What really happened at Mahopac Falls Elementary School?
July 25, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
A special education teacher, a speech therapist, and two aides from the Bridge Program at Mahopac Falls Elementary School in New York who were arrested in May and charged with child endangerment will have to wait two more weeks for their trial. The four all entered pleas of “not guilty” in June. According to today’s Journal News,
“allegations against the four include using degrading nicknames for the children, leaving screaming children alone in the bathroom with the door closed and engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct in front of the children.”
The Journal News includes a photo of teacher Tammy Card being greeted by students and notes that nearly 20 supporters were present at the back of the courtroom, all wearing buttons that said “We believe in Tammy.”
The charges against the four educators were brought not by parents but by four other aides in Card’s classroom; one parent noted that it is the superintendent, Robert Reidy, and principal who acted irresponsibly:
At court last night, some parents and friends of the accused expressed their discontent over how school officials handled the allegations. They said there was known animosity between the accusers and the accused and that the matter never should have involved the police.
About a dozen children with autism and special needs aged 5 to 7 have been in the Bridge Program, which will resume in the fall under a different name with 6 to 8 children.
From the coverage of this story—which is among my worst fears—-it seems that it is the word of the four accused educators versus the word of four aides in the classroom. Were the four aides not sure how else to express their concerns and differences? Were the principal or other administrators not sufficiently aware of what seem to be conflicts between the teacher and many of the aides? What kind of supervision and training did the educators have?
I’m teaching a summer school class to high school students, some of whom told me that there are cameras in each classroom in their school. They find this unsettling. But in the case of what happened or what did not happen in the Bridge Program, one has to wonder if cameras might not be of some use.
This is why parents should routinely “drop in” on their children’s classrooms. We can notice any weirdness going on and suggest ways to improve functioning. I’ve uncovered plenty of incidences that I found unacceptable when “dropping in” or just observing from the parking lot unseen. Things that the teachers and aides won’t tell you about or they don’t even notice.
You don’t have to look like a jerk when doing it either. In most cases, the teachers thanked us because we also helped them out (field trips, supplies and helpful suggestions).
We won’t know about this particular school, but I’m sure that if the parents did make unannounced, frequent visits-they should know.
Kim, I also try to be as big a presence at my child’s school as I can manage. However, some schools do not allow parents to drop in unannounced. I know people locally who have been extremely frustrated by this fact.
I have to set up visits in advance with Charlie’s teacher.
I have heard about some schools “forbidding” parental access, mostly citing HIPPA (sp?). I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving my child alone with people and not having “anytime access” or ability to observe unseen.
We do check in with the office and sign in, and wear visitor badges.
Parental visits are encouraged at Charlie’s school—though, officially, from October to May. I think they should be year-round (in ESY too) and will request an observation as necessary. Charlie’s teacher also visits our house monthly and I think that is a good step in connecting home and school.
In a previous school district, we were very much policed about observations: Exactly 1/2 hour, for one thing.
Housecalls are cool. I hated railroading my son’s regular ed teacher during her lunch, the only practical time to “chat”. I would always bring in supplies with me to offset the inconvenience.
The housecalls keep us all honest!—-this is the first year that Charlie is pretty much the same at home and at school, because of a lot of effort and me sending too many emails. Do you mean lunch, by “supplies”?
Also at Charlie’s old school, the teacher was never available after about 3.30pm. The only time I could really talk to her, outside a formal meeting, was at pick-up time and, with other kids in the class and other parents of the other kids and whatever way Charlie was after another tough day—–not a good time to talk.
No, actual classroom materials. AZ schools are underfunded anyways and they’re always asking for supplies. Then in the middle of the year, we were asked for paper of all things. The teacher said they dipped into the supplies budget to pay for substitute teachers.
It was the same at Charlie’s previous school distirct. They sent home lists at the beginning of the year and throughout—-a lot of clearning supplies (like wipes).
Dropping in on a teacher can be stressful if the teacher has other work to get done. I’ve been frustrated with unannounced drop-ins when I’m on deadline to prep for class. On the other hand, a couple of my favorite principals did “walk-throughs”. They made a point of casually dropping into every classroom in the building at least once a week; in a smaller school, it can happen as often as once a day. I liked knowing that these leaders really knew what was happening in their buildings.
Just wanted to comment on what Kim J said about schools being underfunded in AZ. It’s so very true. Halfway through the school year K.C.’s teacher says her funds run out for snacks and supplies. I feel totally horrible that the teacher has to worry about how she’s going to make it through the rest of the year! She should be able to do her job without this worry. Very underfunded! It’s a good thing all the parents help out:)
My kids’ teachers are fine with my dropping in; with my younger children, I can’t be there during “group” therapy activities (the whole class does physical therapy activities together about once a week), but at any other time, I’m welcome, and with my older child, they love to see me at any time, for however long I can be there. I go along on field trips, as well, and that’s fun for me and my child(ren) who get the extra attention that way.
Check out the Journal news dated June 28th! Now lets see what happens!