I found this article on the web and thought it might encourage some stimulating conversation.
Teacher accused of pupil ‘retard’ insult
By Michael Purton and Dan Keel
Comment | Read Comments (191)

A SCHOOL has launched an investigation after a pupil with special needs alleged a teacher called him a "retard".

Fourteen-year-old Connor Heron claims he was insulted by a teacher during a class at St George's CofE School, Meadow Road, Gravesend, last Wednesday.

Connor, who suffers attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), told his mother about the incident. She says she then complained to the police.

Jodie Heron, 39, of Old East Road, Gravesend, said: "My son was making some sort of noise in class and was told to shut up by the teacher.

"Another student explained to him he has special needs and the teacher said Oh, so you are a retard'."

Mrs Heron reported this to the police the following day and was advised to go to the school to request an apology from the teacher.

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However, when she went to the school the staff there denied her access to the building.

She says this left her feeling "livid" and she is now demanding the school sacks the teacher and improves the way it deals with pupils with special needs.

Mrs Heron said: "My son should be given support. He shouldn't be discriminated against and humiliated in front of his friends.

"The teacher should lose his job and the school should provide special training for teachers who deal with students with special needs."

Mrs Heron claims this is not the first time her son has been insulted by a teacher.

She said: "There was an incident in April, before half-term, when Connor was making a tapping noise on the table.

"The teacher asked him to stop, so he apologised.

"But then he continued to tap. The teacher said Are you special needs or something?'"

Because of this, Mrs Heron suspects other pupils with special needs at the school may have been insulted by staff.

She would like their parents to call her on (phone number edited by trueblue)so they can take action together.

A school spokesman said: "The school is following its usual proceedings in investigating the concern raised."

A spokesman for north Kent police said: "Officers are investigating the incident and as a result we cannot comment further at this time."

I didnt hear it first hand, but a maternity cover, very un-pc man said thed and I quote ' Students with Downes Syndrome are freaks of nature' in my school recently.

One of the class has a sister wih DS and I am flabbergasted that nothing has been said!

It is amazing what some teacher/ta's say in the staff room.

The problem with these stories is that you never get to hear any information first hand, once the press have got hold of it well.......................

However, any adult uses such a term should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves!

Absolutely, and if I had heard it in my class I would have reported it to HT.

Same here.I have heard teenagers up here using it and I have told someone very close to home if she uses it again she will get a slap

Sheeeeesh some teachers and TA's can be thick. But again this demonstrates the unrealistic expectations of parents with inclusion.

"The teacher should lose his job and the school should provide special training for teachers who deal with students with special needs."

While I can appreciate the mothers attitude the story seems to indicate that she went in for an apology, the change for having the teacher sacked is based on the fact she was kept out of the school.

The decision for the teacher to be sacked or other disciplinary action if the alleged statement was made should be down to the employer, not a disgruntled parent. I am always clear in my mind on this when dealing with issues with Miss G's school. Same as it is the shools responsibility what to do when there are issues with other children.

The provision for training for teachers teaching sen students is one that I often seen. Ideally yes I would go with this, but wonder how practical it realy is? An expectation on my part that every teacher who deals with Miss G should know all about Aspergers is not practical. Should they also be trained about cp, ds, deafness, blindness and the odd hundreds of conditions that teachers may see in the students these days?

What I do expect is an element of professionalism - not many jobs where you could say something like this and not get sacked if a complaint is made. I also expect them to be familiar with the steps put in place to enable her to access the curriculum with minimum difficulty.

We recently had an appointment with her maths teacher, due to problems in the class and falling grades. I must admit I did expect an argument but was delighted when she confessed to us that she didn't know much about Aspergers or how it effected our daughter and had made mistakes. We were far less tollerant of her more outrages behaviour then the teacher was - like throwing a chair when the teacher did not notice immediately she had her hand up.

[quote="George"]

Lucybelle wrote:

. I think the other thing to remember is a lot of the teachers who have been in the profession for years didn't sign up to deal with a wide range of sen. Inclusion, as much as I support it, has changed the face of education and impacted a good deal on teaching. Teachers didn't choose, it was forced upon them. Most teachers have coped marvelously, a small number I do believe are having trouble adjusting, and a smaller number are just p%£!ts.

Calling a child a 'retard' has nothing to do with what teachers did or did not sign up for when they entered the professiion.

That is simply about giving everyone the respect they deserve.

A child/young person is a unique human being what ever their (dis)ability.

x

oh dear, catbells please do think that I was saying that the term retard was exceptable.

Obviously all children deserve respect in the classroom and in the staffroom, I was just pointing out that sometimes teachers/ta's let off steam in the staffroom. They would never be disrespectful on purpose.

Sorry if my post meant you thought I didn't see any problem with it, because I do.

[quote="catbells"]

George wrote:

Lucybelle wrote: . I think the other thing to remember is a lot of the teachers who have been in the profession for years didn't sign up to deal with a wide range of sen. Inclusion, as much as I support it, has changed the face of education and impacted a good deal on teaching. Teachers didn't choose, it was forced upon them. Most teachers have coped marvelously, a small number I do believe are having trouble adjusting, and a smaller number are just p%£!ts. Calling a child a 'retard' has nothing to do with what teachers did or did not sign up for when they entered the professiion. That is simply about giving everyone the respect they deserve. A child/young person is a unique human being what ever their (dis)ability. x

I think something went wrong when you edited the quote, as this is what I said.

At what point did teachers stop being part of the society they serve? One of the main reasons we are in the mess we are is because as a society we fail to show the respect to each other that is deserved. It is becoming more and more part of living in our society. Teachers are members of our society and will reflect to some degree the best and worst of our society.

Appreciating the stresses and causes of when people do/say things they shouldn't is not the same as condoning it. I stand by what I said, not all teachers signed up to teach sen students within mainstream schools. The stresses of the job means unfortunately people will say things they shouldn't, and in the normal course of life probably wouldn't.

My own belief is most, if not all teachers, go into the profession with a genuine desire to teach and educate young minds. Teachers put in a lot of time, lesson time, planning, marking etc. They are now stuck in a system which expects far more of them, and see lessons ruined by many sen students behaviour. There is a big push for inclusion without sufficient support or resources, goal posts constantly being moved, parents are often in conflict with teachers, schools, lea, health authorities and numerous other agencies. In the center of this mess are the children.

It is thanks to the professionalism of most teachers, and TAs, that the system manages to hold itself together. No it shouldn't happen, but to be honest it surprises me it doesn't happen more often.

As the father of an autistic daughter struggling to cope in mainstream schooling and having been refused to have her needs assessed I am more then aware that each child is unique. As someone who went to a special needs school for most of my childhood I am aware of the prejudice and disrespect that was shown to children/young people with sen during the 60's and 70's and the long term effects this has.

I thought this would get you all going!
Back into the swing of Topic of the Week now

Come on newbies join in.