Well that's one way to get run out of town...

[fireheart17]

Principal is defamed on Facebook and is taking legal action...

OK, that doesn't even BEGIN to scartch the surface, so I'll explain more here:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1225906061053

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sacked...-1226101658480

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1225907958939

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/n...-1225820285519

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1225809775377

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1225797547202

Basically if you start from the bottom and read your way upwards, that explains the ENTIRE backstory, since I can't even begin to scratch the surface.

For the TLR version, basically the principal at the school was run out of town, initially with parents complaining about her disciplinarian style. Since then, the school has gone downhill. She appealed to the Teachers Board and won back her job as a principal, but was transferred by the education department to a new school. Now there are claims that her character has been slandered all over Facebook.

This is getting interesting

[bara]

So.. under her leadership.
Attendance was up.
Grades were up.
Disciplinary actions were down.
Kids were better behaved.

Shes gone.
Attendance at all time low.
Grade in the shit house.
More disciplinary actions with greater severity.
Kids cursing at teachers and just walking out of class.


Yes, clearly she was a bad influence on the district. I'm so glad she was removed. Damn her for expecting students to actually show up and follow the rules and double damn her for enforcing the rules.


Honestly.. she has more character than I have. Id have pointed out how far the place had fallen and told them they are reaping what they sowed.

And the worst thing she did?

Why she cared so much for the students and district she pleaded to get her job back!!!

[fireheart17]

There were a great number of parents who actually DID like her, but there were also some that didn't.

Here's the real kicker though: a number of people are constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) complaining that the schools are too soft on kids and that the little darlings are growing up to become thieves and murderers. A few people are even calling for the reinstatement of corporal punishment.
But when someone actually does it, they suddenly don't want it anymore. One parent in fact said that her child wasn't a bully and the teacher had labelled them as such.

I can understand her not being liked for calling people rednecks though. Coober Pedy is a mining town, but it isn't full of bogans. Bogans generally tend to be suburbanites.

Here's the other real kicker: she actually LIKED living out in the country. A lot of graduates tend to want to stay in the city as much as possible, so they'll do their country shift for as short as possible, then they'll move back into the city and continue. I'm going to be moving out into the country where I like it or not, although I'm hoping for a coastal town rather than something further inland.

[bex1218]

Parent Tim Nagy said his children, aged 9, 11, 13 and 14, often came home from school upset and had been suspended many times for being late.

Parents like this apparently don't care their children are late for whatever reason. A few times in the years is fine, stuff happens. But being late all the time is the stupidest thing I ever heard.

[fireheart17]

Parents like this apparently don't care their children are late for whatever reason. A few times in the years is fine, stuff happens. But being late all the time is the stupidest thing I ever heard.

Not to mention that in most schools (country schools more than anything-his kids would span from Years 4-9 and usually the class groupings are 3-year composites rather than 2-year composites, so chances are that there's 2 kids in one class and 2 kids in another class), the first fifteen minutes are usually devoted to important information for the day. If they're running late, they are missing out on important information.

normally I wouldn't be harsh, but the parents that are complaining are the ones who seem to have the brattiest children. I mean yes, kids are kids, and they will act up in the schoolyard. But being late constantly is an issue that needs to be addressed. Suspending might be harsh, but I would bet that any other method would be criticised for being too "soft" on them.

[fireheart17]

Well I can say this case has had a happy ending of sorts:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1226438558250

ALL the folks who made comments wound up settling for out-of-court settlements.

[draco664]

Well I can say this case has had a happy ending of sorts:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1226438558250

ALL the folks who made comments wound up settling for out-of-court settlements.

Well, not all. The article says that four of the five paid a settlement, but the judge agreed to find against the last defendent, on the basis that she didn't actually offer a defense against the defamation claim.

Still, glad it's all settled in the teacher's favour. Maybe next time the parents of the speshul snowflakes who don't like being told to sit down and shut up in class will think twice about defaming a teacher who is actually trying to help kids.

[Greenday]

Well, not all. The article says that four of the five paid a settlement, but the judge agreed to find against the last defendent, on the basis that she didn't actually offer a defense against the defamation claim.

I guess someone forgot that civil court doesn't work like criminal. Civil court isn't innocent until proven guilty.

[s_stabeler]

actually, the final defendant did offer a defense, but it wasn't an arguable defense. the difference is important. essentially it means that their defense was full of more holes than a sieve, best guess? she tried for a truth defense.

[fireheart17]

Still, glad it's all settled in the teacher's favour. Maybe next time the parents of the speshul snowflakes who don't like being told to sit down and shut up in class will think twice about defaming a teacher who is actually trying to help kids.

This is the thing that is making me EXTREMELY paranoid about teaching-the parents. Coupled with the planned assessment for teachers and I suspect that sooner or later, several parents are going to attempt to run out teachers they DON'T like, even if the teacher is actually capable of teaching the curriculum.

I remember overhearing a conversation between the Class 7 teacher and a parent at the school I'm doing placement at (waldorf school). While it is understandable that the degrees of belief in anthroposophy will vary between individuals, this parent was VERY anthroposophical and wasn't happy with what the Class 7 teacher was teaching. This was DESPITE the fact that there is a national Steiner/Waldorf curriculum which covers English, Maths, Science and SOSE and the topic she was complaining about was a Science one. My mentor teacher just ranted at me quietly about it.