Posted on 09/02/2014 10:48:34 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A culinary arts teacher at New Dorp High School is headed back to class after being formally reprimanded by the Department of Education for allowing some of his students to eat spoonfuls of cinnamon as part of a "challenge."
The pungent spice, in powdered form, is known to cause gagging, vomiting and choking.
Teacher Matthew Hayes, who was the subject of an investigation by the Office of Special Investigations Commissioner Richard Condon, admitted to investigators he challenged his students to try to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon as part of a lesson on flavor, taste and texture in cooking.
Students also tasted cocoa powder as part of the lesson, but it was the cinnamon that prompted an anonymous complaint against Hayes and set off the investigation, according to the report from Condon's office, which the Advance obtained under the Freedom of Information Law.
According to the report, the investigation began in November 2013, after an unidentified staffer at the school filed a complaint that Hayes had conducted a "cinnamon challenge" in his class. The case was initially reported to to the NYPD's Division of School Safety, which referred the matter to Condon's office.
The report noted that at the time of the complaint, the "cinnamon challenge" was a "viral internet challenge" that involved making video of someone swallowing a spoonful of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds, without drinking anything, and then uploading the video to YouTube.
"The challenge is extremely difficult and carries substantial health risks because the cinnamon dries the mouth and throat, resulting in coughing, gagging, vomiting and inhaling of cinnamon," the report noted.
Hayes, who has been teaching at New Dorp since 2010, told investigators that one of his classes of freshmen were very "engaged" and he wanted them to understand the assortment of spices used in cooking, and had several spices displayed on a table during the lesson, including cocoa powder as part of his lesson.
He told investigators that he was aware of the YouTube challenge, but that the lesson was "not at that level." He said one student asked whether they could do the "cinnamon challenge" and he advised the student it was a "bad idea because cinnamon absorbs moisture, and that it had the "consistency of baby powder."
He said that three students eventually tried about a half-teaspoon of the spice that he poured on a plastic spoon. Two of the students swallowed the spice after letting it melt in their mouth, while a third spit out the cinnamon into a trash can in the room. Hayes also provided water for students to wash out the taste, Condon's report noted.
Hayes asserted there were no prizes given for successfully completing the experiment, but that one of the three students picked up a set of plastic beads on the table.
All three students, who were identified as only Student A, B and C, for privacy, were also interviewed by investigators. They corroborated Hayes' account. None of the students who took the cinnamon reported they became ill.
There was no specific reference to the YouTube challenge made in class, and no one in the class made a video of the incident, according to the report.
A copy of the report was forwarded to City Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina, and a letter or reprimand was placed in Hayes' personnel file at the Department of Education.
DOE sources said Hayes, who earns just shy of $69,000 a year, is still on staff at New Dorp. Although he was placed on leave during the investigation, he is cleared to return to class when schools open Sept. 4.
Hayes, who lives on the South Shore and is married with three children, could not be reached for comment. New Dorp Principal Deidre D'Angelis did not respond to an email request for comment.
New Dorp, Port Richmond and Tottenville high schools are the only three Staten Island high schools with a culinary arts program
Allowed Hack?
>>Allowed Hack?<<
Encouraging kids to take dangerous dares means he is a hack.
>>New Dorp?<<
Like the song:
New Dorp, New Dorp!!
what a wonderful town
a dare goes up
and the cinnamon’s down
Headlines don’t match
whats on first line on down.
New Dorp, New Dorp!!
what a wonderful toooooooown!
Stupidity reigns in public education.
An unfortunate name for a town, if ever there was one. Also, it implies there was an old “Dorp” and someone liked the name so much they wanted to perpetuate it!
At least there's an historical reason.
Where I grew up (rural Oregon), hack was the term used for the application of the “board of education” — synonymous with “swat.” Coupled with the word “Reprimand” it almost makes sense. More likely, someone was going for the “B” on the keyboard and hit high and wide, leading to an H.
New Derp.
Dorp Dorp Dorp
Nothing. I just like saying it.
Dorp Dorp Dorp
O-D’d on nutmeg once. The lights got dim, and we felt stupid.
Stop being such a dorp!
Seriously, guys?
Even this old lady knows that one of the slang meanings of “hack” currently in use by young people is “an outrageous stunt or a prank”.
I wasn’t aware of that definition, but it doesn’t help to make any sense of the headline.
...but it doesn’t help to make any sense of the headline.
***
Very true.
Hope you didn’t mind my joshin’ you.
OMW! Joke’s on me. I just went back and looked at the headline, and I realize now that “hack” is a typo there. Should be “back” even though they discuss the “hack” in the piece.
BTW—you aren’t by chance a Cornell alumnus?
No, my handle has confused so many people. I just did not give it enough thought, I suppose.
Biggest problem is that most people think I am man, which is logical since it’s usually only men who don’t mind being referred to as “big”. Recently, I had a less than cordial private exchange with a FReeper who, in so many words, called me a fatso and told me to get on an exercise regimen.
Now, I have, admittedly, put on a few pounds in my old age, but “Big Red” is just a nickname that my husband used for me shortly after we met many years ago, when I was definitely not overweight. It came out of a silly conversation that I can’t even recall anymore, but it was because I was tall and had red hair.
My alma mater is a Maryland state school, and its mascot is the Retriever, and not a reptile. :)
Egg on my face: See my #15.
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