Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition

There are a plethora of reasons why teachers unfortunately get terminated. They range from trivial things that a teacher let build up, like gossip and miscommunication to more serious offences such as inappropriate relations with a student, lying on state mandated tests, etc. Throughout this annotated bibliography, the three reasons that will be discussed are inappropriate relations with students, falsifying records, and unfitting behavior for a teacher during and outside school hours. Inappropriate Relations with a Student: Riggs, R. (2013, February 2). Applewhite disciplined in 2009 for 'inappropriate consensual behavior'. Austin American-Statesman (TX). Summary: In February 2009, University of Texas assistant football coach Major Applewhite was disciplined after sources confirmed that he had consensual sexual relations with a student during the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. However, instead of firing the coach after the information came out, he was only sentenced to go to counseling for the matter. Critique: This article reflects the differences that age and school level makes when dealing with inappropriate behavior from a teacher. Instead of getting let go for having inappropriate relations with a student as you would usually see in primary or secondary schooling, since the student was attending college and was a consenting adult, Mr. Applewhite was spared his job as assistant coach and was allowed to continue his employment at University of Texas. However, this may have been an incorrect call for University of Texas to do, as it seems to send the message that engaging in inappropriate behavior with a student is not only tolerable, but an accepted practice.

Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition

Hosman, C. (2008, January 30). Former BCISD teacher reaches plea agreement. Burnet Bulletin (Texas). p. 1A. Summary: A middle school teacher from Burnet County Independent School District , Ms. Danya Elsasser, was found guilty of kissing an 18 year old student. She was first facing a second degree felony charge, but she admitted to kissing the student which reduced her crime to a Class B Misdemeanor with one year adjudication and a $500 fine. She is now only able to teach at a secondary level. As part of her sentencing as well, she must also attend meetings with a court appointed psychiatrist. Critique: This article is another look at how a school employee is dealt with dealing with inappropriate behavior between them and a student. This article reflects better what would happen when a primary and secondary school teacher would be treated when they have had relations with a student, even one that was of age. Even though she had harsher punishment dealing with her sentencing, there is still something to be desired with the ruling. She is still able to teach after breaking the law. This may allow more teachers to feel as if they can do these things without serious consequence.

Falsifying Records: Benton, J. (2007). Wilmer-Hutchins cheating probe targets former principal: Exprincipal's lawyer denies wrongdoing in TAKS cheating scandal. Dallas Morning News, The (TX). Summary: During 2004 at Alta Mesa Elementary School in Dallas, TX, the principle Jatis McCollister was charged with knowing that there was cheating being conducted during the

Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition

testing days of the TAKS test. However her lawyer, Mr. Ortiz claims that she is innocent of those charges. Moreover, it was found that 22 of the teachers at the school were found to be guilty of knowing, and helping assist with falsifying testing records with the students. Part of the reasoning as to why they were targeted to see if there was any misconduct happening at the school was because in 4 years, the school went from the bottom 1% of the state schools to pass the TAKS to being in the top 5%. Critique: This is a good example of how one must be aware of their teachers/employees. They themselves might not have been aware of what was going on, however since they are the helm of the school, they need to make sure that there is not any sort of misgivings going on that can lead to something of this nature. A more hands-on principle might have caught on quicker to what was going on instead of being blindsided with this information and could have been the one bringing this story to the TEA than for them to be in the crosshairs of it all. This also shows how usually people will hear about something of this nature going on at their school. If twenty-two teachers were part of this, there had to be a lot more that knew about this. There needed to be a better system in place for the other teachers to reach out to so that they could state what they were seeing and experiencing amongst their co-workers.

Benton, J. (2007, June 15). FW charter school in trouble over TAKS cheating. Dallas Morning News, The (TX). Summary: A charter school in Fort Worth, TX, Theresa B. Lee Academy, was found to have improperly tampered with the TAKS test. Lee Academy has been known for their low performances, and also their tampering with test records. It was widely known that they would

Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition

take the test for the students to ensure that they would pass the test. Many of the investigators were shocked at how detailed and organized the cheating was in this school. They found rows and rows of identical wrong answers for hundreds of students. Critique: This article shows how far teachers and the administration will go in order to have their school pass the standardized tests here in Texas. Even though the pressure is understandable, one must never compromise the testing scores in order to keep their school open and their own job intact. Another thing that this article reflects is how detailed and organized cheating might be for the standardized testing. The article said that it was known that the school would take the test for the students. That sort of organization for cheating is outlandish and unbelievable. Altogether though, even though it is unfortunate that the teachers and administrators thought that they had to do this in order to keep their jobs (and eventually lost them over the same thing), that it is a good thing that the TEA is able to see where the irregularities are being created and fix the problem. This was not only affecting the students now, but was going to affect them when they went to college, etc. and they thought that they would not have to work as hard in order to make a good grade/pass, etc.

Unfitting Behavior for Teachers: TREUL, D. (2008, October 25). Breckenridge school teacher arrested in drug sting. Breckenridge American. p. 1A. Summary: A teacher in Eastland, TX, Dawn McDaniel along with her husband, was arrested during a drug sting in October 2008. She was found growing marijuana in her home and also distributing it out. This drug sting was planned earlier that week and resulted in 11 more arrests.

Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition

Critique: This article shows that what you do outside of your job has a direct impact on your job overall. Dawn McDaniel taught at an elementary school, however she will not be allowed to teach anymore for the state of Texas due to this incident, seeing that this is a felony. This should cause teachers to think more about their actions when they are not at work, as they usually have a impact on what happens to your job in the long run.

Vandini, C. (2012, October 16). Teacher charged with Facebook solicitation. Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, TX). Summary: Alfredo Hernandez, a twenty-nine year old teacher from Brownsville, was arrested in October 2012 for soliciting a 12 year old girl for sex through Facebook, a social media site. He was immediately fired from the district following the arrest and the school district said that they were in the mist of contacting TEA to inform them of his misconduct. Critique: Even though this is similar to the sexual misbehavior section, this involves the social media site, Facebook. Many schools and school districts have specific rules if teachers can use their Facebook (and any other social media site) for their classes, befriending their students, etc. Many of them are thoroughly against any sort of use of social media sites for teaching purposes, and have started using education teaching sites like Edmodo to have that social media feel within a safe environment.

Getting Terminated: Teaching Edition