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Teacher Writes “Loser” on 6th Grader’s Assignments
North Carolina Middle School teacher Rex Roland has an interesting method for motivating his students. He calls them “losers.”
Mother Patty Clement wants Roland removed from his position as the teacher repeatedly wrote “loser” on her 6th grade daughter’s papers. Some parents of Roland’s other students disagree. They say, along with the teacher himself, that the use of the “L-word” is entirely a joke, a way for the teacher to relate to his kids. Often times the teacher will reward an overachieving kid by calling them a loser.
Patty Clement is not laughing. She claims her daughter is being bullied. She’s started an online petition to jettison Roland, a petition 151 people have signed so far. She claims her daughter receives 100 threatening texts a week. Perhaps that has something to do with her mom trying to oust an apparently popular teacher?
For his part, Roland has apologized, though many think he’s done nothing wrong.
Many of you reading can probably remember having a teacher with a far worse sense of humor than this. I recall an A.P. teacher who would call kids losers and it wasn’t a joke.
That said, while it seems many, if not most, of Roland’s kids get the joke (one former student described him as “the cool teacher that people wanted to be in class with.”) teasing kids of any age, especially younger ones, can be confusing and even traumatic for some. I don’t know the guy, but I doubt he should be fired. He might just want to find a more clever way to be “cool.”
Source: AOL News
Image: AP
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11 Comments
[...] Teacher Writes “Loser” on 6th Grader’s Assignments Miracle Baby Dies, is Brought Back to Life with Experimental Procedure [...]
Bad Mom? Mother Working to Weigh 1,000 Pounds | Strollerderby commented on Mar 16 10 at 12:40 pmTracey commented on Mar 15 10 at 12:54 pmI don’t think it’s a funny joke. I think as a teacher, he should use more tact.
Lisa commented on Mar 15 10 at 7:44 pmI’ve heard worse.
Lisa commented on Mar 15 10 at 7:44 pmSo was this a teacher who wrote loser on the A papers or on the C- papers?
ann05 commented on Mar 15 10 at 8:20 pmParent seems suspicious to me in this case.
kat commented on Mar 16 10 at 11:07 amThis happened in my neighborhood, crazy enough. The teacher would write it on A++ papers but also on this little girl’s paper, “-20% for being a loser.” When that paper makes it home to mom, what do you think is going to happen? The teacher sounds pretty immature, according to the article on AOL he also threw her pencil box into the hall and another teacher reprimanded her for interrupting class. The teacher sounds pretty dumb, and was supposedly warned after the mother complained once but sent another paper home with “loser” written on it. I posted this on my FB page and all my CA friends thought it was horrible but my friends that live here (and are also just as caring and wonderful, etc) thought the mom needed to lighten up. Maybe it’s a cultural difference, but it’s one that I would never stand for as a parent.
LooLoo'sMommy commented on Mar 16 10 at 2:40 pmI would never stand for that as a parent. The teacher sounds like a loser who feels better about himself by making small children feel bad about themselves. The original article states that the mother complained about the name calling in the fall because her daughter came home in tears. After the initial complaint the teacher stopped for a while then began again. Clearly if its meant as a joke, its not funny to this particular child. Why would he continue the name calling if it really were a simple joke as he claims, knowing it upsets this girl? That doesn’t make any sense. This would not continue if I were that child’s mother, I would be filing harassment charges and picketing the school until he was terminated.
Nomi commented on Mar 16 10 at 8:02 pmHow i can sign that petetion to get him fired.
meNmine commented on Mar 19 10 at 10:21 amI think it was completely immature of the teacher. He should be reprimanded and have to write a letter of apology to the student and the class. Stating it was wrong of him to do such a thing. then hang it in the class or the school for everyone to see. It must of been humiliating to the student.not to mention if it was done in front of fellow class mates. He needs to realize he could scar the student for life. The student giving up all hope of accomplishing anything in the future. Joke or not it was completely uncalled for. These days kids already have a sense of low self esteem especially girls trying to fit in. good luck and be sure to update and let us know what happens.. = )
scott commented on Jul 06 11 at 3:31 ameven if this was a joke, what is that teaching children? that it is funny to call others? I remember two teachers like this. One was a tenured lady who meant it. The other was no more mature than most of his students and fully admitted he never wanted to teach. Fire him, he is a bully in disguise. Teaching others that it is okay, and even cool to name call and bully others in the name of ‘fun’.
Alison commented on Aug 24 11 at 2:29 pmUgh, what a loser. How do I sign that petition? That a teacher is continuing to do this is ridiculous. I doubt a female teacher would get away with it, why should this guy?
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