We have a student in my class who has a temper issue. She’s had three blowouts in the past two weeks. One of them was about not wanting to sit next to a girl she “didn’t like”, the second was about our instructor “not knowing what he is doing”, and the third was an all out screaming match with our instructor. He asked her to stop floating around the classroom complaining about him and start doing her bookwork and she started screaming “Don’t say nothing to me! You ain’t gonna get the last word!!! Don’t SAY nothing TO ME!!”. Our poor instructor (he’s a very experienced cosmetologist, but this is his first year of teaching.) just said something about how disrespectful she was and told her to clock out and go home. She then started screaming louder, threw her kit (a 40 pound bag easily) in his direction, and was escorted out of the building by another teacher and our campus security guard. This all occurred after she slammed her shears and blowdryer down on the counter after being informed that the girl who was previously sitting next to her would be moved to another station. I’ve been told that on another occasion, she pushed her chair forcefully in another student’s direction when that student asked her to stop spraying her water bottle in her direction. All the my classmates agree on the details of that incident, although I wasn’t present when it occurred.
After the fight with our instructor, we all breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that it was over and we wouldn’t have to walk on eggshells anymore. And sure enough, the next day she was apparently talking to our program director and admissions but she was not in class. Our instructor apologized to us for “the disruption” and assured us it would not happen again. So we moved on as normal, until the next day when psycho was back in class with us. She’s apparently getting to continue along in the program with the rest of us with no consequence. Worse than that, the rest of us got chewed out for leaving for 15 minutes to get some food, and we have to repeat two lessons now. We know this is because she complained about the food break and told the program director that we had never been shown those lessons, even though everyone in the class agrees that we were in fact shown how to do those things. We can even demonstrate reasonable competency in those particular disciplines. Doesn’t matter to our program director, we still have to repeat them.
I’m so angry. Not only does she get to behave like a two year old with no consequence, but her bitching gets to dictate the direction of the class for the rest of us. I don’t think my program director should have allowed that, nor do I think someone so volatile should be allowed to be in class with us. It’s a small class, we’re all smooshed in together until March of '11. This woman has already loudly declared that she doesn’t like most of us, whatever the hell that means in her world. She’s also in her 40’s, so it’s not as though she’s going to learn any better. She seems like she’s mostly set in her ways.
Would you be angry, and is it a good idea to air these concerns with my instructor and the program director in private? Leaving the program is not an option, no matter what happens I have to put my head down and get through this. I have two babies I want to put through college. What can I reasonably do here? I don’t think I should have to be forced to deal with someone who clearly has some unresolved mental issues.
torie, I think you are entirely justified in being angry at the disruptive student’s continued presence in your class. I also think airing your concerns with your teacher is a good idea, though not exactly in private. That is, you should try to gather as many of your classmates as possible and approach the teacher as a group.
You’re paying good money for this? Complain, and complain fiercely.
And this woman has scissors in her hand when she’s doing this? She sounds like an actual danger and should never have been allowed back in the classroom. Threaten to take your money elsewhere.
I’m wary of that last sentence unless Torie can do so with the support of several others. She said in the OP that leaving the program is not an option, remember? She should not make threats she is not prepared to follow through out; if she does so and is called on it, she weakens her position considerably.
I’m not sure if I’d threaten to take my money elsewhere as much make it clear that you feel you have a right to feel like your school is a safe place. I’d use words like “I feel she is a liability in the classroom,” “I fear for my personal safety” and “how are you going to ensure this is a safe atmosphere for me to get an education in.”
In other words, without saying so, infer that they have a responsibility to keep the classroom safe, and may face legal liability if they don’t.
I agree that I’d get three or four of your classmates (or more) to go into the Dean’s office with you.
I agree, between the scissors, [possible] straight razor and chemicals, she can possibly do serious damage to someone fairly fast.
Not sure what needs to be done, other than reporting the situation about feeling unsafe and possible liability that will occur if she continues to blow up in class.
I mean, throwing a 40 lb bag? That can break bones, and if it hit just wrong could possibly kill someone.
Evil bastard me wants to say antagonize her. It doesn’t sound like it would be too hard to set her off then she would be out of there for sure.
I’m not sure talking to the PD is going to help a whole lot. PD has already made up his/her mind.
As far as the 15min food break thing goes; you may know those lesson or whatever but my inner “Judge Judy” is telling me you were doing something wrong. So no sympathy there.
I used to work at a school that trained court reporters, and we had a student that posed a similar problem - very disruptive in class, would sometimes get aggressive, etc. We instructors wondered why the school didn’t just show her the door, but apparently they were terrified of getting slapped with some kind of discrimination lawsuit (I think she had some kind of mental disorder). It was really frustrating for the instructors but there wasn’t much we could do.
I don’t know if that’s what’s happening in the OP’s case, but if you emphasize to the school the legal reprecussions of NOT doing something about that student, maybe the school will be more inclined to consider taking some kind of action. It’s possible they’ve only thought about what could happen in terms of legal consequences if they did kick her out.
Whoa, that’s a really shitty situation. I recall a class I took with a guy who was a bit of a powderkeg - he only went off once, but it was extremely uncomfortable and unpleasant for the rest of us students. I think he would have been kicked out if he made a habit of it, and he certainly never went off on the instructors.
I think you really need to talk with the program director like Dangerosa has said, emphasizing how unsafe you feel. This really is inexcusable, and I agree that it is dangerous to have someone like this working around things like scissors, hot irons, chemicals, etc. Does someone have to get hurt before they admit that she is a time bomb?
By the way, the food break and repeating two lessons is a completely different issue, and I wouldn’t muddy the waters by bringing it into this one.
We had a situation in a business class of around 40 students. There was one student that nobody wanted to work on for a group project.
We got together as a group and simply faced down the admin.
Yes it’s a dangerous strategy and you have to be willing to back it up, but if you get the entire rest of the class together then the school will need to cave one way or the other. If its an anti discrimination issue for the powder keg it is up to the school to make the appropriate accomodations, not you.
I agree with everything that’s said here, and I also think you and/or other members of the class need to reassure the instructor that you are on his side. I can’t imagine how horrible it must feel for him to not be able to control a member of his class - an adult, at that. I feel bad for him most of all, especially considering it’s his first year. Poor guy.
Its my understanding that the act of calling 911 will set off a unstoppable sequence of actions that will force the hand of the school. Which may not be a horrible thing if their hand needs to be forced.
I’m shocked they weren’t called in the first place. She threw a 40 pound bag at the instructor. Isn’t that assault?
I would definitely talk to the program director using such terms as “safety” and “potential lawsuit.” And also, perhaps, “Why isn’t she already in jail?”
Consider putting your complaints in writing (best-case, as a follow-up email to an initial meeting) when you meet with the director and/or your prof. CC your prof. If she has a mental illness, the school will be concerned about treading carefully. Get other students to sign on or write similar letters of their own. A united front is the best thing in this instance. (People have an annoying habit to be all talk when it comes to something like this, but when they are called upon to do things, suddenly suffer an apathy attack and say, “Oh, it’s not really that bad.”)
I kind of like the “group walkout” idea … might make an impact, and it emphasizes that you are all genuinely concerned for your safety. This will only work if everyone, or nearly everyone, is on board and ready to drop everything to leave the classroom at some agreed-upon cue.
When you complain, focus on the legitimate safety threat she poses, and the disruptive nature of her behaviour. Point to specific, serious examples. Don’t let it descend into name-calling (even if the names are accurate) when you are talking to the administration.
Good luck. This is a serious situation, and you have every right to be mad as hell.
I agree with all the advice so far. I have a good friend who’s in my class (we’ve been friends for awhile and just happened to start at the same time.) and i know of at least two others who are just as puzzled and annoyed as I am. I think I’ll talk to the instructor tomorrow and have him arrange a meeting for all of us with the PD.
I was also informed on Friday (but couldn’t find a place to fit it in my OP) that I am no longer allowed to bring my laptop to class to take notes. It ‘bothered’ the crazy woman, because, the PD told me, it gives me an unfair advantage over the students who can’t afford laptops. Yeah, but I have dysgraphia and writing is difficult for me, so now I’m the one at the disadvantage. Argh.