A few weeks ago, my English teacher started a web site for our class on blackboard.com. One of the sections on that site is a message board, and yesterday I came across this post, allegedly from my teacher (the bolding is mine):
Asl? what’s that? Language is fun isnt it? NYU heh? HOw is it? I’m teaching a lame intro to lit. class at queensboro for extra $$ (cant survive on this teacher salary alone) that class is on line also!! you haven’t infiltrated that one yet I see. Most of the kids I get now just arent all that interesting as people, I not motivated by them at all, they’re so caught in this dung ridden, media saturated, society. yes lets blasme the media everyone else does. Theres no reason for me to care one iota - they have zilch for personalities - all you need to know about them can be gathered by one quick glance at their attire: “Gap” “DKNY” “POlo” Tommy". Need I say more. Sorry for blowing your cover but why bother being incognito . Keep playing with their lame minds see if they star to notice you. So far, from what I can tell only Anti y’all has been responsive to what you’ve written but her response goes no deeper than mere surprise and curiosity. Your name appears on the student roster by the way so actually I have not really blown your cover if these losers were the least bit sophisticated they find out for themselves.
I don’t know which is more distressing, the way he writes or the way he refers to his students. Anyway, this was visible for his entire class to read, and as you can imagine I found it rather offensive. He’s usually a rather easy-going man, so this surprises and upsets me. Am I overreacting, or should I ask for a clarification and an apology? What would you do?
I’d give him the benefit of the doubt – it certainly doesn’t look like a post written by an English teacher. Nor of a man you characterize as “easy-going.” For that matter, it seems unbelievable that any rational person would post such as that in an area knowing his students will see it. If I were you, I would bring the post to your teacher’s attention. I would not be accusatory in any way. In fact, I would assume from the beginning of the interview that the teacher didn’t write it.
IE: "Mr. X? Did you see this? Some guy is using your name on the message board and trying to make you look bad. Look at the spelling and grammar… Not to mention the stuff he’s saying. I think you should look into this. Someone who doesn’t know you might think you really wrote this junk.
I’m betting your teacher is a victim of some sort of joke here. Let us know what happens, OK?
We teachers do not think this way about our students. We certainly do not post such nonsense on message boards – especially if said message board is one we have set up for our very own class. The primary reason we teach is so that we can share our time with our students.
Some jackass (who probably dislikes this teacher) is trying to get your teacher in trouble – with the students, the parents, the administration, etc. So this jackass falsely posted the message, claiming to be your teacher. This jackass is counting on your knee-jerk response to get the teacher in trouble. Don’t fall for it.
Remember, the people who care about you the most are your parents and your teachers. Don’t resent us for it. And don’t look for excuses to “start a fight.”
AlbertRose -
Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for teachers, and I like this guy. Maybe I was too inflammatory in my subject line, because I really don’t want a confrontation and I wasn’t looking for an excuse to start one. I really just wanted an explanation, that’s all.
The trouble is, this teacher regularly posts on the discussion board, and I think this message is actually from him. At the beginning of the term someone signed up under a false, profane name and was immediately kicked off the site and disciplined. The teacher has posted to that very thread since the post I quoted, and it hasn’t been removed or commented on by him. Other posts by the teacher use the same poor spelling and syntax, and in class he’s expressed similar opinions regarding designer clothes. I wish it were an impostor but I don’t think it is. I posted a polite response asking if it really was him, and I’ll let you know what he says.
I apologize for any misunderstanding concerning teachers. I don’t resent you guys at all; quite the opposite in fact.
Sounds like the first step is to verify if he did indeed write it. I have trouble believing any teacher would write something so contemptuous and unprofessional for public consumption. Hey, the most devoted teachers around can have moments of frustration; they’re human. But that sounds distinctly bogus to me.
If by chance he did write it, then there’s a problem. I’m not sure the best solution to suggest but I’m leaning toward quietly informing school administration of your concerns. Your position is student to his of teacher, Urban. Even if he’s the nicest guy around (to some) that’s not equal to equal.
IF he wrote it, administation has some rights and responsiblities. If I’m understanding your post correctly, this appeared on a classroom website, using school equipment, time and carrying at least the an assumed approval of the school. They have a right to know. They also have a responsibility to deal with the situation. IF he’s that burnt out and unprofessional they need to stop the behavior, then get him some counseling.
Whoever wrote that isn’t dealing well with reality.
Veb
originally posted by UrbanShocker
Thank you for saying that! We don’t hear it nearly enough.
I agree with TVeblen – find out who exactly posted this before you do anything drastic. I would suggest a private, person-to-person conversation (as opposed to a student-to-teacher), in which you express concern over the post. Remember that your teacher probably did not put this message up, so be careful how you approach this.
Talk to the teacher before you talk to the administration. In my experience, administrators tend to overreact to these things – they’d hate for the school to look bad, so they bring the hammer down Just In Case.
You seem like a thoughtful, conscientious student. Be assured that we teachers do appreciate you.
So let me get this straight…
You’re saying the teacher who created a web page for his class on blackboard.com is slamming his students on the messageboard of the same web site.
That would make him an idiot. I find it hard to believe that any teacher would be so bold as to make condescending remarks regarding his students on a website he has invited his students to visit.
That does not even take into account the poor grammar from an English teacher. I am not a teacher but I would be ashamed to post remarks that degrade my students and their abilities when I am incapable of proper English usage myself. I would guess that the posts following this rant (allegedly by a teacher) were from other members of the teaching community chastising him and essentially telling him he does not belong in a classroom. If they aren’t then they are all lying about being teachers.
If your teacher did post these remarks then he should not be a teacher. I however do not believe these remarks were posted by a teacher.