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Afraid they'll lose their jobs, Tulsa teachers are enduring attacks from k, pre-K students
Tulsa World ^ | 11/6 | Samuel Hardiman

Posted on 11/06/2017 8:13:40 PM PST by nickcarraway

Afraid they'll lose their jobs, Tulsa teachers are enduring attacks from kindergartners, pre-K students

Tulsa Public Schools teachers across the district are enduring attacks from prekindergarten and kindergarten students, the head of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association told the school board on Monday.

With about a dozen teachers standing behind her, Patti Ferguson-Palmer, president of TCTA, said that when it comes to what to do about the attacks, teachers and administrators are “frozen into inaction for fear of losing their jobs.”

Ferguson-Palmer said she has observed classroom attacks and that, in some cases, teachers are afraid to have students use pencils and scissors in activities for fear that they will be used as weapons.

She said teachers are worried about losing their jobs if they block an unruly child from leaving the classroom or if they let a child leave the classroom, meaning they’re stymied whatever they do.

The attacks are often due to a child’s reacting to external stresses, which triggers a fight or flight response, Ferguson-Palmer said.

The TCTA wants to work with the district to alleviate the situation and appreciates the efforts the district has made thus far, she said.

Ebony Johnson, executive director of student and family support services for the district, said there’s a difference between a kindergarten or prekindergarten student throwing a chair and an older student doing the same thing.

“Both behaviors are inappropriate. It is not OK,” said Johnson. “But a pre-K student struggles with impulsivity. They struggle with managing their emotions.”

She said principals undergo training to deal with actions of students who have undergone trauma. The principals then train their teachers, she said.

“I know there are teachers who feel as though there needs to be more support,” said Johnson. She added that the district is working to gather more information and figure out where to bring in more support.


TOPICS: Education; Local News; Society
KEYWORDS: arth
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To: GAgal

I worked in Tulsa for years, about 10 years ago. Since that time, the crime and murder rates have climbed. Drugs. Drugged up parents, drugged up kids. I frequently worked in the north end, which used to be the most dangerous area. I kept my eyes open, but wasn’t really afraid. You couldn’t pay me enough to work anywhere in Tulsa, now. We go there for occasional appointments, but we keep our eyes open. Lot of good people there, but it only takes a few to mess up the whole place.


41 posted on 11/06/2017 11:10:56 PM PST by Flaming Conservative
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To: boycott
The school needs to call babymama and tell her if the child cannot act right, she is going to have to find another place to babysit her child.

And then babymama shows up with her latest boyfriend and beats the living daylights out of the teacher.

42 posted on 11/06/2017 11:15:05 PM PST by Drew68
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To: Flaming Conservative

Checked again and Obama didn’t win a single OK country either time. Druggies likely don’t make voting a priority.


43 posted on 11/06/2017 11:23:33 PM PST by GAgal
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To: Theodore R.

It is Tulsa. It is the “hot bed” of Leftists in Oklahoma.


44 posted on 11/06/2017 11:43:53 PM PST by LaRueLaDue
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To: nickcarraway

When I was in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, the first thing we did each morning was recite the Lord’s Prayer then pledge allegience to the flag of the USA.


45 posted on 11/06/2017 11:59:29 PM PST by blam
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To: EliRoom8
It is also fairly likely that Ebony is not Ivory.

I like what you did there.

You may advance.

46 posted on 11/07/2017 12:58:52 AM PST by bagster (It's okay to be white.)
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To: GAgal

I’ve never done drugs, but I’m guessing registering to vote, let alone getting up and getting to the polls are not among the top priorities of druggies.


47 posted on 11/07/2017 1:44:58 AM PST by Flaming Conservative
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Comment #48 Removed by Moderator

To: Daffynition

Lawyers have created an environment to where if the teacher does anything, they and the school can be sued. So many parents don’t discipline their children and schools aren’t allowed to do it either. Schools should be able to tell parents that their kids better behave or they’re going to have to come up with another plan as to where to put their child.


49 posted on 11/07/2017 3:44:40 AM PST by boycott
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To: Exit148

The bench outside the principal’s office has been replaced with the ISS, the In School Suspenstion room.


50 posted on 11/07/2017 3:53:42 AM PST by FrdmLvr
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To: OldMissileer
You went to school when I did.

One of the benefits was that we actually learned something. For starters, I am certain every kid in my class could read, read and write cursive, and were drilled and memorized the times tables.

51 posted on 11/07/2017 3:56:15 AM PST by Former Proud Canadian (Islam delenda est.)
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To: Daffynition
And if your Mr. Razz ever called your parent, I would venture to guess, you’d have gotten some real discipline, when you got home. And things would straighten out. Boom!

My grade school Principal was a very big woman. About 6' tall and at least 300lbs and not to be trifled with.

Thank God I was a good student because if I had acted up Mrs. Blankenship would have destroyed me on the spot and my parents would have stomped all over whatever was left of me when I got home.

52 posted on 11/07/2017 4:13:40 AM PST by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: Exit148

“What happened to the bench outside the principal’s office — for disruptive students?”

Yeah A “Group W” bench for Pre- and K! Group W’s
where they put you if you may not be moral enough to be in the classroom after committing your special crime, and there was all kinds of mean nasty ugly looking kids on the bench there. Chalk throwers, chalk eaters, Spitters and hitters. Peer’s and pants poopers.


53 posted on 11/07/2017 4:33:18 AM PST by Autonomous User (During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.)
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To: RetiredTexasVet
I have been a substitute teacher since 2013. I teach pre-school, Head Start in Phoenix, and K-8th in our small town. You might be surprised how violent a 3, 4 or 5-year old can get. There is often no recourse or support in the classroom for violent behavior. The other kids end up suffering, too, as they are also targets.

I'm a Christian and pray over the classrooms before I even get to the school. The kids that are violent, have melt-downs, defy my authority, etc., are ones that God presents to me for prayer.

For those who pray, please remember the schools. There are rabid leftist teachers, but there are many with more conservative viewpoints. Also, there are Christians in the school. He may be banned, but we take Him in to the schools with us. We speak the word into these kids lives by our lives and our actions towards them.

Let's not abandon the younger generations. There is still hope!

54 posted on 11/07/2017 5:06:47 AM PST by stansblugrassgrl (PRAISE THE LORD AND PASS THE AMMUNITION!!! YEEEEEHAW!)
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To: OldMissileer

That’s b/c your parents [and my parents] cared.

When I speak to my recent 33yr experience, I can report that too many of the children, I taught, had no parents. Father was not around, and mom was in jail for drug convictions. So the kids are being raised by extended family, older brothers or sisters, yada. Long gone are the more strict grandmothers [of the generation mentioned above, our generation] who wielded real power over the urchins. Not surprising that the urchins are being raised by the mean streets.

Add to the mess, are the racial components. Used to be my school population was 55% black; 45% Hispanic. Both groups hated each other. Hated. Over time, that shifted. I won’t even go into the language issues.

Our parents [and neighbors] were pretty much on the same page, in terms of what it took to raise a child. If you were out-of-step you found out right quick, that you better change your ways. The parish priest, the school crossing guard, the mom & pop grocery store owner, the beat cops were all on the same page, as far as how things should be.

It’s depressing to think about. Public schools [in urban centers] are not nice places. I thought I could make a difference; with all the roadblocks in place, in the end, I was glad to make it out of the ‘hood alive at the end of each day.


55 posted on 11/07/2017 5:18:25 AM PST by Daffynition (The New PTSD: PRESIDENT-Trump Stress Disorder - The LSN didnÂ’t make Trump, so they can't break him)
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To: GAgal
"Another odd thing about the article is that out of control classrooms aren’t the norm in OK imo" Sadly, with what teachers are paid in Tulsa the classes are full of teachers who have never taught or been trained to teach (research Teach For America). While the lack of indoctrination may be great - these new teachers have no idea what they are getting into nor what they are doing. Mostly classes are filled with SJW who want to be the students friend and change the world. A teacher in Tulsa can move to all of the neighboring states and make more money and teach in a more pleasant environment.
56 posted on 11/07/2017 5:38:04 AM PST by Xenodamus (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. -TJ)
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To: nickcarraway

My daughter works at a daycare and she takes care of 3 year olds. She can’t get them to quit showing their genitalia to each other or flat out playing with themselves. Their parents say “it’s natural” and will do nothing about it at home.


57 posted on 11/07/2017 5:41:32 AM PST by DungeonMaster (Goblins, Orcs and the Undead: Metaphors for the godless left.)
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To: boycott; Drew68

Not sure what the laws are in your state; here in Connecticut, all p.s. must accept students, without exception. [A local or regional board of education is mandated to provide free school services to all school age children who are permanent residents of the town or school district –Section 10-186]

Parochial and private schools are not affected by that law. They can kick a student out, if need be. And guess where those kids end up? Warts and all.


58 posted on 11/07/2017 5:44:30 AM PST by Daffynition (The New PTSD: PRESIDENT-Trump Stress Disorder - The LSN didnÂ’t make Trump, so they can't break him)
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To: Daffynition

With just cause, Public schools should be able to kick them out. Lawyers have created an environment where wrong doers are protected.


59 posted on 11/07/2017 6:00:12 AM PST by boycott
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To: boycott

IMO, all of this started with the creation of the Department of Education. As soon as Fedzilla got its tentacles into local education, all local control, authority, and decision making ceased. As several posters have pointed out, when the community cares and looks out for each other, things work. But the uncaring evil monster controlling you from thousands of miles away destroys your community connection and your very humanity.

The best thing that could happen to education would be shutting down DOE and restoring local control.


60 posted on 11/07/2017 6:15:40 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
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