Natalie Munroe: Should teachers blog, even anonymously, about their students?

This is so amazing! I don’t care who she is, she absolutely has the right to say whatever she wants and that she did not name names is good. Honestly, this shows the elephant in the room. Kids today are terrible! Not all but many are. What she says has everything to do with why kids are not succeeding and I believe is something parents and communities need to acknowledge. Kids don’t dowant to work for anything, they do want things given to them. They are rude and mouthy, they do cuss and call everyone includinng their teachers terrible names. Teachers send kids to administrators and their right back in the room, smug smile and empowered. This is a real problem because not only do teachers have to deal with this, so do the good, motivated and hard working kids. When parents come in, a good percentage of them come in cursing and being rude. Really? Do you realize how many teachers pay money they don’t have to put their own kids in private schools where kids and parents are accountable. Free education has really taken a turn for the worst. Free does not mean free and entitled to do (or not do) whatever the heck you want.

Btw, consider now how many kids are now with discipline records, court/criminal records, expelled, suspended, blah blah blah. And how many adult criminals there are. You think those criminals were sweet,innocent teens? Uh…..no! People display criminal and down right rude and mean behavior well before they become adults. We need to get harsh with kids who benefit from free education. There needs to be accountability to them and their parents. Why not? Districts, administrators, teachers, counselors…all of them are accountable. Why are not the other half of this learning partnership not? If they don’t want to be there, get them out. I guarantee every teacher goes to teach with the intent of loving kids, teaching and their subject areas. What is it really that is causing good teachers to go bad…in whatever the sense.

The woman said what she said. If it was true, then it is what it is. The federal government thinks they can fix everything. I’ll tell you, let’s reinstitue paddles in school. Let’s put the really disobentient and what used to be called encourageable..somewhere else.. teach them to read, write and compute and then put them to work if they don’t want school. Suspending kids is a joke. Now they’re free at home, unsupervised and sometimes, out robbing the neighborhoods or doing other things they shouldn’t be doing. They actually like and try to get suspended! Come on america…this teacher has brought what’s really there to the surface. Pay attention because there will be many many teachers listening.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yes, she has a ‘right’ to say whatever she wants, just as we all do, as long as we are willing to pay the consequences of our actions and behaviors.

In this case, the consequences are that she got identified, people are angry with her and she may be fired. Okay. She said what she said, she stands by what she said, and she’s got no beef if people are angry with her; if she loses her job, there are remedies to deal with that as well. Truly, no one can expect to say really scurrilious things about others, particulary other people’s children, and not expect some negative response.

I think we are all developing into people who think we have rights that really don’t exist: my rights end when they start impinging on your rights and vice versa. That’s part of the social contract (that seems to be defunct these days) that says we will all remember that everyone has rights and ours do not supercede theirs.

I think she was wrong, she thinks she was right, she gets to deal with the consequences and my opinion is of value only to me. I’d just like her to be adult enough to stand by what she said and not be trying to justify the cruelty because it’s true and it’s her ‘right’ to speak the truth.

• Link
• Report this comment

If the students felt identified, then they know they are “rude” or “frightfully dim”? It’s likely that the parents are upset because they feel blamed. Being a parent is hard. Being a teacher is hard. Every day in the classroom, teachers must overcome the lack of parenting many students have so that they can do their job (to teach). A close friend of mine teaches, and he says it’s about 90% discipline (”Sit down. I mean it. Sit down. Be quiet. I mean it. Be quiet.”). But, get a parent in the room and tell them this about their kid and what happens. Nothing. (This is certainly not true of all parents but unfortunately of the majority.)

I do think it can hurt the confidence in this teacher. Parents/students might be worried they’ll appear on her blog next time. It might make students afraid to speak out in class. Or, it might make the “rude” students even ruder. But, I think the deeper issue is that many parents think their kids can do no wrong and anyone who says so should be punished. Do you know that many parents complain that a teacher is the reason their kid is failing? They say this even when faced with a gradebook full of 0s for work that was never turned in.

But, does she have the right to post these things? Absolutely. If her employer had a social networking clause in her contract, which they have probably already implemented, then she would be bound to abide by that.

I do appreciate that she’s standing by her words and not offering an apology to get reinstated.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] Natalie Munroe: Should teachers blog, even anonymously, about their students?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Natalie Munroe, a 30-year-old teacher at Central Bucks East High School in Doyleston, Pa., didn't identify her students in the blog, but she did say some mean comments about them. For example: “In her blog, which has since been removed, Munroe referred …Teacher Natalie Munroe's Blog: Defends Remarks Like "I hate your kid!" (Video)Gather.comTeacher suspended for bashing students on blog, defends herself for vicious …New York Daily NewsNatalie Munroe Blog Controversy Sparks Area School District Policy ReformEvening TranscriptCNN (blog) -Yahoo! News -SFGate.com (blog)all 581 news articles » [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

She has the same right to blog as anyone else. End of story.

• Link
• Report this comment

i would not be a teacher for all the money in the world. it doesnt sound like she used profanity-i havent read the blog but plan to look at it later maybe. i read this article yesterday and wondered if it would make here as a topic today.

there are a lot of great kids. i know several. i also know some that are simply awful. tis lady has every right to voice her opinions. it doesnt sound like she named names, and if the kids or parents read the blog and thought she was talking about them or their kids-well if the shoe fits wear it. i personally would probably be fired if i was a teacher because i would probably say these things to the kids themselves, not post it on a blog. the things teachers have to put up with are astounding. they have no rights as far as discipline goes. the kids are the winners. most people choose teaching because they want to teach kids. it surely isnt because of the great paychecks. i have been in classrooms and was amazed at the things kids feel they have the right to say and the things teachers and principals have to put up with. if any of the kids posted nasty things about her on their facebooks would they be in trouble? no. and as i said before….if they recognized themselves in her comments-maybe they need to make some changes in the way they behave.

• Link
• Report this comment

I guess the question I would ask amidst all the wringing of hands is this … is what she said true?

Munroe said about SOME of her students “They are rude, disengaged, lazy whiners. They curse, discuss drugs, talk back, argue for grades, complain about everything, fancy themselves entitled to whatever they desire and are just generally annoying.”

Is that untrue?

It seems that the school board has reacted typically – an over-reaction to try to head off law suits from parents who are so disengaged from their kids, they either can’t see what Munroe sees or they don’t care until someone takes a verbal swing at their little darling. Having a security guard escort Munroe off school property is pure hype. I’m sure the media was alerted to ensure a picture was taken for the front page of the local rag.

Teenagers today aren’t a whole lot different from their predecessors although the sense of entitlement seems to be ramped up considerably. I work with high achiever university students and some of them are so rude and obnoxious that I often wonder why I bother trying to connect with them. Their sense of entitlement is mirrored in the celebrity lifestyle we see so often in tabloid and mainstream media.

For me, the debate is not so much about Munroe’s freedom to speak as she does. It is not a question of whether she can describe her students or employer in honest, frank terms; it is more a question of whether her employer can accept the fact that she was truthful in her assessment of SOME of the students with whom she deals.

We live in fascinating times.

• Link
• Report this comment

She absolutely has a right to do this. Why is it for students and parents to write negativethings about teachers on websites like”ratemyteachers.com”, but its not ok for the teacher to do the same.

I understand there are certain standards teachers and other public employees have to abide by, but she never mentioned any of the students names. Its truley amazing what goes on not only in urban & suburban schools, but in rural as well. She hit the nail on the head when she said the majority are rude, disengaged, etc, etc, etc.

Great job Natalie!

• Link
• Report this comment

Well, I personally think that she doesn’t have the right to blog about her students because it could hurt any children in her class/classes that are lacking in self-confidence. The blog may not even be about them but because it doesn’t name names they may personalise it.

On a bigger note, I don’t know why there are people out there in cyberspace that still think that what they post/blog/comment is anonymous and won’t come back and bite them on the rear. Even on here, where you can call your self anything you want, you have to input an e-mail address. My husband and I have the same e-mail address but it’s wouldn’t be rocket science to figure out which one of us posted what. I know that some people may even use a free-mail address or the library computer but everyone is still traceable.

• Link
• Report this comment

hhmmm…I am on the fence with this one.

I have worked with people whom I do not care for and some have been difficult. FYI…clients may not care for me and think I am difficult…here is an example of something that was deemed difficult: “Payment ( including all travel expenses I have incurred personally) is expected on date of service or a late fee of 10% is applied” which is in my contract and makes SOME think I am difficult ( Hint: I work with them one or two days and will fly home possibly 1000 miles away). BUT…I do not post things on this blog that would clearly describe these people.

I also agree with catlady here:

If you can recognize your student from a teacher’s very unflattering description, you need to do something about it. And I don’t mean sue the teacher!

Parents, get control of your children! It is past high time! And if you don’t, don’t be surprised to see their behavior as an illustration in some medium.

We ate dinner out last night at a family style restaurant. As we got up to leave, my husband walked one way and I walked another. I wondered where he was going. He stopped at a table near us and was talking to the family. When we got in the car, I asked what he was doing. He replied,
“Those folks were sitting next to us and they had 2 boys. I did not even know they had kids. I stopped over they to tell them how well behaved their children were and to thank them for doing a nice job. They were surprised and thanked me.” He also said one of the boys looked like he was full of pi$$ and vinegar ( his exact words) and so obviously the parents were working hard at it.

I am thrilled that he took time to compliment someone we did not know. I hope it made their day.

PARENTS ….do a self check here….when other people compliment you on your kids…you may be doing something right. When others blog rudely about them…perhaps there IS a problem.

FYI…our neighbors had a big super bowl party and there were about 20 kids running rampant through our yard and theirs. We still have trash in our yard from their kids…that is not ours. Is that rude of me to post? We also find beer cans and cigarettes in our yard from others who walk by and toss them. We have poo poo bags and pick up our dog’s poo why can’t others put their trash in a trash can?

• Link
• Report this comment

Would you rather the teacher be mean and nast in the classroom? In case you haven’t noticed, teachers are under a tremendous amount of stress these days. When students are a pain in the butt, we can’t just go off on them. I think we all find ways to blow off steam when we have a bad day. This is a relatively harmless way to do that. It may even be helpful. Maybe some of those kids will see a reflection of themselves in the mirror of that blog and change the way they behave in class. Maybe it will start a dialogue between parnts and their kids.

The school district will lose this case. She didn’t violate anyone’s privacy because she didn’t identify anyone. She intended no harm to any student, AND most importantly, we have a CONSTITUTION that guarantees us freedom of speech.

• Link
• Report this comment

Title says it all. BTW sorry for any errors but is difficult on phone.

So often now when a teacher serves a consquence the student can instantly txt Mom and such and plead that is was not deserved, so then “mom” sends various messages complaining to the teacher that is struggling by a tread to keep any order at all. Not only do they get the nasty spats from the rude unP&Q’d kid they also get it from the parent who seems to forget that if the kid could be repectful and god forbid obey the rules (laws) that this issue would not be forthcoming. (goes back to when parents didn’t bail them out but wanted a lesson learned, any1 else remember this??)

It has to be harder then ever to have to be a teacher that also has to parent half the class because morals and values went out with 8 tracks and record players. I know “”some”" parents that are more concered with raising a well balanced and rounded (mentally not physically…issue for later again, starts with Parenting) healthy child rather then the nature of their checkbook and the “Joneses”status. Sadly most of the the kids (I stay away from because I shouldn’t put them straight not that I wouldn’t love to) can tell me to F off and die just as long as it doesn’t alter the parents state of delusion that they are great kids and that status and cash will keep them safe and good.

It all starts with the parents from the day you get that “+plus+” sign!!! Read again if needed ….
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

The signs of the times are surrounding us and all those people who hated their parents rules and swore they would never put their child through that (rules and the consquences you face when you break them) Well now we are all reaping what was sown and its going to get worse before it gets better. Now and for the last foredecades greed and power ruled the govt…. what do get when you throw a lack of morals and conscience into that mix?? It won’t be pretty and @ 30YO I am sure that I will see more then desired. Just in case your curious my parents were in there 40ies so I feel blessed yet very alone to know the ole ways. Of course I do not relate to others in my age group but I get wiser with the decades of knowledge and life that my friends share with me.

Hopefully man can get over his cranial reactal inversion of blaming anyone but themselves.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s a shame and it’s sad but she was probably telling the truth about every kid she described. I’m not “on the fence” at all — She has the right to free speach. Provided no one was identified and nothing written would allow for such identification, then I see nothing out of line. Maybe venting on her blog was her manner of “coping” with these kids instead of taking out the frustration on them personally.

• Link
• Report this comment

Freedom of speech?????

• Link
• Report this comment

We need much more blogs like this. Too many people are not aware of what’s going on in public schools, what students are allowed to get away with, the lack of support from administration, and the threats, abuse, and insults teachers must contend with.

For those who say teachers should know what they are getting into before starting this career, you are clueless. Everything is much worse now than ten, five, or even three years ago. Teaching is rapidly becoming a career of last resort. If students don’t want to do the work, their is no recourse for the teacher. Teachers cannot mete out punishment, they can only ‘reward’. If a student doesn’t care about the rewards (which obviously must be very small – you can’t be offering IPODS), then that’s that – they have a disruptive student that the administration will NOT remove from the classroom. That means YOUR child, as well as others, will be deprived of a quality education regardless of THEIR desires and behavior.

Parents, WAKE UP! Threaten to sue NOT the teacher, NOT the school system, but the PARENTS OF THE DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS for denying YOUR child their constitutional rights to an education and violating YOUR child’s civil rights. If the Administration sees you as a bigger ‘problem’ than the parents of the miscreants, they will change their approach. If they don’t, YOU have to sue to force those students out the door. HELP your teachers and school systems provide your children an education.

• Link
• Report this comment

She certainly has the right to create a blog and say anything she wants. However, I, as a parent, also have the right to decide that I would not allow her to be my child’s teacher.

I do not object to the teacher’s complaints or musings on the student’s shortfalls, but her tone is both mean and demeaning. It is never okay to call a student, any student, a “Sneaky, complaining, jerkoff” or “Utterly loathsome in all imaginable ways.” Both quotes were taken from a google cache of the original post. This goes beyond frustration at students’ lack of progress. It seems clear that the teacher has absolutely no respect or tolerance for children.

I would not allow her to teach my child and would suggest that perhaps she should consider another profession.

As to students rating their teachers, the difference is Mrs. Munroe is supposed to be the adult in this situation. Perhaps it is time she acted like it.

• Link
• Report this comment

Educators here have mentioned that being in the classroom with children is a different world than it used to be. Morals and respect are simply gone. Even children from “nice” families do not understand cause and effect. The parents have been cleaning things up for them since Kinder.

Last week, we were out and my daughter saw an adult she knew. ( I told DB this story on T). I was embarrassed that I did not know the person or perhaps forgot who they were. I offered my hand and said, ” I am sorry I either do not know you or forgot who you are.” The adult replied, ” I was your daughter’s AP ________ teacher at ________high school.” I had only met the teacher one time, fall 2009.

We ate lunch and my daughter was telling me that some kids did not like this particular teacher. I asked why. “Oh, she is pretty straight forward and since it was a college credit class the expectations were set and then we were told to meet them if we wanted a good grade.” I laughed when my daughter told me…” she is kinda like you…” My daughter told me that she liked her and enjoyed the class too.

On the way out, the teacher came over and told me, ” Your daughter was a pleasure to teach…” I laughed and told her what my daughter said, The comment was then made that not all kids in an AP class understand the class rigor and what is expected and that some kids are not ready to adhere to expectations at that level. I told her that in my line of work, some kids ( and parents) are not ready for expectations in Kindergarten. We laughed.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am a 25-year veteran teacher, and I’m not surprised at this story at all. This is not the first or last time that teachers have gotten into major trouble with their systems for blogging, Facebook, etc–whether they were discussing students or their own private lives.

The free speech argument is a valid one, and under the laws of the land, it should be a no-brainer that teachers can say what they want to say. However, since several court cases have ruled that public school teachers DO NOT have the same rights to freedom of speech as more private citizens, teachers who who have personal blogs or Facebooks are doing so at their own risk. Thus, they must be prepared for the consequences. It’s unfair and wrong, but there it is. Until teachers in this country are valued for the work we do, we will continue to see teachers get in trouble/lose their jobs for such activities.

And yes, it’s unfair that my students can libel, namecall or in other ways trash me online, but I am not allowed safely to even vent. Not that I would anywhere but here, but still. Welcome to my world.

Pray for teachers.

• Link
• Report this comment

The kids should start a blog, called ” The BIG FAT ASS TEACHER WHO SECRETLY HATES KIDS”. That teacher is crazy, and hateful. I hope her kids get a teacher just like her.. No wait, they will already have her crazy ass as a mother/teacher. They are already losers.. like the kids she wrote about and hated.

• Link
• Report this comment

jtom, redhousecat or catch22…care to reply to B Scott?

• Link
• Report this comment

Maybe they are “disengaged” because she is a crappy teacher and hates that she has to work for a living. Tolerance is a two-way street. People these days don’t seem to have the grace or brains to know when to keep their mouths shut or comments to themselves. Just like some of you are generalizing and lumping all students and parents together. You can’t be part of the solution if you are a major part of the problem!

• Link
• Report this comment

This teacher’s decision to complain about her students in a public arena–a PERMANENT (for all intents and purposes) public arena–makes me question her judgment.

Yes, we all need to vent about stresses at work. But, if I started a blog about how asinine, irresponsible or lazy my clients were, I would expect to not last long at my job. I don’t see why this is any different. Actions have consequences.

• Link
• Report this comment

What happened to her is exactly why the kids are monsters. You people defending her being suspended or fired for voicing her opinion are no doubt raising the little monsters she wrote about. YOU are the horrible examples that the rest of us have to put up with day-in-day-out. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

I hope she sues the school board AND the parents and forces every one of them into bankruptcy.

• Link
• Report this comment

Absolutely, this is a free speech issue, and this teacher is my new hero.
She simply spoke the truth, and I hope more teachers do the same. These are the good ones that want to teach. They care, unlike the wannabe parents that spawned these slack-jawed, entitlement babies that when asked what country begins with a “u”, anwer “Utah”, and then give a dumba$$ grin. These same twits know everything there is to know about celebrity culture, with major study in hip-hop criminality.

I know there are educators posting regularly here, and I know we don’t always agree, or maybe we just have vastly different points of view, however I appreciate the tough work that you do. Also, I know that the wannabe parents are most of the problem, because they don’t just encourage these bad behaviors; they mandate it to their little punks and punkettes.
If it were up tio me I would pay the good teachers well and insist that they be listened to, and hold the parents accountable for little Jimmy’s insolence. Plus bring back corporal punishment, except this time bring mommy & daddy to the office, and have THEM grab their ankles……….

• Link
• Report this comment

I wholeheartedly believe that she has the right as long as she is not “naming names” or discussing specific situations. The only ones up-in-arms are more than likely the ones who know they have raised little demons. I have a sister who teaches in a Chicago Public School and one who teaches in a DeKalb County Public School, nuff said. From time to time they make generalized comments about their “day at the zoo”, etc. And before anyone jumps up in arms thinking the comments are racial, because someone undoubtedly would have said it, we are black. It’s about the behavior of the children, not the color of their skin. My baby brother starts teaching in S. Korea next month, his students will more than likely be much more well behaved because a different level of respect is demanded and given over there.

• Link
• Report this comment

in response to B scott, I would hardly call her crazy. She seems perfectly normal. She’s a preggo woman who is probably very tired of not being able to properly teach and weary of jumping through the hoops of political correctness.

I can even see where MJG comes with the professionalism argument. That being said, she was rather anonymous, no name, no location, with few followers. Someone sold her out. Just goes to show, you still need to THINK before speaking or writing, even if you do think you are anonymous.

It would be interesting to know what kind of teacher she is. If she is popular amongst students or just squeaking by.

• Link
• Report this comment

redhousecat,

“If she is popular amongst students or just squeaking by.”

So, by your comment, a teacher must be popular with students. It seems they are there to teach, not be their students buddies. The teachers that had the most profound influence over me, were far from popular with the students. They were tough, demanding, and smart as all get out. I got it, and am thankful that I did.

• Link
• Report this comment

I think she had every right to post the TRUTH. I think parents and students are just mad because they can’t get over the fact that their perfect little angel isn’t that perfect o an angel and feel defensive about their parenting.

I’ve worked with older students and it’s TRUE. They ARE disrespectful, rude, they whine about EVERYTHING and DO think they’re entitled to better grades when they didn’t do any work. Not all. but A LOT.

How about we do something about the STUDENTS instead of trying to cover it up with a teacher “writing hurtful and mean blogs :( boo hoo”

• Link
• Report this comment

SuwaneeMommy :

If by law you HAD to accept ‘clients’ who ignored and berated you, and compromised your ability to help OTHER clients, would you stay silent, or would you want to make those other clients aware that the policies were harming them?

How do you expect schools to improve if teachers are muzzled? Realize that privacy rights preclude teachers publicly naming their students, for ANY reason, much less to criticize their behavior or lack of academic performance. There are very limited ways that teachers can make public what is going on in the classroom. We need to encourage blogs like this, not forbid them.

• Link
• Report this comment

Katie and Rob: I agree with you both. Just because she has the freedom to say these things doesn’t mean that it’s right. Teachers are held to a higher standard and we she put these comments on her blog, she should have been prepared to face the consequences. There are other more appropriate ways in which she could have vented her frustrations.

• Link
• Report this comment

The truth hurts parents. You have created monsters that you worship and you cannot deal with the realities.

• Link
• Report this comment

This is dilemma has a simple solution.
If students and parents can blog or speak about teachers……. why not allow teachers to speak as well?
anything else would be pure hypocrisy

• Link
• Report this comment

I stand by this teacher’s right to blog. It’s a good thing journalists aren’t held to the same standard as public school teachers and perhaps other educators; there would be no investigative reporting, no crime reporting, no anything that mentioned negative thoughts, words or deeds were the individual mentioned under the age of 18. I suppose in many cases it’s not Freedom of Speech that’s the issue it’s Expression of Opinion.

• Link
• Report this comment

She has every right to have her blog and to say whatever she wants as long as she’s not naming names or providing graphic descriptions of students. Sounds like she hit the nail on the head as far as her students! This is how many, many of them are and their parents refuse to admit it or do anything about it -except they ALL want to sue the teachers, sue the school system, sue anyone and everyone but NEVER take any personal responsibility for the nightmare their kid has become. I think more teachers should blog just like this one! It’s time for parents to own that which they’ve created!

@Carla -thank you! If more parents were like you, then perhaps teachers wouldn’t feel the need to vent on this level! I’ve never understood not recognizing your child’s shortcomings. How else are you supposed to help them and guide them into being responsible people with a shred of integrity?

• Link
• Report this comment

I always hope that my children’s teachers act as smart, professional educators, but this blog is just plain stupidity. Who doesn’t realize, in this day and age, that one should never put anything in writing that one wouldn’t share with everyone. I respect the teacher’s right to feel the way she does about her students and even gripe to her friends and family, but once you put those feelings in writing in a publicly accessible location, you cross the line into unprofessional behavior. As a parent, I certainly would not want this teacher anywhere near my kids as she has the potential of damaging their reputations with her comments.

As for the question as to students’ rights to post negatively about teachers – the simple fact is that they are not paid, with our tax dollars, to act professionally. Our teachers have rights to act how they wish in their private lives until what they do affects their abilities to perform their jobs effectively. I want to be able to trust our teachers to have my children’s best interest at heart. I would not be able to trust a teacher who wrote such things in a place where I and others could read them.

• Link
• Report this comment

If Mrs. Munroe is fired it would be a huge mistake. She is entitled to her opinion. She did not slander anyone and she did not blog on company time. Has anyone in authority at the school board taken a hard look at kids today. I for one am terrified for my grand children that some of these ‘kids’ will end up in the government. They are horrible. Rude, lazy and disrespectful. Some of the parents are to blame but not all. The media has a lot to do with it and the movies children are allowed to watch are awful. 1000 ways to die. Give me a break. No one needs to watch this among others. I personally have had an instance of meeting bad mothers. 2 children were rolling around the floor in the door way of WalMart. They were in the way. When asked to move they kicked at the shopping carts, stuck their tongue out and screamed at customers. They couldn’t have been more that 5 or 6 years old. I told the mothers to control their ‘maggots’. They will not be productive citizens.

• Link
• Report this comment

I feel bad for what teachers have to deal with, but I don’t have a lot of sympathy for this woman. First, I don’t believe the whole thing about it being anonymous. How did her 7 friends know it was there? She’s telling people about it. You don’t have to “follow” her blog to read it. I’m pretty sure that just alerts you if it’s updated. I have acquaintance who keeps a ridiculous, narcissistic blog that is highly entertaining. I know at least a dozen people who eagerly await new posts and share them with others — none of them “follow” her. Parents and students may not have searched for this blog — word simply may have spread and eventually got to a parent who thought it was a problem and told the school. I also don’t think it matters that she didn’t identify the students by name. She made her disdain for many students clear, and that can certainly create a hostile learning environment (a worker saying such things about colleagues could certainly be fired for contributing to a hostile work environment). She certainly has a 1st amendment right to say whatever she wants, but that doesn’t protect her from being fired if she says something that may impact her ability to do her job well.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m a teacher, and her comments are spot on to what I witness in my classroom. Should she have used the curse words to describe her kids? Absolutely not. But since all descriptors are general and she’s just talking about her experiences, she should not be censored. What she writes is what comes out of teacher’s mouths all the time, but parents jump to blaming the teacher faster than looking in a mirror.

It’s a scary time to be a teacher. She shouldn’t be fired for telling the truth. She didn’t hurt anyone.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Worry: My mother was a teacher for 35 years, and said she knew it was time for retirement after a particularly enlightening parent-teacher conference. Child was a monster, never did homework, smart mouth, failing, etc. Father came to a conference that included all six teachers, admin, etc. Father basically sat back and, after hearing the issues with his son, said, “Well, what do you expect ME to do about him?” Admin said, “We’re here to try to determine the best way to help Johnny succeed, and was hoping from some feedback from you.” Father shrugged and said, “Well, if you can’t keep him in line, that’s your problem, not mine.”

My mother put in for retirement the next month. She had a sense that it was all going to be downhill from there — and she was right.

That was one of the advantages of a private school — other kids’ discipline issues didn’t really infringe on your child’s learning, because if a kid didn’t behave, they were tossed out. Alcohol at a party over the weekend? Suspended or tossed (strict no alcohol policy, you agree when you sign up). Drugs? Bye-bye. Stealing? Bye-bye. Graffiti? Unhead of. Fighting didn’t exist – I don’t think I ever heard of a fight during the six years my kids were going through high school. The kids weren’t perfect, and some skated closer to the edge than others, but their mischief tended to be of the more creative variety, such as filling the principal’s office with ballooons. Of course, a private school has the luxury of being able to pick and choose their students, and for the most part, the kids value being there. That’s why I think that it would be a tremendous improvement if education in this country was considered a privilege instead of a wearisome “right’. Parents would be a lot more prone to making sure the kid toes the line if they knew that the kid would get tossed out of the “free school” for behavior issues and the parent was then responsible for homeschooling or paying for a private school (assuming they could find one that would take their little brat.)

• Link
• Report this comment

This is an idea on how to get parents more involved! Let’s not make public education free anymore! Ok, if your child cannot maintain a 3.0 GPA overall, then you as a parent has to pay for your child to go to school. Really and truly it is sooooo easy to maintain a B average in high school today! Now once your child has a 3.0, then you don’t have to pay! I guarantee you more parents would take an active interest in their child’s schooling. If they are a discipline problem, let’s establish a school where these students go to dig ditches all day long. Give them a shovel, a tape measure, and tell them to dig a ditch 10 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 3 feet deep. When they are done, they fill the ditch back up again. I can promise you that after a few hours of doing this, they will be dying to get back into the classroom and learn!!!!!!!!!! Just a thought!

• Link
• Report this comment

It seems that people missed the part about her blog does not say what city, state or school and she did use her full name. She also did not use any particular student’s name or situation. It was satire with a touch of honesty. I love it. Joined her blog today.

• Link
• Report this comment

Over 25 years ago, I was teaching in Texas. A first grade boy was angry about something and kicked me squarely in the stomach. It took me back. I was teaching at a PRIVATE school. Daddy was a big shot at the local bank in a small town.

A conference was called…tap dancing was done…fingers were pointed.
Finally, I stood up and said, ” I have one thing to say…I am not pregnant….it is a good thing too because if a 7 year old kicks a pregnant teacher in the stomach..things could get really ugly.”

I never got an apology and YES I remember the child’s name like it was yesterday. Perhaps the parents were able to grasp the ramifications….maybe not.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s funny, teachers are bashed everyday by dang near everyone with little to no recourse. A teacher who is PASSIONATE about her job and her charges actually has the cohonas to state some of the problems she sees in public education, the very things most ‘reformers’ (cough, cough…Michelle Rhee and Arne Duncan) won’t acknowledge, and she’s blasted. I’m one to be FAR more concerned about the teachers who have stopped caring altogether. Apathy is far more dangerous than the dishing of a few choice words.

@Worry, manual labor is torture didn’t you know? At least that is what some of these delusional parents seem to think (and I say this as a parent of a hormonal middle-schooler).

• Link
• Report this comment

LOL Tonya C! I am sorry. I guess I am old school in that I did manual labor growing up as a kid….mowing lawns, working construction, scouting cotton in south ga during the summer, etc.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] speech, and the ethics of being a role model for children.   The blog (that she claims only had 7 followers – herself and her husband included) was initially taken down, but as of last night was put [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

@MJG: In the stomach? In retrospect, wouldn’t it have been fun to grab the little brat’s ankle as he kicked and up-end him on his butt on the floor?

My son had one incident that involved a known bully in elementary school, which resulted in a concussion for my son after a series of escalating bullying. School tried to minimize it, until I pulled out my cell phone and said pleasantly, “Either we solve this now, or the police solve it an hour from now — your choice. I think I can time it so that the police show up right around car-pool time.”

The child was withdrawn from school for two weeks of observation, finished out the school year, and ended up at a private school the next year known for dealing with kids with behavioral and learning issues. It was a good move for him — and for everyone he left behind. Except his parents never said another word to me for the next six years, as if it was MY fault that their little monster was a psycho. Meh.

• Link
• Report this comment

Keep your problems to yourself. Write it in your own personal diary, or if you feel the need to tell someone, talk about it with your husband. This is a perfect example of how the internet is public, and if you don’t want certain people to see it, then don’t write it at all. Also, the reason her kids are so bad is probably because she is a bad teacher. Being a student myself, I know that 95% of the time, the kids treat the teacher the same way the teacher treats the kid. Lastly, if you can’t handle being a teacher and think your kids are so bad then QUIT, do not “blog” about it.

• Link
• Report this comment

Lets be honest, many of you teachers are parents BUT you probably consider yourselves and your children exceptions to the the rule! The hypocrisy here is just incredible. The majority of you have put this teacher out there as some sort of Icon, which really resonates as to your individual character. According to many of you, this is the way you feel about ALL of your students.

This is a big eye opener, to know what you really think! It doesn’t matter if mine is well behaved, respectful to ALL, and a good student – to many of you my child is a piece of garbage.

So continue to speak up, it is your “right” and you might as well lay all your cards out on the table. This could be a real turning point in education, but don’t expect it to be in your favor. This only gives the powers that be another reason to make your job harder and your pay that much lower. Munroe and her comments, with your support and high-fives, could very well be the nail in your coffin. Sometimes you don’t have to look past the person you see in the mirror to find your own worst enemy!

Loose lips sink ships and Munroe could very well be your Titanic!

• Link
• Report this comment

For those sticking up for this teacher, would you also stick up for a priest who anonymously blogged about his anonymous parishoner’s confessions?

Seems to me that meets all the same criteria of why this teacher gets a free pass.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ wake up…I apologize profusely if I EVER came across as not liking ALL children. I love most children and there are many children and parents who are simply delightful…here is one that came to mind from this past week…it was a 3 year old:

“I just wanted to tell you that my Daddy reads me a story every night before he tucks me in to bed.”
I replied,” tell your Daddy that I think he is one incredible Dad.!”

So, If you are this Dad…CONGRATULATIONS…you are doing just what you need to be doing, in my book! I loved meeting your son and it shows that he adores you too!

LOL when my Mom was alive she shared this silly saying that nurses typically have messy houses and teachers often naughty kids. Well, my ( nurse) sister has a cleaner house than me and while our kids were all toots at times, they have grown up to be decent young adults.

My daughter just called me today and told me that an adult, we both know, texted her to tell her that she recommended her for a job at a business another adult ( whom this friend knows) is opening. If my kids were slackers and rude, I do not think this would be happening. They both know how to work and relate well with others in a job.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Tiger: Last I heard, teachers do not take a vow of secrecy and (just poverty and obedience!) when they sign up to be a teacher. Please do not try to equate what this teacher did to a religious experience :-) The seal of the confessional is absolute. There is no equivalent in teaching, other than ordinary professional discretion. This teacher did not “out” any particular child, just as a priest does not “out” a particular parishioner when he climbs in the pulpit and denounces a particular sin.

What I find somewhat disturbing about this whole broohahah is that no one is saying that the kids AREN’T brats. It’s almost like the king’s “invisible” clothing — everyone knows, but no one dares say anything. It seems to me that the only people who would be offended at her little blog are those whose kids are probably pretty offensive, too.

• Link
• Report this comment

@DB…I do believe that teachers sign a contract, and while I’m not a teacher, every employment contract I’ve ever signed had stipulations that I agreed to represent myself in accordance to the professional standards of my employer. I don’t know for certain, but I’d bet a dollar that she signed something to that effect as a condition of her employment. Now her employer has said that blog is not in accordance to their professional standards. Why should she get a pass on it? The only argument I can see in this group today as to why she gets a pass is because the kids she wrote about are jerks.

• Link
• Report this comment

People and their “rights”!

Do you even know what that means? No one has mentioned that she be arrested, but I can tell you this, I can publically crap on my clients and keep my job.

I have the right to call them names behind closed doors, and I have teh right to put it on Facebook. One of these two things will get me fired.

• Link
• Report this comment

@DB…one last comment to your post. I’ve been looking for that vow of secrecy you claim priests take as a condition of priesthood. I’m not finding it. I see vows of chastity, obedience, and poverty….but secrecy doesn’t show up. Maybe that’s for Opus Dei.

• Link
• Report this comment

TheTruthIsScary,

The truth about the inappropriate classroom behavior of kids is scary- particularly scary to teachers who want kids to learn and to parents, administrators, board members and school board attorneys who are too timid to deal with such misbehavior.

Of course, I realize that such classroom misbehavior couldn’t possibly occur in a school in any middle-/upper-class Georgia community similar to Doylestown. Everybody knows that student misbehavior occurs only in poor, minority and inner-city schools in our state.

Unfortunately, what “everybody knows” and “what is” frequently differ.

KUDOS for your comments, TTIS.

• Link
• Report this comment

“It seems to me that the only people who would be offended at her little blog are those whose kids are probably pretty offensive, too.”

Um, NO! Enough is enough, and parents are just fed up with the global assault by teachers on CHILDREN and there parents. Just go back and re-read the comments just on this blog, nothing is being held back.

Educators (teachers & administrators) have pushed the good, normal, mainstream aside for so long to embrace and educate the fringes. They basically thought they could ignore those of us in the middle and expected us just wade along until they could find the time to get around to us. Even good people that get ignored have a breaking point and fight back.

Well guess what, you can’t keep ignore us and keep tossing us aside and expect us to kiss but when you decide it’s our turn again.

The entitlement attitude has become an epidemic. The Internet and blogs have taken much of the civility out of our society. Combine those two factors and it scares the life out of me what our future holds.

So you think I am offended? NO! I am angry that this is the accepted “normal” and CHILDREN in general are being verbally assaulted by teachers. Do you think high school kids are going to read her diatribe and all of a sudden shape up? Heck NO, if anything she has created a worse teaching environment than she had to begin with. Her hate speech and the negative reaction to it will spead like wildfire.

PS – Tonya C. got it! ;)

• Link
• Report this comment

@Wake up call:

The problem is the fringes shout the loudest. Just an FYI. I have seen and experience this first-hand. Nothing has taken civility out of society more than individuals. None of this would be so popular is respect of individuals was being practiced.

• Link
• Report this comment

“The problem is the fringes shout the loudest.”

They also TAKE the most and give back the least (to society).

• Link
• Report this comment

More than likely she’ll be fired. But, everything she said is true. Children of today are horrible and teachers catch hell trying to teach unraised kids. The human race is lost.

• Link
• Report this comment

Payne v. Western & Atlantic Railroad Co.

Supreme Court on an employer’s right to fire when an employee has said something they don’t like:

“All (employers) may dismiss their employees at will,…for good cause, for no cause, or even for a cause morally wrong, without thereby being guilty of a legal wrong.”

Basically, the protections granted under the First Amendment do not apply to your employment. You gave the right to way whatever you want and not be prosecuted for it….The First Amendment DOES NOT say your employer can’t fire you for pissing them off.

• Link
• Report this comment

I would not want my child being taught by her. I worked with children myself. Yes they can test that last nerve but I am an adult and able to maintain control of my negative thoughts. Most problem children will turn themselves around in your presence and completely change their behavior if the adult makes a point to get to know them. It’s happened for me. When the interviewer asked her if she wanted to continue teaching, she cast her eyes down and then looked back up with a hesitant yes that I don’t for one minute believe. If she won the lottery, she’d never work another day again as a teacher. The woman clearly does not like her job!

• Link
• Report this comment

Jarvis is addressing the real issue. I don’t think anyone here disagrees with her right voice her opinion on a blog. The question is, does her employer have the right to discipline her. And I think in this case the answer is clearly yes for actions detrimental to the school’s operations.

Now had she written those thoughts in a diary, and a disgruntled boyfriend stole the diary and published the thoughts on the web, then no, they shouldn’t have the right to discipline her for having thoughts that she made a concerted effort to keep private and that were only published through the commission of a crime by her boyfriend. She put her thoughts out there for people to view. Her employer viewed them…she gets to live with it. The facts that she may or may not have told the truth about the kids is IRRELEVANT. This is not an issue about the veracity of her claims…this is an employer rights and free speech issue.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey Likes Children—–what planet are you from.

• Link
• Report this comment

A lot of what she says is right. I used to sub at a middle school but have now stopped. The majority of kids really do not want to learn, and are totally disrespectful. One could only wonder about the types of homes from which they came. It is so totally different in Europe and Asia where students actually want to take advantage of the opportunity to learn! However, if you, as the teacher, blogs about your students, and they find out about it, you cannot expect to then have them respect you. Sure they make their comments about teachers on Facebook or whatever but somehow it does not work both ways.

• Link
• Report this comment

the more I read the comments the more I feel for her. Everyone acts as if they are so much holier than thou and how she was so unprofessional. boolsheet.

I find it hard to believe that any working adult, no matter what kind of “professionality” contract they signed, have expressed some sort of disdain about coworkers, jobs, friends, etc in public AND private. Kind of like the whole “if a tree falls in the woods” thing. If you go out to dinner and talk to your spouse about your students in a less than glowing manner, and a couple at the next table overhears and complains, does that justify discipline? Just curious,

It is obvious that this teacher knows the deal, she stands behind her rants (kudos). I am more than willing to bet she can maintain her professionalism and spit on political correctness…lol..

as for her employer, they have the right to discipline as they see fit, especially when it comes to appeasing little johnny’s parents.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Wake up call
I’m just telling the truth. I actually agree with you, but the parents of good and ok kids are quiet and not interested in making waves.

@Tiger: On those grounds I agree with you. Again, she should have written a book and become another Michelle Rhee. What a waste of material…

• Link
• Report this comment

30 years old? She looks like she’s 45.

Mooooooo…

• Link
• Report this comment

I think she should be able to post whatever she wants. Not arguing that. But then I thought, where is the maturity? She sounded like a 15 yr old mean girl. Shouldn’t adults take the high road. Guess not.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hmmmm…if student speech that is deemed offensive to teachers is protected, I think that the reverse should hold true as well.

• Link
• Report this comment

No Dwood. She needs to be put out on her ass.

She is the one with no inner-discipline. Just because you feel something doesn’t mean you should throw it out there for public consumption without any regard of the consequences on her employer.

You think they want to deal with a hundred phone calls from pissed off parents? Cause that’s exactly what she was driving.

• Link
• Report this comment

she should have her piehole beat shut!

• Link
• Report this comment

Freedom of speech,some people have said things worst than what she said. she is right some of the students are lazy. But for her to lose her job. NO!!!-

• Link
• Report this comment

only thing she did wrong is speak the truth, this is what makes parents and school officials angry,

• Link
• Report this comment

I agree 100 percent . . .a little whacking does not hurt when needed. That Time-Out crap is a joke!

Oldfashionmom

February 17th, 2011
5:50 pm
The parents of the children this teachers is referring to need to attend classes on “parenting”. Most children today are out of control bcs the brats know they are “untouchable”. We survived with a good “whack” from our teachers and parents and I would bet that most of us turned out just fine and became productive, law abiding citizens. I can not blame this teacher or others that secrectly feel the same way but are afraid to speak out due to the “Hoopla”, this teacher has encountered. Believe me, it is not the teachers, but lack of parental control and a system that allows these unrully children to disrespect everyone and anything, bcs they can get away with it. I really do not think we can undo the damage that has already been done by the system and lack of parental control; it is only going to get worse. My advice for the teacher is: find a safer job.

• Link
• Report this comment

Well said Educator@5:47. There is no excuse for bad behavior from a student. But, if you’re not equipped to handle it, find another profession. And for the folks who swear there was NEVER a problem student when/where they went to school, stop lying. I’m 47 years old and never had discipline issues in school. However, there were some occasional trouble makers, and that was back when administrators handed out swats with a wooden paddle. Stop blaming all of the problems on bad parenting. And oh yeah, if you’re wondering, I have kids who are students that do not have discipline issues. Infact, they have been given citizen ship awards.

• Link
• Report this comment

Decorum would dictate that sharing negative thoughts about one’s students publicly is inappropriate. Certainly the teacher is entitled to her personal opinion, but sharing these thoughts about her students in a public forum is inappropriate. If she felt the need to write about her feelings, a notebook might have been a better choice or a word document on her PC.

What the teacher wrote is nothing new – it is what many people think of the current generation, but these people are generally not teachers. These people are making a broad generalization, not a comment that applies to a collection of 150 students. Unfortunately this has become a public matter, so all 150 children are wondering if the comments were about themselves – the damage now has been done to all, not just the select few as intended by the writer. Certainly the teacher owes an apology to all of her students. She clearly does not understand the comprehensive nature of the internet. Should she be dismissed from her position, no. She is only guilty of not understanding the lack of security in tool that she chose to use.

I believe that it is now time for her county and maybe the state to set some rules about teachers posting comments about their students on public forums. This is going to keep happening over and over until someone really gets hurt and the school system gets hit with a significant law suit. When that happens, everyone loses. Until then, let’s use the golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am with you Vall! I bet what she said was the truth and the sad part is so many of young people are like she described.

• Link
• Report this comment

My God, you liberals, union thugs, democrats, HATE FREE SPEECH!!!

This woman TOLD THE TRUTH! Instead of firing her, they should be using what she said as a yard stick to find the problem and TR TO FIX IT!!

They’re acting like she was lying for one thing, and because of that and the problem and pain and and “outing of the problem” she must be fired. That’s just typical liberal government loving teachers union thugs at work. Hide the problem, fire the WHISTLE BLOWER.

Why isn’t she being protected as a whistle blower any way?? This is why nothing ever gets fix in those union thug controlled environments. Don’t believe me? Google for “rubber rooms in NYC” and see what you come up with. They’re STILL spending MILLIONS on teachers they can’t fire, for things like beating kids, fondling them, drugs and stuff like that. But boy oh boy, speak out against the system, and you’re certain to get fired for it.

How pathetic. And you wonder why they’re trying to kill the unions in what? Wisconsin or where ever it is?? The unions are ALWAYS the problem, and NEVER the solution!

• Link
• Report this comment

Everybody needs to vent once in awhile. Being a teacher can be very frustrating at times when there is so much pressure to teach and pass students who refuse to lift a pencil. What she did does seem much different then complaining over coffee with a friend. There is a mean website out there called rate a teacher dot com and kids write terrible things about teachers – and actually type names – and nobody cares, but if a teacher whines a little in general – without giving names – she is put on the witness stand? It is not libel – no names were given. People need to move on …

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Dave, et al “only thing she did wrong is speak the truth, this is what makes parents and school officials angry”

So if the truth is strictly the standard by which we determine if she exercised good judgement and should be subject to disciplinary actions from her employer, that is scary.

My son is in a first grade class of 24 kids. His teacher is in her first year straight out of school. Over a four year span his teacher will have 100 students or so. The community is small and close knit within our district.

“Dear Super Secret but Very Public Diary Blog: I had a horrible day…some of these spoiled brats in my class are driving me up the wall. Some of them are just so lazy and disrespectful. I fear for the future of this generation and my profession. The only bright spot I can think of in my career so far is this wonderful little former student of mine. She always had the best disposition and manners and attitude in spite of the fact that we we were informed by her mother that her father was an alcoholic and her brother viciously and repeated molested her. She was so tough to get through that and I’m so happy and inspired to see her at school thriving now when it would have destroyed most people. Well, enough with my rant, TTFN!”

Assuming that blog posting spoke entirely the truth, mixed in with her opinion of the circumstances, your argument is that the truth is what matters, she really only narrowed her pool down to 100 kids so she didn’t specifically identify anyone, so therefore she’s exhibited nothing that should be censured or chastised for? Seriously?

that is the precedent the school is setting by tolerating this. The school has to nip it in the bud, because that is where it would lead.

• Link
• Report this comment

I hate to spoil all the fun … but does anyone know the latest about Ms. Munroe? All these posts are thoughtful and well done, but what’s the latest? You know, fact-wise.

• Link
• Report this comment

Well stated Educator @5:47!

• Link
• Report this comment

I think she got a raw deal. She should have a right to vent, and a right to generalize about the situation in a public forum. I don’t believe she crosses the line until she starts naming names and specific actions. It is probably good that people have feed back on what is going on in schools from as many sources as possible. I don’t think any good comes from blocking free speach, so long as she doesn’t name names.

• Link
• Report this comment

I have not read her blog, so I am not aware of the “type of language” she used. However, if she did not identify herself in the blog and did not identify the students she was complainging about…what did she do that is illegal. I was just cursed by a young man at Targe the other day and since his mother was present I called her on the carpet about it and you know what she said? That is his 1st amendment right!!!!!!!!!
The kid bumps into me and then curses me out??? I sympathize with this teacher. If what the others are saying about her blog is true, she has not lied!!!!!!!!!!!A LOT of kids and their parents today are worthless users of oxygen. I think I am going to make me a button that reads You are a good reason for birth control!!!! Parents need to be held responsible for their children’s behavior. Public education should be a privilege, not a right. Get the little worthless atoms out of the schools and maybe we will have children wanting to learn again.
Good luck to this teacher!

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] as "annoying" and "lazy," is defending the right of teachers to speak …Natalie Munroe: Should teachers blog, even anonymously, about their students?Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Blogging teacher gains supportphillyBurbs.comShould a teacher be [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

Yes, I think she had a perfect right to publish the comments I’ve heard reported, in the way she did it–without anything that could identify individual students, the school district, or her own name. The idea that teachers have to pretend to think that every student is wonderful is ridiculous. It’s also counter-productive, because it furthers the idea that education is a one-way street, with teachers entirely responsible for persuading students to learn, whether or not the students are in any way willing or cooperative. What kind of fantasy-land are we living in, when we blame a teacher for grumbling in a general way that some of her students are less than delightful to work with?

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t think this was professional or appropriate, but I understand the need teachers have to vent. They put up with a lot crap trying to teach kids who don’t want to be there, and their hands are tied to do anything about it in a lot of ways. She definitely should not be fired. However, if her frustration is overshadowing her passion for teaching, both she and society would be better served if she decided to change vocations on her own.

• Link
• Report this comment

I would love to think that my children were being taught be someone who had enough sense NOT to put such thoughts in black and white, ANYWHERE !! I have no doubt that she’s 100% right in her assessment of the students in her classes but then, she should also have enough sense to know that these same students who don’t know how to behave have parents who also don’t know how to behave or they would have taught their offspring better and it follows that these are the parents who only have “little darlings” and will sue to prove their point. NEVER WRITE WORDS ANYWHERE IF YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

@Tiger: It’s not exactly a “vow of secrecy”, but the seal of the confessional has long been considered inviolate, not only in church, but legally, too. The whole concept of confession is that someone can come to a priest and confess the worst stains on their soul without fear that they will be “turned in” or that the priest can be forced to testify against them. A priest can only encourage someone to turn themselves in to legal judgement, they cannot for any reason reveal what has been confessed to them. A priest who breaks the seal of confession without the express permission of the penitent is automatically excommunicated. Period. So, they take vows to become a priest. And the confessional is the ultimate secret. Ergo, vow of secrecy. Sorry if I mislead you.

The biggest disagreement here seems to be “Was this teacher’s actions unprofessional?” Define “professional”. When it comes to teachers, being “professional” apparently means Mary Poppins — “practically perfect in every way.” Was it slander? No, it wasn’t “false and malicious.” Was it libel? No, she did not attack any particular person’s reputation. Unless her school administration has some pretty detailed “professional standards”, then they are going to find themselves tied up in litigation for quite a while. (As an example, see Ashley Payne, the “Facebook teacher” from Bartow County.) Was it respectful? No, not particularly. Was it true? Probably. My question is this: What harm did she do by venting her frustrations? Isn’t it a bit hypocritical to say, “You can say it, but you can’t write it down.”

• Link
• Report this comment

This is America and the teacher had every right to say what she said. These American children are the worst of the worst, overweight, lazy, rude, disrespectful and damn near retarded. NATALIE MUNROE keep telling the truth about these bratz and mayber their sorry parents will upgrade thier own skills and send you better kids to teach.

• Link
• Report this comment

Her facts are probably correct, but her discretion and professionalism leave a lot to be desired. Even though she is probably very frustrated with some of her students, she needs to show more restraint. She needs to also remember that she has many good students and by doing what she did, she simply brought herself down to the level of the students she is complaining about. If I were in her situation, I would be tempted to vent too, but that does not make it right.

• Link
• Report this comment

Edward, I believe you nailed it on the head. Comments above saying the teacher ’should have thought before she wrote’, or use (buy to use) software to block her URL are imbecilit and asinine at best. For me, the ‘politically correct’ syndrome has spread way too far. She started the blog probably to log her feeling, positive or negative. She only provided a few people with the URL and nothing else on her blog would ever remotely lead to this. I agree too, that one of those people sold her out, or blabbed about it to a friend. Natalie should NOT suffer professionaly nor privately for exercizing her right to free speech. Free speech as put forth in our Constitution for everyone. I don’t believe I ever read an exclusion to that right by profession. Get your heads out of the sand folks! There’s way more important issues to address.
To Theresa, I’ve really missed your column as I only can can afford AJC on Sundays. Keep up the good work!

• Link
• Report this comment

Being married to a teacher and having spent a limited amount of time teaching myself, I have first hand knowledge of some of this. I understand her feelings and understand why she wrote what she wrote. She has probably voiced exactly what she said in the blog to several people (i.e. admin, parents, etc…) with no effect. Today’s education system is not about teaching kids anymore. If all you had to do was go in the classroom and teach kids, more people would do it. My wife typically has to spend 1-2 hours outside of class per 1 hour in class filling out paperwork, sending e-mails, meeting with parents, writing lesson plans, etc…

I spent time as a military training officer, and approached high school classes the same way. I would tell all the kids the first day of class, “I’m not your mom, your dad, or even your friend. I am here to put knowledge in to your head. I get paid whether pass or fail. It doesn’t matter to me what grade you get, but it should matter to you. Here is what you will need to do to get a good grade. If you do it, you get a good grade. If you don’t do it, you get a bad grade.” I never had discipline problems.

• Link
• Report this comment

I love this woman.

I had a middle school teacher that once wrote on my report card in middle school that I was more interest in girls than Literature. She was 100% correct, as having to take Literature was similar to having a year long kidney stone.

My parents read that, called the school and spoke to teh teacher. They decided I was not going to any more skating parties that year (it was middle school in the 80’s) unless the teacher said I had turned things around. I not only ended up with an A in the class, I actually started to like literature because I was forced to read The Hobbit, which I thought was absolutely fascinating compared to the first book I had to read …. Little Women. I went on toace the rest of my literature classes throughout middle school, high school, and college.

The problem today is that people just can’t handle hearing the truth. They whine and want people fired for being inconsiderate. Guess what folks, if parents put as much time into their kids as they did whining about teachers then they would probably turn out much better than the alternative. I am certainly glad my teacher did that, even if I really didn’t like her at the time.

• Link
• Report this comment

She has the same freedom to express her opinion about anyone she wants as the rest of us do. If I want to blog that my co-worker is an idiot and my boss is a dimwit, that is my right, and no, it is not libel to express a negative *opinion* about someone.

That said, if I did so and someone I work with were to find out, odds are favorable that I would have at least SOME sort of backlash, just as I would if I stood in the middle of the office and made those same comments.

While I respect her right to express herself, she used poor judgment in posting her thoughts on the internet, and that goes to her professionalism.

To everyone, not just teachers: use good sense when you put something out on the internet – it is never as private as you think. If you want to keep something private, keep it to yourself.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ms. Munroe accused the students of being disengaged whiners, rude, rat-like, and frightfully dim among other descriptive terms. I find that she is exhibiting the same behavior as she described in her students. Rather than mentor or inspire with her full of life, ready to change the world attitude she has chosen the easier way out by simply complaining. She missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime to act as an adult to these students. What better way to make a difference than leading by a proper example and rising to this challenge? Instead she gave up and decided it was probably too much to handle. Yes, we all know that some children need more direction than others in order to be sufficiently motivated. Being successful at this could have set her apart as an exceptional teacher. Her method of dealing with the issues in her classroom was counterproductive. We all learn the basic rules of how to get along with others when we are very young. Ms. Munroe failed miserably at these basic lessons. There is a mutual disrespect between Ms. Munroe and MANY of the CB East students. Unfortunately she has earned that lack of respect. When a child behaves inappropriately (possibly as she or her own three year old child may have done in the past) it is up to the adult to set that child straight and use it as an opportunity to teach….whining and complaining about it helps no one. I only hope that one of her own childrens’ future teachers does not state “I hate your kid.” After knowing her true, personal feelings about the students, I would absolutely not want this teacher around any of my own children. After carefully examining the facts, Ms. Munroe would be neglectful if she allowed her OWN children into a classroom with a teacher behaving similarly. Teachers giving up on their ideals should step aside and give someone else a chance to make a difference.

• Link
• Report this comment

With all due respect to E. Helmstetter, it is obvious that he/she NEVER has participated in a classroom lately. I challenge you to go to any public school in Atlanta, particularly urban, and spend ONE week – and you will understand what Mrs. Munroe refers to. I know, I’ve been there myself. You state “After carefully examining the facts…” – do you know all the facts? Do you know this teacher or this school? Have you interviewed the teacher or any of the students or any of the other teachers??Do you know anything about the community or the neighborhoods in which “MANY” of the students come from? Do you know about parent involvement as related to that school? Do you know the demographics of the school or the school system? Do you know any of the administrators or school board members? And, yes, every one of these things can be of importance when trying to “carefully examine the facts”. Hmm…then I am afraid you HAVEN’T “carefully examining the facts”.
I think what you are TRULY missing is – DOES she have THE RIGHT to say such things (without naming individuals, which she apparently did not) or not – REGARDLESS how you feel about her teaching method or the techniques she did or did not utilize – does she STILL have RIGHTS – THAT is what this is about. And, finally, do you think that the parents would be “neglectful” if they allowed their OWN children into a classroom with other students “behaving similarly”?

• Link
• Report this comment

Seems like I remember an old adage….”the guilty dog barks the loudest”.

Too bad the “dogs” in this instance had their “self-concepts” damaged. That’s what a guilty conscience will do for you sometimes!

• Link
• Report this comment

Let’s put this into another perspective people. What if your surgeon or doctor created a blog about how he hated his patients. They were always whining, complaining and not taking his suggestions. Would you want THAT doctor treating YOU? Same for your kids….I would SO yank my kids out of that woman’s classroom.

And Tom? I’ll place you in the same vein as this teacher. You sound like a grumpy old fart who chose the wrong profession because all you could think of was those days you would have off during Summer and Christmas!!!! I’ve turned “bad” kids around just by simpy having a conversation with them on their level and letting them know I cared and was interested. Get over yourself and go find a new profession filing books in a library where you don’t have to deal with people!

• Link
• Report this comment

I wish the people who are so passionate about this teacher and her rights or wrongs were as passionate about the other issues facing our educational system. The teachers are being bullied into cheating on these tests…then get fired for telling about the cheating…and NOW they want to make all schools in our state follow this program of pay being tied to the results of these tests. Which just encourages more problems. We are telling our teachers…teach the test. What about all the other stuff they need to teach that our kids won’t learn because it isn’t on the test so it isn’t important. Budget cuts….and more cuts and more cuts…And where have all the vocational programs gone? I was a good student..loved to learn…would probably have stayed in college my whole life if I could afford it. My sister wasn’t all that good at school. Some kids learn differently…some kids are JUST NOT equiped to do calculus. But put those kids in woodshop or mechanics or even home ec and watch them excell…they then have the pride of accomplishment and have some kind of skill when they graduate and hopefully DON’T end up being a drain on our economy. Sorry, I know it’s off topic but it is something I’m passionate about.

Now…back to the unegaged parents..As I already posted…my 6 year old had a time adjusting to Kindergarten..he’s an active little boy and well, he is my baby and maybe I babied him too much. But when I started getting reports home about his behavior I didn’t wait for the second one to come..I immediately got a hold of his teacher and worked out how to help him and it WORKED…! Meanwhile, I’m there at school standing with three other mother’s of boys from my son’s class. They asked me if we were getting a lot of negative behavior reports home. I indicated how upset I was that my son was acting like that at school and that I had met with the teacher a couple of times about it..yes, my son was not immediately “HEALED” after one try. Anyway, these other mothers go on to laugh about their kid’s disruptive behavior and said that when they get those forms at home they just ignore it. Meanwhile the new curiculum for Kindergarten now is stuff I learned in first grade and this poor teacher has a class of mainly boys…mainly rowdey…and no support from the parents. How is she supposed to teach when she is constantly have to say, “sit down” “be quite” “do your work” and etc?

• Link
• Report this comment

Teaching moment…I think I love you!

• Link
• Report this comment

Teaching Moment @ 8:33 – wonderful share! Thank you!

• Link
• Report this comment

@Carla

I said the same thing earlier. Where the heck were all these people when the legislature enacted furloughs lat year? Oh yeah, I remember…telling teachers to suck it up b/c at least they have a job. When the layoffs were coming and school days being cut…just a reality of the economy. Sonny Purdue slashed the education budget while in office, during the good years, and no one uttered anything.

I’m not a teacher, and would rather work the farm than be one. But my husband is, and he truly loves his job. And I have told him a 100x over to leave the god-awful profession. But he is great at it and has the patience and understanding so many kids need. But even he says he won’t stay much longer if he is dodging attacks and under the microscope everyday. Teaching and the hoops that come with it are exhausting enough.

@Wake Up Call: Take a Xanax and calm down. Really. Reading is fundamental, and if you knew that you’d see so many of the teachers here are not speaking about EVERY student in their classrooms. They are talking about the ones that disrupt the process for the real learners and are never dealt with b/c the time and resources aren’t there.

• Link
• Report this comment

GOOD for her!! She didn’t name any names and told it like it is……and every poster on this board shouldn’t be surprised that’s the way kids are these days.

Who’s to blame?? disinterested, look the other way, uninvolved, misguided, blame it on others parents………..

• Link
• Report this comment

Shelley Ann, sweetie … you just did!

• Link
• Report this comment

“@Wake Up Call: Take a Xanax and calm down. Really.”

Tonya C.

You’re the one that started this tit for tat! Just admit, you don’t give a darn about my comments as your opinion is the one that matters most. Your comments and other posters (teachers) “my way or the highway” attitude is out of control. Again GO BACK AND READ – the vast majority of comments here are ALL INCLUSIVE in regards to students and their behaviors.

From middle school to high school – teachers don’t want you in the classroom. The parent has to be the one to make contact or it doesn’t happen. Again, if your teaching skills and knowledge were age appropriate – you would have control of your classroom and your students.

Your picking the wrong fight. Teachers should have banded together years ago and fought with lawmakers, school superintendents, whoever – that is who your real beef should be with. They are the ones that have created this environment. Your so focused on everything BUT teaching and nuturing our FUTURE that it shows – and those kids see it.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Wake Up call:

Wow. Again..I’m NOT A TEACHER. My son just started middle school, and I admit there is a change in involvement. But his teachers reach out to me. I’m happy with his education, in large part because we picked neighborhoods with involved communities. I don’t pick fights. “My way or the highway”…nope. I admitted that the venue she chose for these comments was not the necessarily the right forum.

But I’ve worked on the inside enough to know the system. I didn’t become passionate about education until I dealt with having a special needs child while concurrently working for a major metro school district in the central office. I’ve read your comments and AGREED that the system is bad, but blowing it up and starting over won’t change anything if MAJOR issues are not addressed.

I have told teachers that they helped to foster this due to silence and being ‘in it for the kids’ if you don’t understand the history of education, it’s hard to grasp WHY we are where we are now. When teachers have complained in the past, they were (and still are) told repeatedly, “You knew this before you signed up for the job” or “Are you not in it for the love of the kids?” Being a female-dominated profession has hindered the type of progress that COULD be made, similar to nursing BEFORE they had enough.

Put your energy into the schools YOUR children attend. Moan, groan, and cut-up if you don’t feel they are meeting your child’s needs. Improvement of any kind DOES NOT happen in a vacuum. You don’t need to be in the classroom to make a difference, just being at the school is enough. I’ve only volunteered in my children’s classrooms a few times, b/c it’s just not my thing. But I do actively participate in the PTA, offer to volunteer where I can, and financially support those that have more time to give.

• Link
• Report this comment

I think she was completely right. She should be able to say anything she wants. When I was in school I remember my dad giving the school permission to paddle me. They should bring that back today. The teacher is responsible for those kids for a period of time so if they don’t do what the teacher ask then they should be punished not just get away with anything they want to do. There should be more teachers like her and maybe our schools would produce smarter and better kids.

• Link
• Report this comment

This teacher is a Loser!

• Link
• Report this comment

How about we break it down into the basic elements?

Q1: Was it unethical?
A: No.

Q2: Was it unprofessional?
A: Yes

Q3: Does she have the right to write/say what she wants?
A: Yes

Unfortunately I guess their are repercussions to it, though the school seems to be, like always, snooping into the outside lives of teachers.

Making an example of the teacher and possibly firing her is not necessary. Rationale and common sense would have say a sit-down discussion with the teacher and the opportunity to change the blog would have been a much better and professional approach by the school.

However, once again some anonymous punk-arse coward has gone and “tattle-taled” to the school and possibly wrecked someone’s career, and more.

There seems to be a continual pattern of anonymous cowards snooping into what these teachers do, and say, (not that it’s the school’s business to begin with!!) with the intention of getting them fired and destroying the livelyhood, with the bass-ackwards school administration leading the “crusade.”

Nothing infuriates me more than anonymous cowards attempting to stay at arm’s length and destroy otherwise honest working people (the teachers).

I would suspect that unfortunately one of her family or friends/etc ratted her out to someone, or mentioned the blog in passing and a “crusader” decided to start the “investigation.” :(

• Link
• Report this comment

Please note that Sandra and sandra are two different people.

To prevent confusion, I will now call my self OldSandra

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m curious how many people here thought it would be ok for this teacher to face disciplinary actions from her employer for exercising her right to free speech.

http://blogs.ajc.com/momania/2010/09/30/can-admitted-prostitute-be-a-teacher/?cp=all

• Link
• Report this comment

Here’s what Jeff had to say about the former prositute speaking the truth and exercising her rights to free speech…

“It’s a stupid career move but nothing surprises me anymore. My guess is the ACLU will sue to protect her job and she’ll be encouraged to grasp the opportunity to have a teachable moment and “educated” students about the sex trade industry.”

Here’s what he had to say about the subject of this blog

“She has the same right to blog as anyone else. End of story.”

Is it just me or is there a interesting dynamic going on here as to which teachers should be or should not be protected under the First Amendment?

• Link
• Report this comment

JATL also stated this in the prostitute blog

“Freedom of speech means that I absolutely have the right to stand up at work right now and announce, “I did 5 lines of cocaine this morning before coming in!” However, I should expect to be fired. And no, I didn’t actually do that…”

• Link
• Report this comment

@Tiger -I think there’s a chasm of difference between being a prostitute and letting students or school officials know about it and complaining about anonymous students on a blog. I think the prostitute certainly had a right to say whatever she wanted, but she did operate as not only a criminal while she was a prostitute, but as a criminal in the sex industry. Yes, discussing that and blogging about what morons students are all falls under free speech, but most of the time any criminal past disqualifies you from getting a teaching position. If it comes to light that you managed to hide it or not get caught at it while doing it while you’re a teacher -then you can still expect to be fired. I also always thought that former hookers usually wanted to keep that type of thing quiet -and if they did open up about it -it usually wouldn’t be to a bunch of teenagers they’re supposed to be teaching and managing in a classroom. At one of the places where I used to teach, and I’m not saying this lightly because it played a big part in my leaving, students knowing you used to be a prostitute could be quite dangerous for you.

If Munroe had gone in her classroom and told the students to their faces that they were the names and adjectives she wrote in her blog, or if she had told other students or classes who she was talking about, she still would be exercising free speech, but she would have crossed a line you’re not supposed to in a classroom, and she should THEN expect to be fired, but not for blogging on a site that isn’t owned or operated by the school, and she never mentioned names.

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t have an issue with her right to say anything she wants because we live in a country that allows this.

However, why do people feel the need to air every thing that comes to mind on a medium that is sure to get them in trouble.

I agree that children today are different from the way they were when I was a child, but frankly, so are the adults raising them. I also know that she probably felt frustrated teaching in the current environment of the education system today. But to lower yourself to that level by blogging, using your name and thinking that it’s okay is a problem in itself that questions her judgement as a responsible teaching professional. If I had a child in her class, I would probably want her gone. Not because she’s a bad teacher, but because she used such poor judgement. She sullied her position by not restraining herself from saying what we are all thinking.

That’s the difference between an adult and a child.

• Link
• Report this comment

@JATL…so lets try another angle. I knew a bunch of education majors in college. A bunch of ganja smoking education majors who are now long into their careers as teachers and adminstrators at all levels. I’m sure you’re not so naive as to think that none of your children’s teachers smoked a bunch of pot. With the emphasis to “Just say no” and “D.A.R.E.”, would you support the firing of any teacher in your school who was found out to have smoked pot in their youth? I would guess probably not. Why though? They committed a crime that violates some of the core principles that we are trying to instill in our children….don’t use drugs.

Now let’s say these teachers created blogs re-living the frat parties that resembled a cheech and chong movie talking about how high they used to get, then I think that disrupts the ability of the school to focus on educating kids. And for that, the school has the right to take action against the teacher. What this Munroe teacher did was effectively the same thing, she undermined the ability of the school to focus on education by making the school focus on damage control. I think the school has the right to say that making all parents (especially the good ones) concerned that the confidentiality of their children is subject to compromise even when spoken about anonymously is outside the profesional standards of the school, and that the teacher can choose between continuing the blog or terminating her employment.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Tiger -half the faculty was getting high on a regular basis when I taught (although not during the school day), and I don’t know many people anywhere who didn’t toke up in college or high school or both. To me, there’s just a big difference in what you make public that students can find out about and what you keep to yourself. Teachers blogging/writing or talking about personal real-life accounts of getting wasted and high in college or any other time should expect censure when it comes to their jobs -to me it’s akin to my post about announcing I had been doing cocaine before work. There are plenty of personal things that need to be kept personal. I would expect a teacher to be fired if he or she walked into class one morning with a giant smile on his or her face and announced, “I had amazing sex with my spouse last night!” -Illegal? Absolutely not. Personal and completely improper to announce to minors (or anyone really)? Yes. You have the right to say it, but you need to know what will probably or certainly get you fired. You have a right to tell your boss to f-off or students to f-off without fear of prosecution, but you still need to expect to be fired. However, when you’re not writing or talking about anything illegal or mentioning student’s names or even including your own last name, I see nothing wrong with it. It’s obvious this teacher didn’t blog about this ever thinking her students or their parents would read it.Of course people need to know if it’s ever been posted on the internet -it’s out there, but she had no reason to anticipate worrying about it at all. I can certainly see myself writing a “teacher blog” if I were still teaching, and I’m sure some of the posts would certainly contain derogatory statements about students -but if their names or identifying descriptions aren’t used -so what?

If a teacher published a novel with sex scenes and drug-use in it, but it was published as fiction, I have no issue with it. IF someone has been charged and convicted for criminal activity -drugs, prostitution, theft -whatever -then they usually don’t get hired in the first place (many school districts fingerprint applicants and they also run criminal background checks when you’re hired), but if it comes to light while they’re in a position working with kids, then they should expect to be fired. Complaining about what a bunch of a-holes students are is not a criminal activity. It doesn’t even illustrate poor judgment in my book because she did not do this in class or mention anyone specifically or use the school’s website or anything. Basically -what you do on your own time is your own business. IF it’s illegal and you get busted, then you need to expect to lose your job (and not just a teaching position). Whether you use drugs or are a hooker or steal cars on the weekend -if you’re up to something less than kosher, then you ought to have enough sense not to mention it -ESPECIALLY to a class of students! Complaining and venting isn’t illegal or intimately personal though…

To answer your post regarding the teacher and the molestation account -that’s just weird. Unless it is being told in context of a unit in health or some safety program about molestation or inappropriate touch, I can’t imagine the reasoning behind her telling the story. Have parents inquired with her about what her point is in telling it? I’ll have to go back and find your original post about it. The only way I can see that being okay is if she is teaching on the middle or high school level and they’re reading a book or story about molestation -and even then you have to be careful about terminology and how graphic you make it.

• Link
• Report this comment

As a teacher, I sympothize with Ms. Munroe. Instead of blogging about it, I did my “venting” in the student vs. faculty dodgeball game. Of course I aimed for their feet, but I accidentally let a few throws sail too high. Catharsis!

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s time all these kids are home schooled and let the parents of these brats deal with them! I come from a family of teachers and believe me it is nothing but the parents who feel their children are entitled to everything cause they are such precious little dears. This poor lady was blowing off steam cause if she did it in the classroom she would be fired. I’m sure this is a freedom of speech case but if the parents would do their jobs then the children wouldn’t do all this stuff cause if they did they would get it from the teacher and then again when they get home. But Heaven forbid the little dears get in trouble it may hurt their delicate ego’s which by the way is just like their stupid parents!

• Link
• Report this comment

From Get Schooled … This probably won’t change the grossly exagerated opinions that some people feel the urge to post, but thought that it needed to be re-posted here since some like to blog without researching abouth the subject at hand. Enjoy Munroe supporters!
__________________________________________________________

AF Klingler

February 19th, 2011
5:48 am
Just letting everyone know- I’m a sub for the Central Bucks School Districts and had the pleasure of subbing at East this week. I have sub many times for this high school and I have never had the student disrespect me- and I’m a sub, the lowest on the respect totem pole. The students are hurt because the majority of the student body excels and works hard. This blog (which I have not read because it was taken down) did not just vent about the bad things (about any and every high school in this country!)- but completely disrepected the studens, fellow teachers, and the admistration with foul language that would make even a ’street walker’ blush. She made fun of students that asked to many questions or wanted extra help so they understood the content. Now as a stated earlier I did not read this blog but students and teacher alike confirmed this to me when I asked.

She crossed the line- no questions about it. I can feel for her because I have been in her situation- as many teachers and usually because of a handful of students- but it comes with the job. If she was that unhappy about the situation, she should have stated any concerns with the students, their parents, her fellow teacher, or the princple!- instead of posting it in a public forum that anyone could stummble on! She has made teachers look bad but then it only ‘takes one or two’ to give the whole profession (or as she did the whole student body of CB East) BAD!

• Link
• Report this comment

As a parent the teacher’s blog personally would not bother me. As a parent I have taking the time to make sure my child is not lazy or disrespectful so I know the teacher would not be talking about my child. If you are concerned about such blogs it is most likely because you do not like to hear the truth about your child. The teacher did not use names or make any personal references to the students. If you do not want a teacher blogging about your child make sure they are at school prepared to work and teach them to be respectful to adults and peers.

• Link
• Report this comment

To be an educator you must love it. Kids today are TERRIBLE. Many come from broken homes and some live under their own rules. Many parents don’t have the time or don’t take the time to discipline their children. It is challenging to be a teacher and you definitely have to be in it for the right reason – TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. You can’t save everyone, but the right attitude has to be present when you enter the classroom. And you have to find that renewed purpose daily.

She has a right to her private thoughts but professionalism should have dictated that they remained private. I have many friends who are educators, who probably feel the same way, but they hold themselves to a higher standard.

Does she have the right to blog? Absolutely.

Is it ethical? I hope that the school system fires her.

• Link
• Report this comment

Maybe, she should not have vented about all of this on the computer but, like Martianqueen said if you reconized your kids in this blog who should you really be upset with? I volunteer every chance I get at the elementery school my kids attend. I am sure alot of people would be shocked to see the breakneck speed the teachers go at all day long in order to fit everything into a day that they must do to keep their jobs along with wiping noses, washing hands and fixing boo boos.

I recently had an older neighborhood child harrassing my 7 year old every day on the bus. I went to the parents and asked if we could discuss this and resolve the issue without getting the school involved. The Dad procedded to cuss me out and tell me that he did not care what his child did to my child and to get off of his property. In other words he didnt want to know and have to deal with it. Guess what? My child is being harrassed yet again by the same older much bigger child. This time we will be going to the school

• Link
• Report this comment

For telling the truth, she should get a raise. Face it, parents….your kids are mostly horrible little brats.

• Link
• Report this comment

What these people are really mad about is that the truth hurts. They know their kids are disrespectful jerks.

• Link
• Report this comment

Teachers should vent, and be allowed to vent without fear of prosecution. it gives others an insight on their feelings and about what they are seeing from their (somewhat exclusive) point of view. if interested one can get a feel of the mindset of just one of the professionals entrusted with educating our young.

• Link
• Report this comment

She should be able to say whatever she want to say, how does she voice her opinon. We have opinions and to fire her because of it is ridiculous……

• Link
• Report this comment

The law atates that unless you can prove that what was written is incorrect and causes an adverse impact, it falls into the “get over it” category. I have worked with children for 30 years and prefer them to adults. Unfortunately, the adults have now messed up the children. We are now raising children who are unmotivated,rude, disrespectful, think everyone will love them like their Mama does, and rules are for everyone else. They complete school and have no idea what to do next. They don’t seem to be motivated to find work and are happy to live in their parents’ basement. Parents will call for job information for them instead of making their child do it. I know this is not all children, but it is scary how many are. We have to do a better job of teaching them to think for themselves and be accountable for tehir actions.

• Link
• Report this comment

Of course she can -why would anyone think there is the slightest question that she can’t vent her feelings -especially without identifying the students -whats next monitoring personal verbal conversations between teachers to make sure they don’t offend anyone?

• Link
• Report this comment

It is not appropriate that an adult in such a responsible position engage in the same rudeness she rails about. She has a right to state that some of these kids do not put forth sufficient effort, are rude and crude and undisciplined, there is lack of parental support, etc. but she needs to express herself in such ways as to disagree without being disagreeable. Shaun Hannity has dibs on that. The school board is cowardly to suspend her.

• Link
• Report this comment

No, she should not be fired. Her only crime was not to say it to the students’ and parents’ faces. What she said is 100% on target.

• Link
• Report this comment

This teacher should be fired. She should not be a teacher. Juvenile needs a privacy, also what she did was envading the student privacy. She should report to the Juvenile court all the incident about the student instead she post it for everybody to see. She need to loose the job as a teacher. Or else call the parents and talk to them. Like I said Juvenile needs the privacy this is something you don’t post on Face book. Anybody that post on face book must watch what we put there. You cannot put anything there that requires privacy. Bad teacher that’s for sure. She doesn’t have no respect for her own self maybe she want ss to be famous so she did what she did. They have rules from school on how you take care of this ungovernable kids issues. That’s what the principal for to contact the parents and the parents cannot control the kid go to the Juvenile Court, there are so many help the parents can get but they have to report the issues.

• Link
• Report this comment

The Truth is most students aren’t the problem. As with anything a few can spoil the bunch. Parents need to understand that Teachers are not your Babysitters, You’re the parent do your job!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop with the IT’S NOT MY CHILD, cause it is. If you did half of the job instead of worrying what is popular,Coddling them, and coming up with excuses. Your child might get something out of life. Instead we tend to always want to blame someone eles. It is hard being a parent, but you decide that you wanted the JOB, So do it!!!! To All the great Teachers that forced me to try harder, go further. Thank you. Cause I know I was an handfull.

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey, if she gets others to think and use their brain, isn’t that a good thing?

This country needs to get it’s thumb out of it’s mouth.

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t need to say anything – freedom writers Jefferson or Monroe aticle said it all – Amen brother -

• Link
• Report this comment

As a retired physician, I frequently have come across some fairly toxic patients. If I were to blog about their behavior without identifying them or their medical conditions would that be endorsed as acceptable? Even if our society is full of people that are disrespectful and have frankly appalling behavior, it is still the teacher’s and all of our responsibility to not stoop to name calling, even if neither person is readily identifiable.

• Link
• Report this comment

Unfortunately for her, this teacher will pay the price whether or not she is officially sanctioned. Her attitude shows. We all know it is difficult to work with children and their parents. It always has been. I have worked in the public school system in different capacities, including human resources, for years. One thing I have learned stands out disgustingly: many teachers either think or come to think that it is all about them. The schools are supposed to be there to educate children, which means that it is supposed to be about the students, who should be taught to respect their teachers. There are some wonderfully and positively impactful teachers out there. Sad to say, however, these teachers have to work extra hard and make a deliberate effort to stay away from the influences of the rotten apples who concentrate on the negative and constantly gossip among themselves in order to find ways to justify their selfishness and hostility. We all have faults – students, parents AND teachers because we are human. Do your job and deal with it, or get out and YOU quit whining, teachers! You all have some of the biggest job jerks out there, yet you complain constantly. Find something else to do if it’s that bad. After 27 years of also being on the other side of it (four children in public school) I’ve seen it from all angles. Many of you put on your phoney face for the parents while you spew your venom in the teacher’s lounge and talk about your students and their parents like they are the enemy. They pay your salary. Act like it.

• Link
• Report this comment

Typical…. This should be a NO news and NO problem for a teacher…. If somethin happens to this teacher, it will essentially be because she has NO backing from her boss…… I have found that most principals are noodle necks and they shake in their boots everytime some parent whines about their spoiled brat child…. It’s really quite sickening….

• Link
• Report this comment

This lady HAS the right to freedom of speech! I sure can’t blame her either, trying to teach the kids who want to learn but has the class disrupted by a bunch of hoodlums who should be kicked out. Remember the true story movie “Lean on Me”. Joe Clark did what should be done – kick out the animals & save the good kids! GOOD parents of good kids should be allowed to sue these sorry, worthless parents who raise these savages & disrupt the class for ‘Interfering with a childs education! Can’t wait to hear the politically correct respond back! Politically correct people are backside kissing cowards who are afraid to have their own opinion!

• Link
• Report this comment

I can tell from reading the broken English where Marissa bees coming from! Quit being lazy & Do YOUR job & raise a child & not a animal! Get him some pants that FIT wit yo EBT entitlement card so he can look professional & not like a prison t-h-u-g!. He is NOT going to be an NBA/NFL star – SISTER!

• Link
• Report this comment

@JATL….the point of the molestation account is this…

First, it was completely hypothetical.

The real question I’m asking is that if you’re defending this teachers actions primarily because (a) she didn’t specifically identify or “out” any student and (b) she was merely speaking the truth, then you’ve set the precedent to say those two items are the standards and any topic the teacher blogs about her students is fair game as long as those standards are met.

So in my hypothetical, you should have absolutely no problem if my kid’s teacher who has had 100 students in her four year career at my son’s school were to blog that a child in one of her classes that she doesn’t name specifically had been molested. No big deal, she was speaking the truth and she didn’t identify the kid.

Just answer me this, yes or no….if my hypothetical situation made news, would you defend my kid’s teacher with the vigor that you defend Munroe?

• Link
• Report this comment

This entire sensationalized case can be boiled down to just a few things. Everything else is just, as they say, “window dressing.”

The basics are, number 1: She absolutely has the “right” to her opinion and she absolutely has the right to personally communicate her opinions to her family and friends in any regard she sees fit.

Number 2: In this case, she should not be subjected to firing or even a reprimand because she made this blog with a reasonable expectation that it would not be published anywhere. Therefore it is a private opinion that she reasonably believed to be protected personal communications between her and her family and friends. As such it was not for public consumption.

Number 3: The most important question that we have to ask is: How did the private communication become public? Did her friends or family make this communication public or was it a Facebook (or other site’s) security problem that “accidentally” put her intended private communications on the public Internet? This is important because it would show her intent for the communications to be private and therefore not intended to be for public reading.

Last point, number 4: She did not name a single solitary kid. This shows that she was acting in protecting the best interest of her students regardless if they were rotten or not. This shows that this teacher is a professional above all else. She is human too. Teachers especially get a bad rap for not controlling their classrooms, but when they try to control them they are pushed back by legal-fearing, no-backbone-having administration that gives in to the slightest threat. Try standing up for a change you administrators. Stop blaming teachers and start looking in the mirror. You are the pivot point for this entire issue and change has to start with YOU.

• Link
• Report this comment

She may have a right to say what she wants to say, but she does not have a right to bring the children she is entrusted to educate into it.

If there are discipline problems in her classroom, a blogspot blog in not the place to whine about them and whining is not the appropriate course of action in the first place.

• Link
• Report this comment

She didn’t name any students and vented her thoughts. Sorry, it’s called freedom of speech and the district is screwed. If students can do it openly, even when naming a person without punishment (recent court decision that set this tone), then she can’t be held accountable for what she wrote. She’s standing by what she said and people can’t deal with it. Lemmings as always that expect to fall in line with what they consider to be correct behavior. Learn your history and understand that this country was shaped by the brigands and troublemakers a lot more than the “proper” citizens.

• Link
• Report this comment

mad_russian, maybe it’s you that needs to learn your history. The 1st Amendment gives the right to free speech where the government is involved. Basically, you won’t be prosecuted for it.

Conversely, an employer has the “right” to fire an employee for any reason. it’s called “at will”. So yes, she had the “right” to say whatever she wanted, and her employer had the “right” to fire her for it. Neither will be subject to any sort of government prosecution.

• Link
• Report this comment

@JATL, other than #5 which of these statements “calls a kid to the carpet” in a way that is in any way specific enough to do any good:

1. There’s no other way to say this, I hate your kid.
2. Although academically okay, your child has no other redeeming qualities.
3. Your child is a complete and utter jerk in all ways.
4. I have a student that dresses like a streetwalker.
5. My students are out of control, rude, lazy, disengaged whiners, rat-like, and frightfully dim.
6. I hear the trash company is hiring.

Not to mention that after seeing her interview a few times, she just comes off as a bitch in general so no one is going to take her opinions constructively to begin with.

If I was her employer, I’d dump her.

• Link
• Report this comment

@jarvis -I am basically saying that she and more teachers need to blog and make known what many of these students are like. Unless you get specific, you can’t do any good with the actual kid, but we’re going to HAVE to do something in our schools -specifically our middle and high schools -that FORCE the parents and students to behave. The reason many charter schools that are successful work is because they FORCE students to behave to the standards that all schools used to have. They also force parents to be involved. If the kid and/or parent(s) don’t play by the rules -they’re gone. When you can’t kick kids out for repeatedly being disruptive fools and you cannot get in touch with their parents (who know as long as you can’t find them, you can’t do very much discipline-wise), there’s a huge problem. That’s where we are now. Most of my former students would be lucky at this point to get a job as garbage collector or ditch digger. The administration of her school, by even questioning this publicly and suspending her, has given all the losers and their parents a giant “win.” As long as we keep coddling and accepting their behavior and parents who never have anything to say until they perceive that someone is questioning their precious baby, you’re going to have crappy schools full of classes where little to nothing is able to be done and a bunch of bratty, entitled morons getting dumped out on society. Munroe’s school should have stood by her, issued a press release stating that her blog was anonymous and her own private business and that quite honestly if any of her students felt singled out, then perhaps they and their parents should closely examine their behavior and attitudes.

• Link
• Report this comment

JATL, you and I are just not going to agree on this.

If there is one thing middle school aged children have plenty of, it’s the influence of harsh people. I don’t think good natured people are a detriment to the workings of the real world.

My wife teaches small children, but my mother was a middle school teacher (retired), and my sister is a middle school teacher. Sure they get frustrated at times, but that would not excuse them from publically embarassing their employer.

An sure she did it in a way that she thought was anonomous, but obviously she failed in her anonimity since we’re here talking about her (for the 5th day which brings in the questions as to where the hell is TWG for that matter?).

You don’t get to humiliate your employer….not unless you’re briging something unreplacable to the table, and back to my earlier point of hearing her speak, she doesn’t come off as difficult to replace.

• Link
• Report this comment

maybe the hack finally got fired!

• Link
• Report this comment

lol

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey “Wake Up Call”, you stated:

‘Not interested in making waves? The parents of good kids have been shamed into being quiet because they have to be OR they’ll be branded with a politically correct label, like a racist, etc, etc.’

So, in your opinion, it’s all of those ‘ethnic kids’ that are causing the problems. The ones you feel like you’ll be labeled a racist for pointing out. Well, your inference is already racist. Do you honestly believe that ‘The parents of good kids’ only come in one color? I live in Johns Creek, and trust me, 80% of those problem kids are from your so called ‘good kids’ group, and you know what I mean.

• Link
• Report this comment

Does a teacher have the RIGHT to? Yes, probably so. HOWEVER: If the teacher feels that she wants to exercise that right…to blog about her students…keep in mind that they also have the right to blog about her. And I doubt that students…being more immature…will be as “adult” in their blogging as a teacher would. And kids can be awfully cruel. If you’re not prepared to take it, then by all means…don’t dish it out.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sure, teachers can vent. Just don’t put it in writing online where anyone can see it. Talk to your husbands and friends, don’t write it down for them. Sure, they can have a diary or journal. It doesn’t need to be online. Sounds to me like this woman needs to consider a career change. If she feels that strongly about her students, it doesn’t sound like she’s in the right profession.

• Link
• Report this comment

Teachers should be able to do what EVER it is they want to do in their own time except screw their students!

• Link
• Report this comment