Posted on 06/14/2007 8:18:08 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
INDIANAPOLIS -- Sixth-grader Matt Porter didn't enjoy getting "Most Likely Not To Have Children" and "Sir Clowns-a-Lot" awards from two teachers at his school.
His parents aren't pleased, either.
Matt said he received the awards in front of classmates during a ceremony at the Decatur Intermediate Learning Center at the end of the recently finished school year. His mother and his stepfather have asked the Decatur Township school system to reprimand the teachers, and they want an apology.
"Words cut deeper than any knife could. They hurt," said his stepfather, Joseph Sims. "When you hurt a child like that, you not only hurt him mentally, but it does hurt physically because you withdraw within yourself. That is what Matthew has done."
The certificates were signed by the teachers who distributed them. Matt recalled what the ceremony was like.
"I was standing in the middle of (the two teachers), and they (were) reading them off," he said. "Everyone was laughing."
Matt felt humiliated.
"They (were) putting us down and everything," he said. "That is not what their job is for, to put kids down. They are supposed to teach us."
Amy Sims, Matt's mother, said she met with a school official over the matter but was not satisfied with the response.
"She just told me that the teachers would call and apologize to him, and we've not heard anything at all," Amy Sims said.
Gary Pellico, spokesman for the school system, declined to say whether the teachers have been disciplined. He said system officials regret the incident.
"We don't feel like it was an appropriate awards ceremony at all," Pellico said. "It wasn't part of the school's award ceremony, and it will not happen again."
Amy Sims said her son needs counseling because of the awards. The school has offered it, but an agreement on who will provide it has not been reached, Thomas reported.
I agree. I suppose if it were me I would have laughed it off but some can’t or won’t.
Indeed. I can’t understand why some of the people here WANT the boy to be a ‘victim’ and get all he can from that, fiscally or emotionally...
Oh, I forgot to ask—what has been your experience in teaching and in American classrooms and public schools??
How is a 10 year old gay??????????
I vote for Paris Hilton.
I don’t see anything wrong with the “Sr Clowns alot,” but the “most likely to never have children” is a bit strange.
Being a teacher I have to admit I have been tempted to do something like this,but common sense always wins out. There is absolutely no way I would risk my career by doing something as patently stupid as this. What are you going to say to that parent when they ask where this fits into their education. But more important, what are you going to say to their lawyer.
I have an award idea. How about the “Teacher Most Likely To Get The $hit Beat Out Of Them By A Pissed-Off Parent Award”?
We don’t know what kind of attempts the teacher/s made during the school year to get the boy to correct his behavior. Apparently, they were unsuccessful, or else this would never have been an issue in the first place. People tend to blame the teacher/s for everything (not that they aren’t for some things) but the child/ren and the parents are all integral for a successful education. The teachers bear responsibility here, but SO DOES THE KID AND HIS PARENTS. Like someone else wrote, the parents aren’t doing their kid any favors by teaching him how to be a ‘victim’.
At least he still has a sense of humor.
(who should never have children herself)
God, how hateful is that, you are judging the teacher by a single incident and condemning her to never having children? I wouldn’t wish that particular sentence on my worst enemy, after having many miscarriages and dealing with infertility for many years. :*(
I’ve seen the behavior in kids as young as 3, encouraged by their parents. It happens. (No, I don’t think it’s genetic, I think being gay is environmental.)
Yesterday at my kid’s middle school end of year ceremony -my 2 kids got the following awards: Honor Roll (both of them), Most Talanted 8th grade Musician, Perfect score on the History Standard of Learning Test (600 out of 600), Highest grade point average in 6th grade History AND an award for EXCEEDING Accelerated Reader points..... I am so proud. It must suck to be his parents.
Yeah, I missed the part where he should have said, “And we, as good students, are at school to behave and learn everything we need to know to become successful human beings in life...”
Oh, that’s right. He didn’t claim any responsibility for his actions leading up to this issue. Hmmm.
I too teach at an inner city school in Dallas!
About as hateful as telling a child they are unlikely to have children, I'd say.
“How is a 10 year old gay??????????”
Fine, would you like for me to say that maybe he had “stereotypically effeminate mannerisms”?
In my experience, some of the kids who we thought were gay in school.. really were gay.
Where did you read that?
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