BC teacher disciplined for tapping student on the shoulder with an empty file folder

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u/Fo_0d 16d ago

What a joke

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u/Antin00800 16d ago

How so? It sounds dumb on the surface because it's just a paper folder but there's more to it than that. Most people expect that professionals not to lose their cool and submit to physical action against another person thats under their care. Especially children or vulnerable persons. The folder isn't really the issue or even the students age. Its about that choice the teacher made take physical action when there are obvious other ways to address the situation. The teacher isn't necessarily a bad teacher either, they may have just slipped up. I hope they dont throw the book at them (joke).

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u/emuwannabe 16d ago

how do you know the teacher actually did "lose their cool"?

And tapping someone on the shoulder with a file folder hardly constitutes "physical action". I mean, yes perhaps in the strictest sense. But as the article says the action made "a sound heard by the other students but did not cause any bodily injury."

So tell me how this constitutes the need for a warning from the school and an investigation?

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u/Vancouwer 15d ago

"So tell me how this constitutes the need for a warning from the school and an investigation?"

no adults working at the school should be casually touching students unless it's an extreme circumstance??? Do you really not see the slippery slope if you allow teachers to casually touch students and just ignore if it "doesn't seem like a big deal"?

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u/Antin00800 16d ago

The article said the teacher threw the folders, which made a significant enough sound and impact to startle the entire class. To say it was tapping seems like trying to downplay things. He threw the shit instead of managing the situation and using his words like an adult should. He is a professional, so the moment he chose to throw the folders at the student is him losing his cool and submitting to his frustration.

What do you mean "How does this constitute an investigation?" When something is reported it has to be investigated to understand and resolve the incident.

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u/_KelVarnsen_ 16d ago

What article were you reading?! I’m not even going to discuss the substance of the article with you until I’m sure we are talking about the same thing.

The one attached to this post clearly states she ‘contacted Student A with the folders’ which would mean contacting the folders while maintaining possession—it said nothing of throwing them.

The article also said the teachers name was Elizabeth and used female pronouns. You are saying “he”.

It almost feels as though you didn’t read it.

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u/Antin00800 16d ago

I wasn't sure of the teachers gender and did use general terms like "they" and other non gendered language more than once replying through the post. If I typed "he" it was mistake. Maybe I typed "they" and autocorrected, idk. Sorry, do you want to tap me?

Additionally, if I recalled "threw" and it was actually "hit" the student, again, that is a mistake, oops, but does not change anything. The teacher hit the student, not in a playful or joking matter, but because they got angry, lost their composure and crossed the line to physical action. That is the crux. I dont think its acceptable for any adult, let alone a responsible professional, to resort to physical action on those under their care, which today could be classified as a kind of assault. It almost feels as though you aren't grasping the issue and rather focused on correcting language instead. Are you a teacher? Let use our brain for a second, shall we? The underlying theme and takeaway is, if you are angry, to use physical action on those under ones care is no longer acceptable. Pretty sure its not tolerated in any work environment anymore. ✌️

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u/_KelVarnsen_ 16d ago

I specifically stated I wasn’t discussing the content until I understood that we were even discussing the same article. That’s a fairly important part of having a civil discussion—ensuring we are aware of important/essential components of the subject matter.

Not once did the article use non-binary language. It solely referred to the teacher as “she” or used her name. The type of contact if a fairly important part of the story—was it a fireable offence, an offence worthy of discipline but maintaining employment, or a non issue. We can’t discuss that unless we know the facts.

It wasn’t clear you knew any of the facts.

Your posts come across like you’re a troll, not an adult looking to have a civil discussion about the professional (or unprofessional) conduct of a teacher.

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u/Antin00800 16d ago

How you focused on the detail mistakes I made but still totally miss the point is bonkers. Even the teacher agreed with the districts findings that her actions constituted misconduct and therefore, whatever appropriate action would be taken. Think if she didn't have the folder and actually slapped the student ( I dont care about gender, not the point!) with her (yay!) hand, she still would have most likely agreed it was misconduct and face those specific consequences (no particular details needed). I dont know what there is to even discuss. She did it, agreed she fucked up and she has to complete a course. Fairly standard and appropriate action.

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

Of course the teacher agreed. If they don’t, they will even get more punishment. The agreeing part is essentially saying

No one is going to help me. It is pointless. Admin will cave in. Parents will attack me. I need money to support myself. What were they going to do to fight it??

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u/Fo_0d 15d ago edited 15d ago

No where in the article for it say that the teacher hit the student “after losing their cool”.

The article states that the class (and student in question) were asked to stop talking during a presentation. The student didn’t listen and continued to talk. As a result the teacher tapped them on the back with a file folder. Sooooo she asked someone to be quiet, they didn’t and the teacher tapped them to get their attention.

This is so rediculious that you are arguing like this was a malicious assault.

Sounds like this kid (and the parents that raised them) need to learn more about respect. They are going to get a rude awakening to how the real world works one day. I truly feel sorry for teachers in this world of poor parenting. They are damned if they do and dammed if they don’t. But to argue the point as hard as you are (and with as many errors) is rediculious - use some common sense for Christ sake.

And I’m guessing the fact it was an indigenous studies class also had no bearing. Was the student disrespectfully talking over the presentation? Was it because it was indigenous studies? Maybe we should investigate the student for a hate crime while that are investigating. It sounds dumb “on the surface” (as you say) but maybe we need to look at the underlying intent of all parties involved!

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u/Antin00800 15d ago

I said the teacher lost their cool. That is me describing the situation of a teacher submiting to anger and using physical action against a minor in their care. Of course, the article doesn't use those actual words, they are mine. Wtf is your point? Was the teacher upset or happy with the student? Did they choose to "tap" the student or ask them leave the class or go to the principals office? How I have to walk a person through this badic understanding is wild.
I don't think it amount to malicious assault but any teacher who submits to anger against any student in a physically aggressive action is unacceptable and should be reported. I think you aren't grasping the nature of the tap and hyperfocused on some insignificant playful contact. Stop focusing on "tap" and look at the bigger picture. Its irrelevant what kind of class it was, the gender of the teacher or student, blaming parents and students (your shitty commentary), saying maybe they need to learn respect (also your shitty commentary). This is the only sentence you need to process, "There are physical actions that teachers are not to take against minors in their care. That is the issue. If there are situation where an icidident occurs, there maybe some bullshit for the teacher to deal with." The article doesn't say that. I am.

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u/Fo_0d 15d ago

There was nothing that said they submitted to anger - that is your assumption. They could have been getting their attention. No where in the article did they say that they “lost their cool”, I suggest you read it again as a lot of the comments denote.

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u/DirtandPipes 13d ago

It’s important to always double down when you’re incorrect about something online. Always a great look.

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u/ARederick 16d ago edited 16d ago

I totally agree with you - if you're a teacher of children it's not acceptable to hit / tap them physically. Its absolutely incredible to me people think what this teacher did was at all acceptable.

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u/Antin00800 16d ago

Disciplinary action like this is pretty standard nowadays. She lost her cool, agreed with the districts findings, and faced reasonable corrective action. You are right. If she didn't have the folder and slapped the student with her hand loud enough to jarr the class, I think the disciplinary action could have been more severe.

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u/Krunch2019 15d ago

Making stuff up/projection isn’t cool.

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u/Antin00800 15d ago

You dont know what those words mean.

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u/faithOver 16d ago

What makes you think that “escalation” wasn’t necessary?

I’m concerned that we’re living in a make believe reality where any physicality is considered some grand threat.

One day we will be reminded that we live in the physical world and it’s going to be a lot worse than a paper folder.

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u/AdNew9111 16d ago

Tapping is not physical anything - joke

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u/jackssparr0w7 16d ago edited 16d ago

Examples of this are a good illustration of how you can dissuade people from becoming teachers or pursuing any area of public care and service when your reputation can be tarnished publicly over this type of “professional misconduct”.

It’s worth noting that this is why there is a growing lack of confidence in the education system and why privatized education is becoming more appealing.

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u/AccurateAd5298 16d ago

Canada has one of the best education systems on earth, as any cursory glance at the data will tell you. Teachers in Canada are relatively well paid and are very talented, while the talent pipeline is pretty secure.

Fortunately, we have a mountain of data that can see through the talking points of far right trolls.

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u/Thuropodis82 16d ago

Source please. On all your claims. Thank you.

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u/AccurateAd5298 16d ago

Here’s one of many sources of one of the least controversial and easily provable assertions ever.

Let me know if you need a source on whether the earth is round.

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u/BrooksideNL 16d ago

Look it up, lazy bum

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u/Thuropodis82 16d ago

You say you have a mountain of data to confirm your assertions. I don’t. Just hoping you can point me in the direction of where it is.

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u/BrooksideNL 16d ago

It's been like 3 or 4 hours. You must have found something by now?

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u/Jaker_1991 15d ago

Yea thats entirely a subjective opinion. Asia likely has the best public education system. And teachers in Canada are not relatively well paid, they are underpaid.

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u/AccurateAd5298 15d ago

Re-read: one of the best. Not even close to “subjective opinion”. It’s been well documented.

I’m sorry you didn’t take advantage of this system, but that’s on you.

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u/PoeciloStudio 15d ago

Asia isn't a country.

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u/Upstairs_Peace296 13d ago

100 grand to teach grade 1s and get 8 weeks off at summer and 2 at Christmas and 1 in March plus sick days oh what horror

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u/microwaved__soap 12d ago

I too love teenagers psychologically cracking and killing themselves before graduation, frees up the job market

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u/Old_Knee_2590 14d ago

It doesn’t by most metrics. Estonia and Finland do.

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u/Jaker_1991 15d ago

100% correct. Im a private instructor and bullshit like this is the exact reason why i refuse to enter the public school system. You cant breathe without the board of education disciplining you the slightest perception of harm in a safe space. What a joke British Columbia has become.

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u/FuckItImVanilla 15d ago

Teachers have to be more saintly than god.

In teacher’s college, we were in a downtown bar on some cheap wing night; two girls from one of a friend’s practicum classes came in with fake IDs. He told the server who told the bar manager who kicked them out and metaphorically gave the bouncer’s head a shake. This wasn’t like a 17 year old with a fake ID saying they were 18; this was two grade 10’s with fake IDs saying they were 19 (drinking age in Ontario).

Well, they must have seen him too because word got around his placement school. He was removed from the practicum, and uOttawa’s education department tried to expel him, because “letting students see you at a bar is unprofessional, even if they are breaking the law.” He “should have known to immediately avoid the students and immediately leave the premises” like a fucking criminal in a western flick. The students being underaged “wasn’t his problem, it was the bar’s problem.”

Even though teachers are mandatory reporters.

I received a formal reprimand here in BC because on fucking October 31 a kid in one of my grade 9 math classes made a joke about how their close friend wasn’t there that day because their group (being them and the other three present students in the desk pod) had “murdered them this morning” because all y’all know what we were like in grade 9. I even literally made the same joke! (but the substitute believed me and I got in deep shit 🤣🤣🤣)

I could see the absence reason in the attendance software, but I played along and told them they had better cleaned up after themselves because crime scene investigators aren’t their mothers and they’re old enough to be responsible students.

A couple of days later, I get a call from the union. Meeting. Some student who was definitely eavesdropping and definitely not good with English (3/4 of the school were temporary international students in Canada for two or fewer years total) must have thought or heard or wanted to get me in trouble because the “complaint” the principal received was that I was “instructing students in how to murder someone and hide the evidence.”

I got in deep shit. 🤬🤬🤬

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u/ryan8954 16d ago

If my kid was being a shit, got a teacher in trouble for doing their job, every day my kid goes to school embarrassed.

Don't disrespect or embarass teachers.

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

I had a kid who kept harassing this girl. I told the principal, they said talk to parents and it will be solved. Parents are very understanding.

Talked to parents, nothing changed. Told principal, literally just said try again. Did it again, nothing changed.

Parents of girl wrote me an angry email demanding answers. They wanted the kid to stop.

I told the principal this is essentially bullying in an email. No response. The parents of girl wanted disciplinary action. Great, me too. But I’m a teacher. I don’t get to suspend students. I don’t get to move them to another class. I can’t even keep them afterschool anymore for detention because that takes away from their personal time.

Parents of girl directly went to talk to principal, told me I need to do better. I said to move the kid out of my class. They said, we can’t do that. Because now that kid will be a burden to another teacher.

What do you expect me to do? Really? I can’t put any consequences on the kid either than yell at them… fuking ridiculous.

But yes, blame me. I’ll be your punching bag for as long as I can till I get fired

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u/ryan8954 16d ago

No dentention?!?

What the fuck.

Life story: from grade 1 to grade 6, every day I got detention. My mom always felt embarrassed being one of the last parents to leave. I didn't fight or anything, just wrong crowd, wrong time, and me being a smart ass (I was watching a show called v.i.p with Pam Anderson). Until the last 3 months of grade, I had detention. Eventually the teach started giving me candy and shit and like teaching me, and I've been perfect since. I'm 36. Im perfect at work, im the earliest

If it wasn't for that one teachdr in grade 6 (Mrs. Anderson) and actually getting to know me and talk to me, and reward me when I was good, and like just seem sad/disappointed I got detention, I don't think I'd be where I am today.

High school, I was failing. I just didn't care for school. They brought in a sub (who thankfully became full-time), she would talk to me, keep me after class to talk a few, shed bake me treats, shed let me do my thing cuz she learned from just talking to me "if I let him do his thing, I know he'll do the thing I want him to do". Bless that teacher (ms. McRae). Because of her I turned my grades around in a month, I passed English with 101%, people tried cheating off of me. She saved my high school career.

Teachers deserve waaaay more respect and care because you guys are raising kids just as long if not longer than their parents.

Edit: reading this back, the phone auto corrected a lot)

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

No detention. Here is the reason.

If the kid misses the bus because of the detention, it is now a safety issue.

If the kid has sports practice or some extracurricular that costs money, now you are wasting the parents money.

If the kid has to pick up a sibling, again, a safety concern.

If the kid needs to go home to do chores or rest mentally due to school stimulation, now detention becomes a mental health issue

All of these reasons are why teachers aren’t suppose to do detentions anymore.

So we get kids with no consequences.

I even suggested that the kid be pulled from a sport team in the school for behaviour. Admin argued sport team is something the kid enjoys and helps to release steam…

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u/ryan8954 16d ago

Well, hopefully you rest easy knowing these kids are going into a world where still believe in punishment, and we have no trouble putting little shits in their place

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u/OrganicMushroom1725 16d ago

Oh that hurt me!! Buck up little flowers and respect the teachers. Nobody needs to be treated like a piece of shit at their job everyday. Parents please educate your children about that point. I was shit scared of one of my teachers-a big man. But he always got respect.

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u/Lileefer 16d ago

That’s ridiculous. Kid parents should be ashamed for allowing it

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

This coming year will be my third as a teacher. While I would normally work till retirement which would be 30-35 years out, I have no doubt I’ll leave the profession early.

Either for disciplinary action or that I can’t handle it anymore. These days, anything can be used against you.

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u/toomanyofus 16d ago

Shotty class to teach

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u/Surv0 15d ago

Sorry but the education system is fucked here.. teachers are not equipped to deal with the unruly kids that useless parents raise and then still try protect their delinquents from repercussions.. the whole system stinks and all kids are getting a severely watered down education. The future is not bright right now that's for sure. There's so many things wrong and nothings being done.

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u/silverado83 15d ago edited 11d ago

Has anyone read the article? The "tap" was loud enough to be heard by others. It is appropriate, period. Don't like it? Guess your children gotta wait till they get home to be abused.. 🤷

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u/Jaker_1991 15d ago

Oh NO! not a tap on the shoulder loud enough to be heard by others!! The poor student will probably never be able to use that arm again. JFC

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u/Altruistic-Juice3807 14d ago

You are the reason why boomers and millenials make fun of Gen Zs and Gen Alphas

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u/Alive_Size_8774 15d ago

I was hit … chalk brush thrown at me … picked up by my neck off my feet for talking ( big tall Mr brown ) one hand picked me up grade 4 , and giggling the strap … yelled at all of us kids everyday most all teacher all the years growing up !!! Kids today have no idea how tough school used to be .

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u/BRGrunner 13d ago

“The force of contact was strong enough to make a sound heard by the other students but did not cause any bodily injury.”

Taps don't make sounds. Hit or slap sounds more appropriate to the description. I'm not sure if the wording was intentional to drive emotions or just an honest mistake. But given the reviews articles go through, I would believe the misrepresentation was intentional. It also goes on to say the Teacher in question also agreed it wasn't professional.

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u/Lil-vill 13d ago

As a retired educator, this illustrates the challenging working conditions teachers now face. Since 2012 I noticed a marked change in students behaviour. I left three years early due to this, coupled with the lack of support (parental, EA, resource teachers, etc).

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u/brick_by_brick123 13d ago

The kid will need therapy for life now! 😂

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u/Jesterace77 12d ago

This reminds me of the time my health teacher threw a huge textbook across the room. Luckily, he didn't hit any of us.

BC teacher disciplined for tapping student on the shoulder with an empty file folder

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