Comments on: Florida, Facebook, and Teacher Conduct

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:36:04 +0000

I’d have to know the nature of the previous offenses. By definition, “a final straw” is something that by itself would not justify termination. If the guy is a losse cannon and is saying inappropriate things every other class, yes, the cumulative effect could justify termination even if no single incident would.

By: Read the Minutes

Read the Minutes — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:11:09 +0000

This is in regards to the Shawnee Mission Valley teacher who was fired. You wrote: “When you add them all together, it is obvious that the school district’s action was excessive and unfair. (Caveat: News reports do not suggest that there had been other issues with Haraughty’s professional conduct. If this was just the final straw after a series of warnings, then the analysis would be different.)”. If you read the minutes from the board meeting, you would have seen that this mistake wasn’t the first and he had been warned on numerous occasions for repeated offensives. Also, having worked for the goverment and seeing how much documentation it takes to fire an employee, this is probably documented to the extreme for probably 5 or more years. Unfortunately, the school district probably can’t publish the information.

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:20:24 +0000

The teacher in Georgia would have been better off if 1) she acknowledged that, upon reflection, showing herself drinking on a semi-public site wasn’t properly responsible, and 2) running off to do TV interviews. She has a legitimate grievance, but she needs to show that she “gets it.” I’m not sure she does.

By: Tim LeVier

Tim LeVier — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:13:33 +0000

I agree with you Bob. There is such quick action on these types of issues – but little action when the quality of the lesson plans go down.

I’m trying to find the real issue in Georgia. Employer says “yada-yada-yada” in their Ethics Code – and the teacher may have violated the Code. Is this really a “zero-tolerance” offense?

In a perfect world – Wouldn’t it make sense to say “We saw your Facebook page and you have 24 hours to make it private or remove ‘such and such’ content.” At least if the Facebook page was private – knowingly adding your students to view your page is a better smoking gun and cause for dismissal than zero tolerance.

By: Bob Stone

Bob Stone — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:20:43 +0000

Ah, if only school districts were half as quick to fire teachers for being bad teachers.

By: Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:35:12 +0000

1. Thanks for the correction. I have no idea what I was thinking, except that I have been to Mission Valley on BOTH KC and San Diego, and just got careless.

2. Yes, it is ridiculous, but I bet the same thing would happen in many, many schools.

3. Please leave your name next time. Unless xx IS your name…

By: xx

xx — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:23:55 +0000

Correction on your Ryan Haraughty story. Don’t know where you got that he was in San Diego. This happened in the Shawnee Mission School District in a suburb of Kansas City. Mission Valley Middle School is in Prairie Village, Kansas, not in San Diego. My kids when to that school and one of them had Mr. Haraughty for science. He’ s a great teacher and this whole thing is totally ridiculous.