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I’ve been a teacher in the Worcester Public Schools for years, currently teaching at one of the city’s high schools. I contacted Turtleboy to ask him if I could write a guest blog about cyberbullying. As a teacher we live in fear of speaking publicly online for fear of retaliation. Luckily Turtleboy let me use his anonymous platform to speak freely. Bullying has been the big buzz word around public schools for the last few years. I think we can all agree that bullying is a bad thing and kids should be protected from dooshnozzle spawn of satan children. But what happens when students cyberbully teachers? It happens a lot more than you think, and typically the response from the administration is that you are shit out of luck. Because although teachers have to adhere to social media policies which blatantly violate their first amendment rights, students are pretty much free to defame and humiliate you in groups on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever else they meet up in virtual world.
Cyberbullying is “the use of information technology to repeatedly harm or harass other people in a deliberate manner. According to U.S. Legal Definitions, Cyber-bullying could be limited to posting rumors or gossips about a person in the internet bringing about hatred in other’s minds; or it may go to the extent of personally identifying victims and publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.”
I have two stories of cyberbullying by students against teachers to share. The first comes from Forest Grove Middle School. Multiple teachers have reported the ongoing cyberbullying by a group of students against several faculty members. Because these kids are obviously wicked smart they left their Facebook page open for the public so I was able to take pictures of what is being ignored by administration there. Apparently a repeat 8th grader has been posting pictures of teachers from the school yearbook and mocking them by putting them next to a picture of some sort of doppelganger. The comments are pretty telling:
Apparently at Forest Grove the administration doesn’t mind having a group of dooshnozzle students conspiring to publicly humiliate a teacher. I guess they’re cool with the fact that they’re so callously calling an African-American mana racial slur, who has dedicated his life to helping students learn science. Repeatedly. I guess they’re cool with the ringleaders declaration that “IMA start doing students” next.
He be “stoking the girls.” Am I really old if I don’t know what that means, or is that how these wonderful children think you spell “stalking?” These kids have “Needs Improvement” written all over them. But hey, I guess administration doesn’t see anything wrong with the fact that students are publicly claiming that a male teacher “stalks” underage girls. They must also see no problem with a student who publicly threatens to “slap the shit outa him.” Nothing illegal or defamatory about that!! Free speech right?
And just so these kids apparently were planning on printing these out and posting them all around school:
What little angels.
“Facts I hate that bitch.” Fact – the Forest Grove administration thinks it’s OK that you’re saying that about a teacher in a public forum.
“Fuck Mr. Carcia that fuck nigga was a snitch always lying and shit lol.”
She sounds like a lovely student to have in class. Good thing we’re doing everything we can to make sure students like her aren’t unfairly suspended by racist schools.
“Fuck mr.king that big ass nose bitchass niggah always got me suspended and shit ugly ass smelly breath always wearing the same suit every other day looking bitch.”
And just think, this student has somehow made it all the way to 8th grade!!
“This ugly fuck nigga lol.”
“Fuck that gay ass niggah too ha.”
Clearly these lovely students come to school every day with a desire to learn and a respect for their teachers. Just a reminder that cyberbullying includes, “publishing materials severely defaming and humiliating them.” I guess Forest Grove administration doesn’t think this is humiliating enough to qualify.
“I told this bitch off 8th grad year, fuck this bitch lol.”
Which 8th grade year was that darling? Your second or third try at this very difficult endeavor? Hopefully you weren’t suspended, because that would be racist and Clive McFarlane could write another article about how unfairly the school system treats you. Seriously though, I blame people like Clive more than anyone. Administrators are just empty suits who follow orders from above them. Melinda Boone and Clive wanna see a chart that shows suspension rates going down. If you don’t then you’re a bad school. If you keep little angels like this in school and allow them to blatantly disrespect teachers then you’re doing a good job and you get a cookie.
According to Melinda Boone’s message to the district about anti-bullying in Worcester, “We will not tolerate any unlawful or disruptive behavior, including any form of bullying, cyber-bullying or retaliation in the Worcester Public Schools buildings, on school grounds, or in school-related activities. We will investigate all reports and complaints of bullying, cyber-bullying, and retaliation and take immediate action to end bullying behavior and restore the target’s sense of safety.”
She forgot to throw in there, “Unless you’re a teacher, in which case you can go fuck yourself.”
The other story is from Southbridge. Imagine Worcester except without the good parts. That’s Southbridge.
Here’s what this teacher told us about her experience there:
I started teaching at the middle/high school in Southbridge this year and already I’ve experienced bullying from some of my middle school students. For example, a couple of my students found me on Instagram and posted inappropriate comments on a handful of photos including “go to the gym ur TOO FAT” and “FUCK YOU.” On a picture I had posted months earlier of an ice cream cone they had written “looks like a dirty dick”. When I reported the incident to the officer on duty at the school, he told me there was nothing they could do to follow up on it because “there was nothing threatening or sexual enough about the comments”.
In class I have been called a “she-man,” and been made fun of for my clothes and make-up. Furthermore, I work in a predominately bilingual environment, but I do not speak Spanish very well, especially the slang. So teachers are constantly being made fun of or insulted behind their back in a different language.
Well, isn’t that nice. Apparently kids in Southbridge are free to call their teacher fat directly to their virtual face, and it’s perfectly OK because they’re just kids. And then when these little McMuffins fail the MCAS this teacher will be the one who is blamed for it. After all, it’s her job to find a way to overcome the fact that her students were basically raised by animals.
I’m sorry, but when a kid does something like this there needs to be real, actual punishments, because teachers are basically a joke at this point. They have no authority. Kids can make fun of them and humiliate them in person and online. Administrators know about it and don’t do anything because they’re gutless cowards.
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15 Comment(s)
I’m willing to bet these kids will end up being contributing members of society.
Turtleboy sports,
I absolutely love your articles. I enjoy the sence of humor that you put into each and every piece that I read. I lived in Southbridge a few yrs. Ago and my husband coached basketball for a lot of the kids in our nieghborhood and from what I observed made me sad I don’t know if its a culture thing or what but a lot of parents were missing in action my husband became a role model for these young boys that were already headed down a hard rd. I am no on to Judge but I feel for the kids. They are filled with anger and hatred at such a young age. Hatred is a learned behaviour so I can only imagine what these kids are dealing with at home.
Bunch of little turds. Destined for greatness.
Can’t we bring back corporal punishment? I bet there wouldn’t be this kind of behavior back in the days that kids could catch a switch to the anus.
I think it’s hilarious that 6 people find my comment negative. Freaken Hilarious.
Hi,
You have taken a picture of a condemned building that was torn down over a year ago and focus that to represent the entire town of Southbridge?
You have contradicted what the town looks like by showing readers that Southbridge is nothing more than a condemned building which it is not. I have lived here for most of my life and although there are issues in town, every town has issues, Southbridge is a great little town with many great people living here.
There is bullying in every school environment. What will make bullying stop is a strong Administration and Staff. Consistently. And communication with Parents. Consistently. And Transparency. Consistently.
Kids will only be disrespectful as long as you allow them to be. They also need an outlet to vent in a productive manner. When you strip away Recess, Gym, Music, Art, and extra curricular activities from the school because of budget cuts, you are left with kids with too much time on their hands.
Another option, have each student sign a contract that they will adhere to a social media policy while in the school system. This way they each have to understand what they are typing and being held accountable for. Then take them to task on it if they stray.
There is no easy way to stop cyber bullying other than hard work and being diligent. And please change the picture to the Felix statue or something other than the condemned building.
What’s with that comment anyways? “Another story from Southbridge. Imagine Worcester without the nice parts.” That’s complete bullshit. I live in Southbridge and it is a nice little community. Yes, the school systems need work along with the degenerates that live here. But don’t out down the entire town based on the facts that the school system sucks.
It’s satirical. The whole purpose of the blog is informational satire- AKA “hot takes.” We all know that Southbridge has nice parts, but sometimes people find it amusing to crack harmless jokes. I apologize if this went over your head.
Turtleboy Management
Obviously one of the nice things that Southbridge is missing is a sense of humor.
As a parent what do we do? There is a child lying in the hospital as we speak thanks to the bullying at southbridge middle school, the superintendent is always in a meeting. The guidance counselor states she does not have to speak to me, the principal is on another line . So what do we do?? When we went to school if you got in trouble they called your parents here in southbridge they go to iss and nothing more is ever said 22 absences 24 tardy never even a phone call saying where is your child!!!
Let the Haters hate!! LOL!! Keep pressing the Thumbs down. The more who do press the thumbs down the funnier it is. I love it. Please keep doing it. It just shows that you are part of the problem.
You defend a cesspool and we’re the problem. That’s some Southbridge logic right there.
We moved out of town since we could no longer deal with the kids on the street or our neighbors. Constantly ripping out our plants, vandalizing our cars. Laying down in the middle of the street stopping traffic. Parents didn’t care. Cops hardly bothered to show up to register complaints or check things out.
It is what it is…. We lived within 1/8th mile of a school.
Stay classy, Southbridge.
The ice cream cone comment: “looks like a dirty dick” that ones pretty funny tho. Lol oh Kids these days…
you were the one who wrote it derrick