Two extremely troubling things...

Ok, about David and Ms. G. Ms. G is the 1-on-1 support specialist for the girl in my class who is in a wheelchair. She's been pretty unprofessional...leaving class to get snacks for all the kids while leaving Towanda just sitting there, or acting like a kid, listening to headphones in class, talking to the kids when they're supposed to be silent, etc. Well, earlier in the year (like in November), I called David's mom and told her that David had started acting really different, talking a lot and yelling and playing around. I told her I didn't know what was causing it, but I thought part of the problem might be Ms. G, who is a big distraction for him. The next day, David and Ms. G came in to Ms. Garrett's class screaming and yelling, "Ms. McCants told David's mom that we are sleeping together!" HUH? Anyway, we got that all cleared up and we moved on. So after meeting with David's mom and hearing her saying all this stuff about "The situation with David and Ms. G," I got curious. I found Ms. Garrett, told her what David's mom had said, and asked her what she knew. First she told me that on Wednesday, Ms. G had to be escorted out of the building because she was trying to go fight Ms. Garrett. I couldn't figure out why, but it sort of sounded like she thought Ms. Garrett had gotten her fired. I asked what it had to do with David and the trouble he was in. I guess that there was all kinds of drama with the girls who are friends with Ms. G (who, PS, is 26), but essentially it came out that David and Ms. G had done the nasty. Gross on so many levels.

The other troubling thing happened during 7th period (my planning period) on Friday. I have this wonderful kid, Carl, in my class 6th period. He has an IEP, and he has special ed English and math classes. Carl normally stays in my room 7th period and helps me clean up, and then does his economics work in my room instead of going to the class, where things are crazy. He's a very sweet kid, and is now actually passing my class. Here's Carl.

  

Well, on Friday, Carl disappeared for about 20 minutes, and I didn't know where he'd gone. I figured he was getting help with economics or something, so I let it slide. He finally came back into my room shortly before the day was over with a folded piece of notebook paper in his hand. I didn't ask what it was, but he started saying "now they'll finally believe me." I asked what they'd believe him about, and he said, "I found this in my teacher, Mr. Styles', room. Now they'll finally believe me about Ms. Holly." He handed me the note, and I opened it. In Ms. Holly's distinctive handwriting was a note to Mr. Styles about class that day. He had been out and she subbed for him. It said roughly this, "Styles - these little Devils came to class today: Anthony - A real dummy. This kid is seriously retarded, since he had trouble spelling his last name today. Devin - brought food to class. I'm not ashamed to say that this one doesn't get fed at home, and has to scavenge whatever he can find. Poor litte (some term that means street rat)....{insert other nasty comments about kids, including "real PMS case" and others I don't remember} Carl - Really stupid and with an attitude too. This one has some serious problems." THIS WOMAN IS THE OTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION ENGLISH TEACHER!!! I asked Carl where he got the note, and he said that he'd just found it in Mr. Styles room. He took it, and (this is the stroke of pure genious), made a copy of it in the office and handed the copy to our principal, keeping the original for himself, and walked away. I asked him if he had Ms. Holly, and he said he's supposed to but she makes him go to Mr. Styles because she doesn't like Carl. He said no one ever believes him that she is mean, but now he has proof. He was planning to take the note home to show his mom. I gave him a sticky not to put inside of it that said "This IS Ms. Holly's handwriting. I, for one, think Carl is a great kid." It absolutely disgusts me that a Special educator would THINK things like that about the students, let alone say them. The kids she was talking about were all students I teach too, and I haven't had a single problem with any of them. I hope she loses her job, because she doesn't deserve it.