Despite all of the amazing people influencing today’s kids, there always seems to be the errant so-called advocate for children who turns out to be a bully.
A teacher in Georgia recently resigned after she was confronted about several Facebook posts she wrote that criticize a student with special needs.
The teacher, Jennifer Lynch, made the social media comments on the last day of school before the holiday break, 11 Alive News in Atlanta reports.
She had to stay at school later than usual that day to give a student with a learning disorder additional time on tests – a common accommodation for students with special learning needs. But the teacher was apparently enraged and took to Facebook with this message: “Ugh. Thanks a lot, kid, for finally coming to finish your effin’ final more than THREE HOURS after school let out and almost TWO hours after the principal said teachers could leave.”
She later posted again to her page saying, “He has some (expletive) disorder: one of those ‘we don’t know what his disorder is and we don’t want him to be labeled, so we are not going to find out, but we want academic accommodations anyway’ disorders.”
Lynch also describes that as the boy left, he made a comment saying that he’d be the last student to leave the building that day – a fact that the teacher wrote is “not funny, but tragic.”
“Your life is tragic,” she reportedly wrote.
Fortunately, other people noticed the posts and the school district got involved. Officials from Fulton County Schools called Lynch into a meeting where they questioned her about her comments and she ultimately resigned, 11 Alive News reports.
The district issued a statement about the situation saying they are “appalled at the social media posts and the disrespect shown to a student.”
“Ms. Lynch met with our Human Resources Division yesterday (the first day back for teachers) where she was notified that this behavior did not meet the standard of professionalism expected of all Fulton County teachers. She decided to resign her position and is no longer employed by Fulton County Schools,” the statement read. “FCS does not monitor the personal social media of our staff but employees are accountable for the use of good judgment.”
A Yahoo Parenting story about the situation has more than 670 comments, with some people sympathizing with the teacher and others understandably outraged.
“The bottom line is as a teacher, she should have compassion for this child,” user Starks wrote. “All children learn at different rates, some fast, some a little slower; but it doesn’t mean the slower child should be ridiculed or not taught at all.”
Another reader said too much information is missing.
“Had this student with ‘special needs’ ever been diagnosed? Were the parents in denial but still demanding every accommodation available? Some parents are nightmares to work with and have no insight into working with the school/educators for the good of the child,” Sharon commented. “Jennifer’s mistake was venting on Facebook.”
But since when is a diagnosis needed to accommodate a student’s needs? It’s not. Special education services, including extra time for completing tests, should be offered based on a child’s needs – not their diagnosis.
It’s already difficult enough for parents to get school districts to implement appropriate accommodations. Now we have to worry about teachers resenting our kids for it, too?
What do you think of this situation? Tell us in the comments.
