Posted on 04/05/2005 5:01:06 AM PDT by KidGlock
Dallas Police: Teacher Starts Brawl in Class
Mon Apr 4, 8:33 PM ET AP
DALLAS - A high school teacher faces an assault charge after police say she walked into a middle-school classroom, grabbed that teacher's hair, yanked her out of her chair, and dragged her across the room while punching her in the face and kicking her.
According to the police report, Paulette Baines grabbed Mary Oliver in front of the class full of gifted students Friday. Baines was angry because Oliver told her daughter to quit loitering by lockers and go to class, Dallas school district spokesman Donald Claxton said.
Oliver said Baines was yelling at her as she entered the classroom.
"I want you to know I didn't raise a finger. I didn't raise my voice. I didn't do anything to aggravate the situation," Oliver said. "I did everything possible to defuse the situation."
Baines was charged with assault with bodily injury, according to Dallas County Jail records. Baines, 45, was released early Saturday after posting $2,500 bail, a jail official said.
Baines, who was placed on paid administrative leave, did not immediately return a call seeking comment placed by The Associated Press on Monday.
Oliver, who teaches seventh-grade science at a Dallas school for gifted students, said she had bruises on her face, a concussion and two broken ribs.
The incident happened after Oliver talked to Baines' daughter and several other students about going to class. Students are not allowed to be at their lockers during class time, Claxton said.
Oliver said she did not single out Baines' daughter, an eighth-grader. The girl went to the school counselor, who called Baines to tell her what had happened, Claxton said.
From Andy Park's column in the Dallas News:
Ms. Baines' daughter and a friend, who is black, were in the hallway during class. Ms. Oliver, who is white, directed them to get back to class but ignored a white girl who also was in the hallway in violation of school rules.
Let me stress that no one has established what role race may have played in Friday's incident. Ms. Oliver had taught science to Ms. Baines' daughter in past years. So, maybe there was a history there that had nothing to do with race.
But racial tension has plagued Travis since it opened in 2001 in Oak Lawn.
"It was foreseeable that something like this would happen," said Kenneth Walker, a black lawyer and parent of a Travis child from 2001 to 2003.
More than two years ago, I met with Mr. Walker and other black parents about their concerns that white administrators and teachers at Travis were not sensitive to black families and children. <
They said they believed their children were treated differently when it came to grades and other forms of academic recognition.
"They put their heads in the sand instead of taking positive steps using affirmative action to address our concerns," said Mr. Walker, who described the Travis campus as "hostile territory" for black families.
No kiddin'
I'm ready to fight
I've been lookin' for my baby all night
If I get her in my sight
Boom boom! out go the lights
I thought I treat my baby fair
Now she's kiddin' all in my hair
If I get her in my sight
Boom boom! out go the lights
No kiddin'
I'm ready to go
When I find her boy don't you know
If I get her in my sight
Boom boom! out go the lights
I never been so mad before
When I found out she ain't mine no more
If I get her in my sight
Boom boom! out go the lights
Oliver, who teaches seventh-grade science at a Dallas school for gifted students, said she had bruises on her face, a concussion and two broken ribs.
It's a good thing she didn't defend herself... she might have made the other teacher mad. [/Iraq war debate sarcasm.]
Great song! Pat Travers Band, right?
She has the key qualifications that prevent her from ever being fired - first and foremost, she's black. Second, she's (ostensibly) a woman.
Somebody remembers the Pat Travers Band!!!!:)
Also, originally the song was done by Little Walter. I don't know if Pat Travers ever did a cover.
This is a case of racism all right, but the racism is on the part of the blacks( even though I know whites are the only ones who can be racists). Who knows if the white really ignored a white girl or if this was just something the black girl made up to make herself a victim instead of a rule breaker. In either case the woman who beat the other teacher needs to be fired.
Smoking Whisky, Drinking Cocaine. That and the "lights" song are the only ones I know of theirs. Hoo-ray for 70s rock!
So, when are we going to see the hate-crime charges filed? I'm not going to hold my breath waiting.
It's obvious what happened here. No cracker b*tch was going to tell her kid what to do.
She is probably familiar with the zero tolerance policy for fighting. Some schools give equal punishment to BOTH parties in a fight, the aggressor and the one defending himself.
Is she wearing a Che Guevara shirt?
Looks like this Andy Park person is doing his part in trying to make this a race thing, instead of a mom/daughter 'too good for the rules' thing.
Well, it is Dallas, so yeah, it is.
However, this being the government schools industry, betcha $10 Paulette doesn't loose her job or get demoted.
You bet, I saw him 3 time in my youth!
She looks like one "loco parentis"
You're right. It was a parent/teacher issue, not a teacher/teacher one.
"No Child Left Behind"?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.