this matters, because none of this changes Mrs. Wilt’s actions, which were wrong.
I don’t know why the parents chose to sue the school. Maybe they want to pay cash for the counseling that this kid is going to need. Maybe they want to donate the money to charity. Or, maybe they want to pay off their house and buy a yacht and go on a nice vacation.
Still. Doesn’t. Matter. Again, because none of these motives will ever change the actions of Mrs. Wilt.
So, Why was Mrs. Wilt so wrong? Because even if she didn’t participate in the verbal exchanges that are caught on tape (which she did) she is bound, by law, to report any abuse of any student as an educator under the Ohio Educational Code. She didn’t. Even if she is only guilty of apathy, she is still at fault. As a teacher she is charged with creating a safe environment in which her students are supposed to learn. She didn’t do that either. Did she tie this child in a chair and light her on fire? No, and for that reason she is not in jail. But she didn’t do her job effectively and it is time for her to step aside and let someone else handle that classroom.