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AppealtotheNoticeofIntenttoSuspendwithoutPay
OnMarch19,2012,aletter,writtenbyMichaelF.Seaman,AssistantSuperintendent,HumanResources,
waspresentedtomeoutliningthebasisforarecommendeddisciplinarysuspensionfromDistrict
employmentwithoutpayforthree(3)days.Isubmitthefollowingresponseinmyappealtothe
suspension.
Forthefollowingreasons,Ibelievethatthesuspensionisunwarranted,unfairlyimpactsthe
instructionalprogramforthestudentsandmalignsmyreputationasateacher.Myabsencefromthe
classroomhascausedsignificantstresstomystudentsanddisruptionoftheireducation.
A. TheSwornAdmissionStatementofthepupil,,regardingtheincidentonFebruary15,2012,appearstobewrittenbythestudentinconjunctionwiththeparentwhowasnot
presentduringtheincident.Thestatementhasadditions([sarcastic],(x3)withforce,
shutup,Pissed)inhandwritingwhichdoesnotmatchthewritingofthestudent,andis
signedanddatedbytheparentatthebottomofthefirstpage.Theparentwasnot
involvedinthefollowingon2/15andshouldthereforenothavebeenpermittedto
contributetothewrittenaccountingoftheincident.Itwaserroneoustofullyconsideran
admissionstatementpartiallydictatedbyaparent.
1. UnderSpecificActsorOmissionsintheletterdatedMarch19,2012,Item1statesthatitwasreportedthatIgrabbedastudentbythearm/shirtandpulled/yankedhimoutofhisseat.Ididnotgrabastudentbythearm/shirtandpull/yankhimoutofhisseat.TheSwornAdmission
Statementstatesthatshegrabbedmyarmandyankedme.Thereisnomentionofshirtin
theSwornAdmissionStatement.Inaddition,item1oftheInvestigativeReportstatesthatI
grabbedastudentbythearmand/orshirt.Item1statesthatthiswascorroboratedbysix
studentwitnesses.TheNoticeofSuspensionfailstoconsiderthattherewereonlysix
corroboratingwitnessesoutoftwenty-sixinacontextwhere,atthetimeoftheactsin
question,Ihadallofthestudentsattention.Giventheambiguousdescriptionpresentedtothe
studentsforcorroboration,itcanonlybeassumedthatthesixcorroboratingwitnesses
misinterpretedmydirectivearmmotionsassomeformofphysicalcontactbecauseIdidnot
physicallytouchthestudentmentionedandthereportedactsinitem1areaninaccurate
descriptionofthefactsthattranspired.Furthermore,mydescriptionoftheactwas
corroboratedbythestudentsinterviewedbytheWestCovinaPoliceDepartmentundera
separateinvestigationoftheincident.
a. DuringourStandardsPlusMathLesson,studentreferencedinItem1wasaskedtocometothefrontoftheclassroomtodemonstrateaproblemonthewhiteboardthathehad
completed.Havingstudentsdoproblemsonthewhiteboardisacommonpracticefor
allstudentsintheclass.Hewasencouragedtousehisworkbooktotranscribethework
fromthebooktothewhiteboard.Imotionedwithmyarmsinthedirectiontothefront
oftheroomwherethewhiteboardislocated.Ipolitelyaskedthestudenttwoseparate
timestostandupandusetheworkfromhisworkbooktocopythecontentontothe
whiteboard.IinformedhimthatIwouldverballywalkhimthroughthemathproblem
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step-by-step.Thestudentremainedseatedafterbeingaskedtwiceandthenproceeded
topropbothfeetupontopofthedesk.Iaskedthestudentathirdtimetopickupan
expomarkeranddemonstratetheproblem.Imotionedwithmyarmsinanupward
motiontowardthefrontoftheclass.Atthistime,hestoodupbutdidnotwalktoward
thewhiteboard.Ididnotpull,yank,ortouchthestudent.Hestooduponhisown
withoutanyphysicalcontact.
2. Item2statesthatIpushed,nudged,and/orphysicallyleadastudenttowardthewhiteboard.Ididnotpush,nudge,orphysicallyleadthestudentinanyway.Item2statesthatthiswas
corroboratedbysixstudentwitnesses.
a. Afteraskingstudentthreetimestogotothefrontoftheroom,hestoodupbutdidnotwalktowardthewhiteboard.Heremainedstandingathisdesk.Imotionedwithmy
armsdirectinghimtothefrontoftheroom.Herepositionedhisfeetandproceededto
leanbackwardagainstmyoutstretchedarmandupperbody.Inordertoavoid
sustainedcontact,Isteppedbackandaroundhimtotherightwhichcreatedaphysical
separation.Hecontinuedtostandathisdesk.
Item2oftheInvestigativeReportstatesthatIstatedthatIused[my]bodytoblockhimfrom
goingawayfromthewhiteboardwhileshowinghimthedirectiontothewhiteboard.Ididnot
statethatIusedmybodytoblockhimfromgoingawayfromthewhiteboardwhileshowing
himthedirectiontothewhiteboard.
b. Thestudentbeganmovingtowardthewhiteboard.Atthispoint,Isatdowninthestudentsdesk.Hethenstoppedmidwaytothefrontoftheroomandbegantoreturn
tohisdesk.Istooduptomotionhimbacktothefront.Heinitiatedcontactwithmy
rightshoulder,usingtheweightofhisbodytoleantowardsthegapintheaislewayandmypointedarmashepassedbyme.
3. Item3statesthatIpokedastudentintheheadwith[my]fingerswhilemakingastatementaboutstudentswhodonotlistenduringclass.Ididnotpokethestudent.Ilightlytapped
thestudentontheheadwiththebottomofmyindexfingerandstated,Youneedtogetto
work.
a. DuringourStandardsPlusMathLesson,aftergivingthestudentsapproximately15minutestowork,Iaskedthestudentstoraisetheirhandsiftheyneededmoretimeto
completethetask.Severalstudentsraisedtheirhands.AsIcirculatedaroundtheroom
toassiststudentswhowerecompletingtheassignment,Istoppedbehindastudentschairandnoticedthattheassignedpageswerecompletelyblank.Thestudentwas
talkingtoanotherstudentandcontinuedtodosoasIstoodbehindhischair.Atthat
point,Itappedthestudentwiththetipofmyfingeronthetopofhisheadandsaid,
Youneedtogettowork.
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4. Item4statesthatIthrewastudentsbookonthefloorfromhisseattowardthewhiteboard.Ididnotthrowthestudentsbookonthefloor.Itossed(withanunderhandmotion)the
studentsworkbookontotheworktablenearthewhiteboardapproximatelythreefeetaway.
Theworkbookslidtothefloorafterlandingontheworktable.Theworktableisaspace
designatedforplacingitemssuchasworkbookstobeusedwhileworkingonthewhiteboard.I
tossedtheworkbookontheworktableinordertoencouragethestudenttogotothe
whiteboardandusehisworkbook.IdidnotwalktheworkbooktothefrontoftheroomasIdid
notwanttoturnmybacktothestudentbeingpromptedtothefront.
5. Item5statesthatIembarrassedandridiculedstudentsandexpressedunprofessionalcommentsandangertowardclassbypublicallydiscussingstudentslackofabilities,mocking
students,andconstantlyyellingandscreamingatthestudents.Thestandardbeingappliedto
theunprofessionalbehaviorisvagueandambiguous.Examplesofstatements/actionsmade
bymeintheInvestigativeReportinclude:Ihatepeoplewhodontlisten,Mockingastudent
bysittinginhisseatandmimickinghisactions,Impissedatyouguys,youdontwanttomake
memad,Whenonegetsintrouble,weallgetintrouble,Referringtostudent(s)bytheir
nameand1.0or2.0or3.0toindicatethestudentslevelofattentiveness,effort,and/or
understandingofthelesson.Theseactions,someofwhicharemisquoted,aretaken
completelyoutofcontext.
a. Asaclasswidepositivebehaviorweeklyincentiveprogram,IhaveimplementedmethodsbasedonWholeBrainTeachingdesignedbyJeffBattle.WholeBrainTeaching
isaneducationalclassroommanagementprogrambasedonbrain-basedlearning.The
techniquetoconsistentlycatchtheattentionoftheclassissimple.Togetmyclasss
attentionIsimplysayClass!andtheyreplyYes!WhenIsayClass!andtheysay
Yes!theyhavetomatchmytoneandintensity.Thismaybeinaloudvoiceoraquiet
voice.Thiswasmisinterpretedintheallegationasconstantlyscreamingandyelling.
Duringthelengthoftheschoolday,agridiskeptonthewhiteboardwithpoints
awardedtothestudentsideforactionsperformedwell.Pointsareawardedtothe
teachersideifstudentsdonotlistenorfollowinstructions.Incorporatedinthesystem
areclassdiscussionsregardingbehaviorandtherationalefortheawardingofspecific
points.Inaddition,theentireclassworkstowardafunactivitybyearningweekly
points.Therefore,ifonestudentcausestheclasstolosepoints,theyalllosethe
reward.
PartoftheclassdiscussionsincludesroleplayingwhereImayimitateacertainactionon
thepartofthestudentsandtheclassdiscussestheappropriatenessoftheaction.This
wasmisinterpretedintheallegationasmockingastudentandmimickinghisactions.
SinceIhaveboththespecialeducationclusterandthebilingualclusterinmyclassroom,
itisanappropriatemethodologytoemployvisualsalongwithanyverbaldiscussionto
increaseunderstanding.SomeofthestatementslistedinItem5wereusedwithinthe
contextoftheroleplay.
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b. Furthermore,thestatementthatadding1.0,2.0,or3.0attheendtoindicatethestudentslevelofattentivenessinclassandtheirunderstandingofthelessonhas
nopejorativemeaning.Ihaveneverusedtheterms1.0or3.0.Theuseoftheterm
2.0wasnottoshowthestudentslevelofattentivenessinclass.Attachedpleasefind
anexamplefromprofessionaljournalismwherethe2.0hasbeenaddedtoanameto
indicatethatanewerversionoftheoriginal.Also,pleasefindacopyofmyParent
ContactLogPage2,whichindicatesmyconfirmationtotheparentsthatithada
positivemeaning.
6. Item6statesthatduringthe2012/2013schoolyearItoldtheclasstoshutup.IhaveadmittedtousingthetermshutupwiththeclassonceonoraboutFebruary15,2012.
7. Item7statesthatitwasreportedthatonseveraloccasionsthroughoutthe2012/2013schoolyearIusedthetermcraptowardthestudentsorreferringtothestudentwork.Thereare
inconsistenciesbetweenItem7ontheInvestigativeReportandItem7ontheNoticeof
Suspension.Item7oftheNoticeofSuspensionstatesthatIusedthetermcraptowardthe
studentsorreferringtostudentwork.TheonlythingcorroboratedintheInvestigativeReportis
thatninewitnessesrecalledtheuseoftheword,notwithinanyspecificcontext.Furthermore,
thereisnothingintheInvestigativeReportthatsuggeststhatstudentscorroboratedtheuseof
thewordcrapmultipletimes.Ihavenotusedthetermcraponseveraloccasions.Ihave
usedthewordcrapasasynonymforfecesinreferencetotheRomanaqueductsystemasa
sewagetransportationsystem.Thisdidnotoccuronthedayinquestionandwasunrelatedto
theallegations.
8. Item8statesthatIhaddiscussionsrelatedtostudentsbeinggirlfriend/boyfriendandboyfriend/boyfriend.Anystatementsregardinggirlfriend/boyfriendorboyfriend/boyfriend
statuswereusedtoanalogizetheamountoftimestudentsspendtogether.
9. Item9statesthatitwasreportedthatonseveraloccasionsthroughoutthe2012/2013schoolyearyouhavemadethestatementwhentalkingaboutstudentswhoshowyoudisrespect/Its
abigFUtoMrs.Lawson.ThereareinconsistenciesbetweenItem9ontheInvestigativeReport
andItem9ontheNoticeofSuspension.TheInvestigativeReportonlyreferencesoneoccasion
ofthosestatementsbeingmade.Theobscenegesturereferredtointhisitemconsistedof
motioningmyfistforwardinfrontofmychestbutIdidnotstickupmymiddlefingerordoany
obscenehandgestureasthetermobscenegesturewouldsuggest.Ihaveneverused
profanitywithintheclassroomin12yearsofteaching.ThefactthatIusedanacronymfora
swearwordindicatesthatIamawareoftheinappropriatenessofactuallyusingthosewords.
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MarianneLawson Date