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+--- Thread: HAAS Meeting Last Evening (/showthread.php?tid=13609)
HAAS Meeting Last Evening - opihikao - 05-09-2014
Did anyone go to the meeting at HAAS? If so, please report in what happened at the meeting. Mahalo in advance.
Waiting for full report from parents, media, regarding the alleged abuse (ie. special needs child's mouth duct taped, etc.).
JMO.
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - opihikao - 05-09-2014
quote:Here, pahoated, is the first report from last night's meeting (*Link attached).
Originally posted by pahoated
What? That is not JMO, that is flame baiting. If that happened, it will never make the local news.
"This island Hawaii on this island Earth"
My info came directly from a parent who has a child there. Sorry, I always put "JMO". Didn't mean to be "flame baiting". (Whatever that is, I don't know, nor care.)
This situation is appalling, at best. JMO.
Here is the link (*Includes direct testimony from parents):
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2014/05/09/commentary-haas-parents-speak-out-alleging-teacher-abused-children/
ETA: Long testimony and article. Here is a snippet which includes the alleged abuse that took place:
January 29, 2014 is a day my family shall never forget. It is the day that my 9 year old son, a 4th grade student of HAAS, along with his classmate found the courage to speak out about the torturous behavior they were being subjected to by their teacher since the start of the school year. Imagine having your child report to you that he was hit from the back by his teacher with a forceful open hand slap to the back of his head in the area that he wears his hearing aids; unprovoked, and completely unprepared. As if that wasn’t bad enough, imagine hearing that the teacher of this class used duct tape over my child’s mouth as a means to shut him up because he needed help and used a whiny voice to say “I don’t get it”.
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - unknownjulie - 05-09-2014
Was this alleged to have been done by a licensed teacher, or by an EA or some other secondary staffer?
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - kalakoa - 05-09-2014
I suggest that it is irrelevant who actually applied the hand-slap and/or duct-tape.
Especially in light of this disturbing incident:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/05/08/portland-police-arrest-handcuff-a-nine-year-old-girl/
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - Guest - 05-09-2014
This is very concerning for many of our local youth have troubling home lives already, they certainly don't need this type of discipline at school. This is something I also experienced first hand in 3rd grade right here in Pahoa el, many moons ago. Still to this day I can remember the feelings and racial slanders and tension brought forth by this teacher years ago. I hope this young 9 year old boy can shake the feelings caused by this teacher better than I. Maybe some teachers need help figuring out other ways to get kids attention?. Abuse (Both mental and physical) alternative night classes should be offered at say a local university for teachers who may need help or just starting out. (really no excuse). This teacher needs to be fired for the repeatable offenses.
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - opihikao - 05-09-2014
pahoated, my fault for not being more clear. Kala mai. There is much more of this woman's story (*snipped portion in my previous post), at the link, which is beyond comprehension. HAAS basically did nothing it would seem.
Another testimony was provided by Mr. Dan Biegler (below), showing a calendar of events of sorts. Thank you, Mr. Biegler, and others, for stepping up for the keiki.
Beyond egregious, in my opinion. [
!] I hope these children get their justice, and can heal. Sickening. JMO. (*Snipped from Link above)
Here is a rough timeline of the incidents at Mana’olana 4th grade:
First Semester — The teacher was allowing 10-year-old students to do their own lunch/recess supervision. This was causing major conflict between classmates.
— Teacher removed Chairs/tables from classroom for at least one week
— Teacher showed video of Central Africa current events to show kids how good they have it here. “Dead Africans being loaded into truck” Teachers response to my inquiries were “I know the students have seen worse” How dare she make judgements on what 10 year olds have or have not seen. Isn’t that what parents decide, not teachers.
— Teacher had children sit on hands to keep them to themselves or to not work ahead. If students took their hands out from underneath them the teacher would say, “Keep your hands under you, or I will cut them off.” This was repeated many times.
— The incidents listed below were reported on Wednesday, January 29, after school. Teacher duct taped another student’s mouth because he was “whining, I don’t get it.” Teacher flicked students’ ears and hit students in the back of the head.
Thursday Jan. 30 — Teacher was allowed to go back into the classroom and work an entire day.
Friday Jan. 31 — Teacher on admin. leave
Three letters go home to parents stating that there will be a long term sub. No other information shared or given to parents.
April 9th 215. Parent meeting announcement sent home with children. Parent meeting held. 6 parents were present out of the 18. No new information was given. I am guessing the purpose of the meeting was to show how good the long term sub was going to be. Administration and counselor sit in the back of the room letting the sub speak almost the entire time. Principal standing in the open door repeating, “I’m sorry I have to leave, I have a very important meeting to attend.” 3times the sub tried to answer questions for the admin. Admin. and counselor get into a dispute. I felt shame and embarrassment for being associated with HAAS. In the meeting Principal states that the long term sub and him had just been introduced to each other the week before at the school wide meeting on April 2nd. At this April 2nd meeting long term sub asks me, “Who should (I) talk to in regards to curriculum?” I was shocked to find out that the long term sub had just met the principal April 2nd and he didn’t know who to talk to in regards to 4th grade curriculum — two months after the removal of the teacher.
May 2nd — HAAS Hoolaulea. I see the fired Mana’olana teacher, sitting with HAAS administrators and teachers enjoying the school function, making contact with her former students. What message does this send the kids, adults, teachers, and community?
May 5th — A teacher asks me, “Why is the fired 4th grade teacher contacting me about curriculum and questionnaires?” The teacher asks, “If she is back working with HAAS, why doesn’t she take the middle school opening next year?”
So here I am asking about my child’s former teacher and why no information has still not been given to the 4th grade parents. I have stayed impartial and silent for too long. Now I come here for answers. How is it that a teacher gets fired and begins working with the long term sub that is replacing her, the administration that got rid of her, and coworkers that she is no longer coworkers with? Again, what message does this send to the children, parents, faculty, and community? It’s ok to bully, threaten, abuse children as long as they are hanai daughter to someone at school, as long as parents are kept in the dark on what goes on in the classroom.
This abusive teacher got a 3 month paid vacation, traveled to California, surfed at Pohoiki, while HAAS teachers, parents, children and the greater community has been splintered, shamed, kept in the dark. If you’re not going to take care of your own, who will you take care of? 7 students of employees at HAAS in the 4 the grade Mana’olana, 5 are left and they have all been greatly negatively affected by this teacher. They lost their friends, their school, their trust in speaking out when wrong is being done. I am speaking for all of those families, friends, colleagues, that are still battling the effects of this one teacher, the admin. and now the board. I am also speaking for the silent majority now and in the future who will not speak out, will not be the whistleblower. I ask the Board and the Administration to protect ours and your children.
Mahalo.
Dan Biegler
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - opihikao - 05-09-2014
And, another tesitimony, detailing abuse. (*Snipped - More at link with pictures from meeting):
I am here this evening to speak on behalf of my grandson who was physically and verbally abused by his teacher on several occasions,ONE ,in whom we entrusted to enhance his learning ONE,who was trusted to treat each student equally ,and ONE to provide a safe learning environment for the students.
Instead, he was humiliated in front of his classmates and other adults present in the classroom that did not take action on behalf of this child, my grandson. Why was nothing done with these individuals? Why were they still allowed to continue working in the classroom as if nothing happened? These acts committed by the teacher has contributed to my grandson’s negative perspective of school to the point where he HATES school. He HATES SCHOOL!!!!!!! No student should ever HATE school because of a teacher’s willingness to place a student in an unsafe and dangerous environment. As a grandmother, I have seen how my grandson’s demeanor towards school has changed. His level of self-confidence has decreased, he is afraid to return to school, and he has lost trust in educators that were supposed to care and educate him.
I had put my trust in the administration and the school board of the school to take proper action and act accordingly on behalf of students who were abused under the care of this teacher,but little has been done.
As an experienced educator with the Department of Education, I am assuming that this teacher was terminated and that her inappropriate behavior has been added to her personnel file. If this not the case, I STRONGLY request that this teacher be terminated IMMEDIATELY and that this is reported so she is NOT allowed to continue to abuse children and have them suffer emotionally and psychologically for who knows how long. I am witnessing the effects it is causing on my grandson, somebody’s child.
EVERY student should be treated equally in the classroom and be provided with the opportunity to learn in a safe environment. These rules were broken and my trust in this school and the school board has been lost.
HAAS stands for Hawaii Academy of Arts and Sciences. However, to me, HAAS now stands for Hawaii Academy Abuses Students!!!!!!!
Winnie Enriques
http://damontucker.com/2014/05/09/teacher-allegedly-assaults-students-at-big-island-charter-school/
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - Tink - 05-09-2014
I don't get it. A teachers purpose is to help a child achieve his/her fullest potential for them to reach for their brightest star of their passion, which this "teacher" has surely lost grasp of. Sure it is stressful to the teacher for having to raise some children, as some parents check out and expect the schools to teach their children right from wrong, respect, etc. while trying to follow the curriculum, or subject matter, for those children that get that parenting at home. If a child "doesn't get it", as I was labeled in school, the teacher should take note, and when recess was announced by the bell, ask him/her if they would like to sit down "one on one" and figure it out together. I had one teacher "backhand" me in 7th grade. He woke up a few seconds later on the ground, class saw all, nothing said or done, never touched a child again. Long time ago and very lucky. Teaching takes a lot of schooling, and a lot more patience, but most definitely takes tons of passion for the job to keep an even keel. If you don't have the passion, it's just a job, and we all know the stress that brings if you do not like it, and that stress should never be taken out on a student. I hope for your grandson that he still has his passion, and that one bad teacher can not take that away from him. He is off to achieve great things as they all say. I commend him for saying he didn't get it, for too many people just "go along with the flow", faking it along the way, while the leaders are the ones asking questions, constantly learning, and passing on what they've learned.
Are you a human being, or a human doing?
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - Rob Tucker - 05-09-2014
This all sounds very one sided to me.
RE: HAAS Meeting Last Evening - 2liveque - 05-09-2014
True. If all of this really go down, how is it that the police was not involved? I'm not doubting that there was an incident concerning one bad teacher. But to me, these testimonials make claims that could very well result in very costly litigation. So if the parents can stand by the ENTIRETY of their claims, let's see them sue. I don't believe the school would be so reckless in simply letting a teacher "get away" with such actions. Seems to me more like a lynch mob mentality than actually trying to come to a solution. I'm not making no excuses for the alleged actions detailed in these testimonials. I do however, have serious reservations about the degree of some of the allegations.