Ihave avoided the elephant in the city, the alleged behavior of school personnel at LAUSD. Given how LAUSD has royally screwed me the past four years I could really "go off!" I will not defend the behavior of the staff in question. I can only speak from my 28 years of experience-8 of those years at LAUSD. The legal definition of abuse is harmful, neglectful, or inappropriate sexual behavior occurring over a period of time. Of course the fine print is 100 pages long! I had a student who had to be carried on and off the bus. She did not speak. She spent the day under a table making a lot of noise & hitting anyone in reach. This went on for probably a month or so. On the bus she wore a safety harness. She still managed to smash her head through a window. One day I was wearing purple socks - i don't know why, I normally wear white socks - this day my socks were purple. As I moved about the classroom the tiniest voice said; "I like your socks." realizing it was Jane(not her real name) I moved a little closer and whispered; "thank you." I then went about teaching the class. Every few minutes I made sure to walk by Jane. An hour or so past and the tiny voice spoke again; "can I touch them?" my first thought was fear. Yet my body moved to the table, Jane inched out a little and touched my socks. "They are soft." she said. "Yes, they are and very comfortable." Jane moved back under the table. When I passed by again she asked; "Can I touch them again?" this time I sat on the floor. Jane touched the socks. "Purple is my favorite color." She said. "Jane, do you want these socks?" her eyes opened so wide,and she smiled - that smile, it was a smile that made you smile - it was infectious. I took off my shoes and the purple socks and I handed them to Jane. Out from under the table she came, sat in a chair, and switched her hole filled socks with the purple socks. If possible, as she looked at the socks on her feet, her smile became even brighter. Jane did not go back under the table. "Do you want me to do something? She asked. "Sure, what would you like to do?" "Plusses, I'm good at pluses." I gave her a paper. When I picked up a pencil my hand was shaking. I gave the sign for the aides to get the other students out of the room. Then I gave her the pencil. She wrote her name on the paper and got to work. At the end of the school day Jane walked to the bus. Over time, Jane opened up like a beautiful rose. Yet the accounts of her life left me in tears. I called DCFS. They came, Jane wouldn't talk to them. I began keeping a log of anything she said, bruises, her poor hygiene...I called DCFS again. I told them about my log. Obviously this child was being abused and neglected. It wasn't enough for them to open a case. Then the day came. Jane arrived at school in an utter panic. Her mother had held a gun to her head because she wouldn't give "The man" a "mouth." DCFS said they would send someone out. Jane did not go home on the bus. A few hours later her mom and two men showed up, with a gun. The school was locked except for one door - I didn't get to it fast enough. Running down the hall, I was yelling call 911. The police sirens scared away the three of them. Around 6:00 that night DCFS showed up. They took Jane - home! The Mom convinced them Jane was storytelling. When I spoke to the social worker she said the house was clean, there was food, Jane had her own room...she was better off there than McClaren(a horrible institution for children who couldn't get a foster home) Jane culminated fron HS. She got a job, an apartment, passed her GED. from time to time I hear from her. She's still smiling.
See I avoided my entire rant regarding LAUSD. Every school has great, mediocre, and bad staff. An elementary teacher is in the classroom alone 5 hours a day. No way I believe teachers could do what these men are accused of without other people knowing. Do you drop a dime on a colleague? HELL YES is the correct answer. I am embarrassed, I have always felt proud when I said; "I am a special education teacher." of late I am ashamed. Teaching is such a privilege. To have the opportunity, everyday to make a difference in children's lives - how humbling...it is a difficult piece of work. Made harder each year. Most individuals quit within the first three years. That number use to be 5 years.
I've dropped dimes on school staff. Even cost one teacher her credential. Nothing I am proud of. My responsibility is to protect every child at my school, or in the grocery store, or across the street - every child! Isn't that what all of us are supposed to do? So often these days I contemplate the subject of compassion. Where has our compassion gone?
The two men at the center of the illegal behavior - one received a $40,000 dollar settlement, filed for his retirement(which, if he's guilty he will spend in prison) Why would the district give him $40,000? Herein the problem lies - LAUSD is a huge corporation. The rule makers work in a huge "power tower" downtown. Their job is number crunching. But my friends education occurs in classrooms. A million miles of BS separate educating children & the number crunchers. The entire district needs to be broken down. Smaller districts which empower each school. A quality of pay that will attract a quality of teacher. I'll get blasted for this - bust up UTLA! Put videos in classrooms. The only people who should be in positions of power should have at least 20 years, in classroom teaching experience! I'll tell ya what I believe, as happened in the Catholic Church, we don't know the half of it - that my friends is frightening. And if you get $40,000 and a full pension for allegedly abusing children...from those number crunchers a million miles from classrooms - isn't there something, fire in the sky, wrong with that?
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