Getting Worse Before It Gets Better
My sociopathetic sexually harassing student may quickly become my former-student, and all vindictiveness aside, he needs to go. One of his victims -- and seriously, what else do you call them? -- asked if he were coming back, terrified. If the expulsion doesn't happen, I'm not sure how I can bring myself to interact with the scumbag in any way. I can't do my job in some time-warp bubble. He needs to go. The real story is what next. At the new school, which will probably be somewhere else in the District, does he throw up a flag, go after power again? Does he figure anything out? Beyond the not insignicant imperative of keeping our kids safe, does this change anything?
At lunch today, staff room, I find out that some of my male students, including one who said, "Trust me, some [girls] like it, trust me," immediately following the second of my learn-to-be-men speeches, these little creeps have been essentially hitting on one of their young female teachers. Apparently most of the truly disgraceful things have been uttered in a language this particular teacher does not speak, but comments about "little curly hairs" -- didn't Clarence Thomas dig himself up a whole dungheap of trouble of that one? And holy crap what gall on these shitbags! Acting in such a demeaning, disgusting manner is repugnant enough, but with an adult, a teacher beside? Who the hell do they think they are? The fact that basically nothing has been done about this to date infuriates me. These kids think they're gonna get away with this? Here? No, no, no.
"Take 7th period and document the whole thing," I said. "This is way over the line. Let em think about what respect means sitting in the back of a damn police car."
I'm not looking for causation here, don't care so much about trotting out the predictable villians of pop culture, music, archaic culture values, but how to change this? Screw the carrot, where's the stick big enough to take a good healthy swing?
At lunch today, staff room, I find out that some of my male students, including one who said, "Trust me, some [girls] like it, trust me," immediately following the second of my learn-to-be-men speeches, these little creeps have been essentially hitting on one of their young female teachers. Apparently most of the truly disgraceful things have been uttered in a language this particular teacher does not speak, but comments about "little curly hairs" -- didn't Clarence Thomas dig himself up a whole dungheap of trouble of that one? And holy crap what gall on these shitbags! Acting in such a demeaning, disgusting manner is repugnant enough, but with an adult, a teacher beside? Who the hell do they think they are? The fact that basically nothing has been done about this to date infuriates me. These kids think they're gonna get away with this? Here? No, no, no.
"Take 7th period and document the whole thing," I said. "This is way over the line. Let em think about what respect means sitting in the back of a damn police car."
I'm not looking for causation here, don't care so much about trotting out the predictable villians of pop culture, music, archaic culture values, but how to change this? Screw the carrot, where's the stick big enough to take a good healthy swing?
posted by Kilian Betlach at 8:16 PM
3 Comments:
Hey tmao-
Don't know if the "where's the stick" was a rhetorical question, but I did some digging into the California penal code and have some thoughts for you. See, law students ARE good for something! Anyway, email me if you're interested.
-k
go for the police car.
but, the fact--no matter how unfashionable or politically incorrect it may be--is that some WOMEN (not girls--they are too young to really KNOW what they sovereignly like) do like that - that aggressiveness. it might not be healthy or good, but that's the fact. and isn't that one of the real disturbing things here -- that underneath it all -- we know that some women respond to pricks?
what is the definition of "like it" anyway - in the sense of some who women "like it"? surely they might crave recognition in any sense, they might crave being desired. but the terms of aggression may not be the most desired terms, the most ideal terms of being wanted.
anyay, just wanted to add there there is something percceptive in the boy's comment. our society is f**ed up in that way. . .in the collective feminine lust for machisimo, for a hyper-sexualized aggression that is either verbal or symbolic.
Um, dunno which school you're in, but I'm on the east side of the 408, too. I'm gonna guess, like leyla touched on, that some girls like it aggressive - but they're all the ones that buy into their culture's machismo requirement.
As for the issue with doing something about it, here's the way you deal (possibly) with a few little white lies. If you're up for it, that is. You announce to the class that you are up for an evaluation soon. You explain that there may be an adminstrator in the room to watch soon, but there may also be a video camera. You make sure your adminstrator knows about it, and then you set up a camera in the room during the period in question. Tape several days' worth of lessons. If the kids act out, bonus. If not, you have some nice tape to review yourself with and evaluate your teaching.
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