Boy's Family Upset At Unflattering AwardsParents Demand Apology From Teachers, Reprimand

denverchannel.com ^ | 06/13/07 | denverchannel

[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.

[yldstrk]

Fire them. The teachers were completely in the wrong.

[JasonC]

How about instead we fire both of the teachers involved and laugh at them as they stroll down to the unemployment office? We can follow them around for a month hounding them and calling them names, gloating the while.

Then if anybody objects we will say they just can't take a joke.

[weegee]

Only a “breeder” would be awarded “Most Likely Not To Have Children”. The alternative lifestyle kids would not be subject to having their lifestyle choice (in the sixth grade no less) questioned.

[Gabz]

IMO some one should have taught this kid how to lighten up and roll with it.

I agree, but would add that the parents need a lesson in that as well.

Yesterday was the awards ceremony at my daughter's school.....she was more excited about the one she got in the classroom from the teacher than the one she got during the school ceremony.

From her teacher the award is "Most likely to become Cat Woman"

At the school ceremony she received the Principal's Award, which is for Straight A's and Honor Roll for the entire school year.

(She could have very well earned a chatter box or drama queen award)

[weegee]

...think I got the “Handwriting most resembling chicken scratch” award or something...

Future Doctor award?

[SittinYonder]

I would,

I don't have a problem with "Sir Clownsalot." That sounds fairly good natured. But "Most Likely Not to Have Children"? What does it even mean?

My son just returned home from a 4-H trip where one of the chaperones had called one of the kids "fatty" to his face and made him cry (the kid is a fourth grader and, according to my son, is overweight).

Does that square with you? Is this kid whiney and insecure?

[pillut48]

"Most Likely Not To Have Children" and "Sir Clowns-a-Lot" I'm sure the teachers chose these titles because the kid came in to class on time each day with all supplies on hand, followed directions, never talked back, kept his hands to himself, respected the belongings of others...could go on and on. Having been a private and public school teacher for a few decades, been there, done that. I already said the teachers shouldn't have done this. But the kid's and parents' reactions are OTT.

[maine-iac7]

This looks like a sweet and intelligent young man.

Years ago, when my sons were in school, I was involved with the Gifted Children programs - Most often, a child with high intelligence gets bored silly with the dumbed down curriculum of today's schools. They are likely to be, out of sheer boredom, the one's who "day dream" and/or become the class clown's -

The school's and teachers (and the teacher's are often less intelligent and resent these children - I even had the President of the California Dept. of Education say that to me!)

It is bordering on criminal what they have done to this young man.

They now bring criminal charges against parents for "verbal" abuse. Why wouldn't this fall into same criteria?

[maine-iac7]

May I suggest you go suck an egg -

[pillut48]

Yeah, those stupid teachers!! What do they know? They had a bratty kid in their classrooms for an entire school year and had to put up with God knows what kind of crap while getting little or no support from the parents or the school admin...sheesh, why are these stupid teachers even breathing?!
/s

[Mrs.Liberty]

Agreed.

And at the other end of the spectrum are schools who have teachers give awards out to every student, so as to not hurt a child's self esteem. Gone are the days when, if awards were given out, they were given out to the top students.

At the end of my son's 6th grade year, the teacher "forgot" to give an award to this one student..whether on purpose or on accident..don't know. I still remember her crying because she was so embarrassed.

[Not A Snowbird]

Amy Sims said her son needs counseling because of the awards.

If that was enough to drive her son into counseling, then he has problems deeper than a couple of joke awards. I say this as an adult who was a withdrawn, frightened, easily hurt child. There are other issues here.

(Not defending the teachers, mind you. It was a tasteless thing to do.)

[Fishtalk]

Thank you!

Maybe it’s because I’m a woman but damn if I don’t think this is mean as all get out.

I understand very well we live in a culture where someone can get “offended” and the world curls up into a ball and sucks its politcally correct thumb.

But I swear to the good Lord this thing is just plain MEAN. I mean...it’s MEAN with no purpose at all.

I despise mean people. In general only liberals are mean. Mean-ness is a waste of time and resources. I could see these teachers sitting around and laughing about this sort of thing....when no one’s listening and it’s time to let off steam.

But to say this sort of thing to a young child? Why am I flabberghasted. What purpose does it serve but to hurt someone’s feelings?

[TornadoAlley3]

Did other students get these kinds of awards or just this child? If this is done every year and known in advance that it is a joke I do not see the problem, however, “Most Likely Not To Have Children”...wonder what he did or did not do to get that award?

[Mike Bates]

I was voted Class Clown of my high school graduating class. (Not that I like to brag about completing high school: it did take six years). Anyway, I've now decided that this was a traumatic experience and is the reason for my many failures in life.

Where do I go to sue?

[DCPatriot]

Cheers for your daughter!

This is what scoreless little league games has wrought.

[sticker]

My son’s high school band gave out a Most Improved Award every year or as the kids called it “ You Really Sucked at the First of the Year”, nobody got upset about it.

[dwntmpo]

You don’t think there’s a difference in self-esteem between losing a competitive activity, and being put down by your teacher?

Stories like this provide fodder for the self-esteem crowd..

[cinives]

Whatever happened to the “teachers should be positive role models” movement ?

The Sir Clowns-A-Lot award was probably well deserved and should be acceptable, but the “not likely to have children” is way, way too personal. The teachers were out of line on that one.