A teacher from the Houston area's Harry Wright Junior High School has been placed on administrative leave, after a recording of her making disparaging remarks about her students was leaked.
Houston's KHOU 11 reported on the incident.
In a recording sent to KHOU 11 reporter Jason Miles by a parent, the unnamed teacher, who is reportedly a first year teacher at the school, could be heard making fairly shocking remarks about her students.
"If I have to keep dealing with kids that are complete and utter morons, I’m done."
The teacher went on to say she hoped to be fired, going so far as to express the possibility of self harm if she had to keep coming to work.
"I want to be fired at this point, I literally am going to hurt myself if I have to keep coming here."
She could also be heard sayin without hesitation that if she came across one of her students who was in need of her help, she would simply move on and not look back.
"I have never in my life dealt with kids that are so awful that if they fell into a river, I would let them float away."
Lucy Martinez, a parent at Harry Wright Junior High School did not hide her disbelief by what she heard on the recording to KHOU 11.
"It’s ridiculous."
"Really if she doesn’t like what she does why be a teacher?"
Zach Capo, the president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers was equally disappointed by the behavior of this teacher, whom he admitted he did not know.
"We should never be at a place where we let our personal feelings get to that point, particularly in front of kids."
Capo did, however, acknowledge that teachers have been under an insurmountable amount of stress over the last two years, owing to the global pandemic.
"Right now, it’s a time for grace, you know, it does sound like she needs to exit out and take a break.”
The Lamar Consolidated Independent School subsequently placed the teacher on administrative leave, pending an internal investigation, issuing the following statement:
"Wednesday night (January 12), we were made aware of a video circulating on social media where a Wright Junior High School teacher is making disturbing comments."
"Of course, we take this very seriously and are actively investigating this situation."
"Wednesday night (January 12), the employee involved was made aware not to report to the campus and was placed on administrative leave Thursday morning (January 13)."
" Parents trust us with their students every day and, unfortunately, the actions of a single person have the potential to breach that trust."
"That is why it is important to underscore that the hardworking, dedicated staff at Wright Junior High School work to create a place where all students feel included and valued, and the comments made in the video are not a reflection of the campus as a whole."
However, as the leaked audio began to gain more and more attention on social media, the unnamed teacher was mostly greeted with sympathy on Twitter, with several questioning if she received a fair sentence.
Several Twitter users, including a number of former and current teachers, sympathized with the unnamed teacher, expressing how today's public school system is an extremely difficult and often stressful road to navigate, which the additional problems brought on by the pandemic only exacerbated.
Not saying she's right, but I get it— Ferretus Emeritus (@Ferretus Emeritus) 1642690319
GOOD for her. The school system needs more teachers that tell students what they think and to stop coddling the children. "Oh, Johnny you only got 4 out of 10 on the pop quiz, way to go, you're a keeper." "Now go outside and play the soccer where nobody keeps score."— Eric Schodde (@Eric Schodde) 1643115371
Good for her. Parents are no longer accountable for the behavior of their children. Teachers are now glorified babysitters as they actually don't get any teaching done because kids are raised as wild wolves with no respect, manners, or consequences.— David Barbier (@David Barbier) 1643053609
Unfortunately, I have heard the same thing from too many people. My son\u2019s teacher to a student, \u201cI can see your phone.\u201d Student to teacher, \u201cthat\u2019s cause your looking at my butt.\u201d Seriously? The disrespect is blatant and no consequences.— FM (@FM) 1643053462
So many of us are in this boat right now. Many of us would quit but we just don't have a path for another career. Some of us have been doing this for 10 years+ and have masters making 50k a year. What am I supposed to do with an ELA/SS degree?— Mae Flower (@Mae Flower) 1642963666
While others pointed out how the recording seemed to be a private conversation the teacher was having, not something she said to her students, and that her reference to self-harm made her punishment highly questionable.
Punishment for the recorder should be swift. Permission is needed to record at schools. The teacher should sue.— T A Tilley (@T A Tilley) 1643037283
She didn\u2019t say it to kids\u2026\n\nMy teacher taught me to read the article\u2026 clearly yours didn\u2019t.— George (@George) 1643115715
Sad day when a person can not vent after what sounds like an extremely frustrating job where she is threatening to hurt herself\u2026 yet the focus is on calling kids utter morons and I don\u2019t see how thats an issue\u2026 I\u2019ve seen and heard these little disrespectful monsters not wrong— Tina B (@Tina B) 1642806750
I caught that too no one\u2019s mentioning she may b suicidal— KayBee (@KayBee) 1643085422
I want to know the context for her comments. It doesn\u2019t sound to me like she was saying this to her class. It sounds like she may have been venting to a colleague.— Marcy (@Marcy) 1643045652
As the identity of the teacher in the recording remains a mystery, she has yet to comment on the recording or her suspension.
Here's hoping that her time off at least offers her some much needed time to reflect and regroup.
