PaperAngel
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,386
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Sept 19, 2015 15:58:29 GMT
Although without a high schooler, I suggest your daughter go to the teacher's office hours & ask how the announcement relates to her specifically. I'm guessing the students somewhat misinterpreted the teacher's intentions. Perhaps in observing the student-run approach, the teacher recognized that providing a more structured approach would be more efficient, reduce the interpersonal interactions (as a new teacher, she's likely uncertain the norm/tolerance level & being cautious) & give students additional skills that could benefit them should they choose to pursue journalism or a related field of study. Hope your daughter has a great year! I think you and Ashley are right, that dd needs to talk to teacher first. Teacher is not new, just new to yearbook advisor role - but your post makes great sense. Thanks. Also, the school may have imposed new classroom guidelines, revised definitions of offenses, or simply wanted yearbook to resemble other traditional classes. The teacher may fear the previous student-led approach could lead to accusations of insubordination (since the class may appear chaotic or poorly supervised, it may fall under a new behavior offense) or sexual harassment (e.g. hugging, holding hands, &/or other close interaction may also be prohibited, if these definitions now recognize same-sex). It appears the teacher's straight-forward approach to get the attention of & inform the students created confusion. Your daughter should politely ask for clarification. Best wishes...
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Post by JBeans on Sept 19, 2015 16:07:59 GMT
I'd try to take a middle road. I know teens can be on the overdramatic side, greeting their friends both boy and girl as just an example. And it can be completely innocent. And that is ok in certain settings.
What I would try to temper in is that where boundaries become crossed. Think of the classroom like a workplace. It can be friendly, but outline boundaries of what is appropriate and not appropriate. How sexual harassment policy works in a professional workplace.
While that might be stuffy, I do think the teacher may be trying to bring attention to that and it really is an important lessen to learn.
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gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,911
Location: Sacramento, Ca
Aug 29, 2014 3:09:48 GMT
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Post by gramma on Sept 19, 2015 20:12:03 GMT
So today the advisor asked the students to all sit down (they were up and about working on various projects) because she needed to talk to them. First thing she talked about was how she "fact checks" and knows they have been lying to her. No specific examples were given to my dd's recollection. Then she tells them they are not too young to be charged with sexual harassment. Specific examples given were inappropriate touching, sitting on eachother's laps, hanging on eachother, and hugging. Advisors last major point was about insubordination. She told them she is their superior. She is not the tail of the dog - that the students are not wagging her. She is the dog and the students are the tail. DD does not remember her giving any specific examples of insubordination. The Fact Checking / Lying statement would get my back up. If she has specific examples she should address them with the specific students not the whole class. Same thing with the insubordination / tail wagging the dog comments. Makes her sound like a petulant teenager who doesn't feel like she is a part of the group. I'd be checking with the teacher just what it was that was said.
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Post by SockMonkey on Sept 19, 2015 20:45:48 GMT
To me it sounds like there is a serious problem with the culture of the class, and that the teacher is trying to get a handle on it.
If there were no direct disciplinary consequences, but instead just this "talk," I would advise my child to approach the advisor privately to clarify any individual issues. As a parent, other than that I'd stay out of it unless the situation escalated.
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Post by penny on Sept 19, 2015 23:48:34 GMT
It's only sexual harassment if the attention, speech, touching is unwanted and uninvited. If both parties agree, while it may be inappropriate for a classroom, it is not sexual harassment. Said teacher needs to school herself on the definition before threatening students with discipline. I don't think it's quite as clear as that... Two people can engage in a discussion that they both feel comfortable with, but because of where/who is around, it can meet the definition of harassment.... Ex. two males talking about what they'd like to do sexually to a woman, what she's good for, vulgar names, etc, in the presence/earshot of people who do not want to be a part of that conversation... It can be hard to determine what qualifies as sexual harassment, so often an example is given using another form of harassment... So, imagine that two people were talking about what they'd do to someone of a certain race, saying what they're good for, calling them vulgar names... Others present/within earshot would object to the racism - discrimination and harassment based on race...
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tincin
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,368
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
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Post by tincin on Sept 20, 2015 11:40:03 GMT
It's only sexual harassment if the attention, speech, touching is unwanted and uninvited. If both parties agree, while it may be inappropriate for a classroom, it is not sexual harassment. Said teacher needs to school herself on the definition before threatening students with discipline. I don't think it's quite as clear as that... Two people can engage in a discussion that they both feel comfortable with, but because of where/who is around, it can meet the definition of harassment.... Ex. two males talking about what they'd like to do sexually to a woman, what she's good for, vulgar names, etc, in the presence/earshot of people who do not want to be a part of that conversation... It can be hard to determine what qualifies as sexual harassment, so often an example is given using another form of harassment... So, imagine that two people were talking about what they'd do to someone of a certain race, saying what they're good for, calling them vulgar names... Others present/within earshot would object to the racism - discrimination and harassment based on race... You are absolutely correct. Forgot entirely about that aspect of it.
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gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,911
Location: Sacramento, Ca
Aug 29, 2014 3:09:48 GMT
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Post by gramma on Sept 20, 2015 14:55:00 GMT
It's only sexual harassment if the attention, speech, touching is unwanted and uninvited. If both parties agree, while it may be inappropriate for a classroom, it is not sexual harassment. Said teacher needs to school herself on the definition before threatening students with discipline. I don't think it's quite as clear as that... Two people can engage in a discussion that they both feel comfortable with, but because of where/who is around, it can meet the definition of harassment.... Ex. two males talking about what they'd like to do sexually to a woman, what she's good for, vulgar names, etc, in the presence/earshot of people who do not want to be a part of that conversation... It can be hard to determine what qualifies as sexual harassment, so often an example is given using another form of harassment... So, imagine that two people were talking about what they'd do to someone of a certain race, saying what they're good for, calling them vulgar names... Others present/within earshot would object to the racism - discrimination and harassment based on race... I totally agree with this. We teach it in our orientation where I work. However it the lecture by the teacher did not cover this I think it came off more as a rant than a delivery of information and how innocent horseplay can be mis-interpreted.
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Post by sues on Sept 20, 2015 16:51:47 GMT
Disclaimer: I have not read the whole thread.
To me this sounds like the reaction of a person who has been told something might have happened and she's dealing with it like "I'll treat you like I know what's going on, and you'll believe it - and you'll inadvertently tell me what's really going on."
I'm not fond of whole class punishments or accusations. If she doesn't know what's going on- why not? If she does, why isn't she dealing with it as it comes up, with the students involved?
That said- it sounds like there's more to this, than maybe the OP's dd knows.
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Post by Lindarina on Sept 20, 2015 17:25:17 GMT
So today the advisor asked the students to all sit down (they were up and about working on various projects) because she needed to talk to them. First thing she talked about was how she "fact checks" and knows they have been lying to her. No specific examples were given to my dd's recollection. I'm not very familiar with US yearbooks, but do they write about the other students, and events that has taken place during the school year? Is it possible that other students have complained? It can be difficult for teenagers to see a story from different perspectives and if they write about certain events from their own personal viewpoint others might disagree. Especially if the students in the yearbook class have become a bit clicky and write in a very personal tone or inside way.
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