When a teacher decides to be circus ringmaster to a bullying free for all, one wonders how the authorities can do anything less than ban him from the classroom indefinitely.
Instead, they point out his record. This is his first blemish.
I would argue that this is not a blemish – it’s a gaping scar.
Click here to watch video.
The incidents occurred in February at Gig Harbor Middle School, but cell phone video of the attacks surfaced just this week. Footage shows more than a dozen students dragging the then-eighth-grade boy around the classroom, carrying him by his arms and legs, burying him under chairs, writing on his feet and stuffing his socks in his mouth. The antics last about 15 minutes while teacher John Rosi watches, and later joins in.
Rosi pokes the teen in the stomach and pretends to sit on him, chiding, “I’m feeling kind of gassy.” The class Rosi was supposed to be teaching is a half-hour course for reading and math preparation, The News Tribune reports.
After district officials learned of the incident in February, Rosi was suspended for 10 days without pay, given new classroom management training and moved to a different middle school.
But that’s not enough for the boy’s parents, Randall and Karla Kinney, who have requested a criminal investigation and are calling for Rosi’s termination. Joan Mell is representing the victim, who was 13 at the time of the incident.
“It was a teacher-led bullying incident of epic proportions,” Mell told KIRO 7.
Acting Superintendent Chuck Cuzzetto said he was horrified by what he saw in the video, but contends that while Rosi displayed “inappropriate classroom management,” it was an isolated incident in an 18-year career, and the district acted appropriately in disciplining Rosi.
“We took what we think is pretty significant disciplinary action against the teacher,” Cuzzetto told the station.
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Tags: Bullying, bullying captured on cell phone, Chuck Cuzzetto, Education, Gig Harbor Middle School bullying, Joan Mell, John Rosi bullying, John Rosi Video, Karla Kinney, moved to a different middle school., professional conduct, Randall Kinney, Rosi was suspended for 10 days without pay, student was terrorized in a bullying attack by peers, Washington state teen
Topical Teaching 
August 31, 2012 at 6:52 am |
There is no place in the profession for those who condone and promote bullying as a management tool. I have seen teachers bully and ridicule children. I was on the receiving end as a child because of my accent, more so from a particular teacher than from other students. There will always be bullying in schools as long as there are teachers who accept it as normal, and who model it to children in their relationships with other staff. Employing authorities value and promote those with certain characteristics. They measure with blunt instruments and are unable to distinguish between decisive management and bullying. This is why teachers who bully often are promoted and bully their colleagues most efficiently according to the prevailing policies and procedures, behind which they hide when their bullying is challenged.
November 9, 2012 at 10:38 pm |
I can’t understand why this teacher was not fired, especially with photographic evidence!
May 7, 2013 at 6:38 am |
Very good post. I absolutely love this website.
Stick with it!
May 10, 2013 at 1:49 am |
Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post!
It is the little changes that will make the most important changes.
Many thanks for sharing!