Other students avoided him to the point that they all sat on one side of the classroom, an he sat alone on the other. He would talk to himself, draw during class and engage in random, nonsensical, non-topical outbursts. Students complained to their advisers, I spoke to endless department heads and Deans....nothing. Finally, he sat in class and threatened to commit suicide and take people with him.
I called security and had him escorted out -- and I still was summoned to a disciplinary meeting because they felt my actions were discriminatory.
I still think this kid will go off one day.
If I was this kid’s parent, I would be majorly upset with you, dork. There are kids you struggle with and you hope will come around. You don’t isolate them and make them feel worse and encourage your class to pull a lord of the flies on them. What kind of a person are you anyway? Have you ever been to church? How do you think Christ would have approached this situation? Are you totally compassionless? I am betting this kid’s parents are in a continuation of their living hell right now along with everyone else who lost people in Tucson. What is wrong with you?
What a horrible position to be in. You and your students should not have to be concerned about your personal safety in the classroom. Perhaps concern over the tragedy in Arizona will lead to a change in policy at your school.