relationships with teachers and friends

deafbajagal

deafbajagal

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A new problem at a deaf school has the administrators scrambling to remake the school policy.

The policy is clear...students and teachers should not interact outside of the school. For example, the student should not be at the teacher's house for a party.

For most public schools, this makes sense. But at a deaf school embedded with the deaf community, this policy is difficult. Deaf teachers are friends with deaf parents...and some of them have deaf children...who are students of the deaf school.

Right now a teacher is in trouble for having this student over at her house, etc. It's not a sexual relationship (let's clear that up). But the fact is, his parents and her parents are good friends...she's older than him by six years. Yes, it's sticky icky...but does the school really have the right to have this kind of regulation at a deaf school?

Please share your thoughts.
 
deafbajagal said:
A new problem at a deaf school has the administrators scrambling to remake the school policy.

The policy is clear...students and teachers should not interact outside of the school. For example, the student should not be at the teacher's house for a party.

For most public schools, this makes sense. But at a deaf school embedded with the deaf community, this policy is difficult. Deaf teachers are friends with deaf parents...and some of them have deaf children...who are students of the deaf school.

Right now a teacher is in trouble for having this student over at her house, etc. It's not a sexual relationship (let's clear that up). But the fact is, his parents and her parents are good friends...she's older than him by six years. Yes, it's sticky icky...but does the school really have the right to have this kind of regulation at a deaf school?

Please share your thoughts.
Click to expand...

My thoughts.

  • Deaf people have the right to converse with each other anywhere anytime. A teacher and a student are people.
  • What if the teacher saw the Deaf student outside school? Should the student just not interact with the teacher at all? Seems pretty 2 faced, if you ask me.
 
kyleb said:
My thoughts.

  • Deaf people have the right to converse with each other anywhere anytime. A teacher and a student are people.
  • What if the teacher saw the Deaf student outside school? Should the student just not interact with the teacher at all? Seems pretty 2 faced, if you ask me.

.
Click to expand...


My thoughts.

  • Deaf and/or hearing people have the right to converse with each other anywhere anytime. A teacher and a student are people.
  • What if the teacher saw the Deaf and/or hearing student outside school? Should the student just not interact with the teacher at all? Seems pretty 2 faced, if you ask me.

Compartmentalization is part of the hearing communities culture which only makes sense if you believe in it. Many hearing people do not believe in it and it makes no sense to them either, regardless of their affiliation or lack of affiliation with Deaf culture.
 
Berry said:
My thoughts.

  • Deaf and/or hearing people have the right to converse with each other anywhere anytime. A teacher and a student are people.
  • What if the teacher saw the Deaf and/or hearing student outside school? Should the student just not interact with the teacher at all? Seems pretty 2 faced, if you ask me.

Compartmentalization is part of the hearing communities culture which only makes sense if you believe in it. Many hearing people do not believe in it and it makes no sense to them either, regardless of their affiliation or lack of affiliation with Deaf culture.
Click to expand...

I was tailoring my response for this post, but you are right.
 
I think that is a policy that will set a lot of people up for trouble because of how tight knit the Deaf community is.

I have friends and coworkers who have deaf children who go to the Deaf schools. In fact, one of them babysits my son. What can I do? Quit my job as a teacher or leave the Deaf community. I would do the first instead if it ever came to that point.
 
There's no real reason that I can see for teachers and students to not interact outside of school regardless of whether they're hearing or Deaf.
 
Oh, boy!

I think this policy should have not been made especially for the deaf community (deaf school and deaf teachers).

Which state was this policy made in, deafbajagal?
 
I reckon the schools wants to protect themselves from (teacher/student sex acts)

But I feel that the policy should be revised if the parents permit their child with a written permission for the school to keep in file. Or if the parents are friends with the teachers and the students are there. Then it is the parents responsibility.

Several schools are being sued by parents due to teacher/child sexual interactions or improper interactions such as parties and drugs. I feel the schools are just covering their ass. Who can blame them really.

In my eyes the policies do need to be revised. But not so strict.
 
shel90 said:
I think that is a policy that will set a lot of people up for trouble because of how tight knit the Deaf community is.

I have friends and coworkers who have deaf children who go to the Deaf schools. In fact, one of them babysits my son. What can I do? Quit my job as a teacher or leave the Deaf community. I would do the first instead if it ever came to that point.
Click to expand...

Well according to deafbajagal's post - your case would not violate the school's policy - "the policy is clear...students and teachers should not interact outside of the school. For example, the student should not be at the teacher's house for a party."

Your student wasn't invited to your house for party or a chit-chat. Your student was hired as your babysitter. So..... :dunno:
 
A teacher I had for all middle and high school had all his students at his house every year for Halloween. Guess that would not happen now.
 
shel90 said:
I think that is a policy that will set a lot of people up for trouble because of how tight knit the Deaf community is.

I have friends and coworkers who have deaf children who go to the Deaf schools. In fact, one of them babysits my son. What can I do? Quit my job as a teacher or leave the Deaf community. I would do the first instead if it ever came to that point

.
Click to expand...

Definitely big D.
 
I don't blame them for making strict rules like that.

Nowadays, more and more kids/teachers are getting in trouble. Even parents are getting more paranoid and jumping the gun when the smallest thing happens. So, those schools are scrambling to protect their asses.

If those kids need help on homework, there's nothing wrong with getting help at school instead at the teacher's place.
 
One of the things schools teach, either overtly or subtly, is the values of the society in which they exist.

In societies where classes do no mix these rules make sense.

But in an egalitarian society one must ask what does a teacher tell their children?

"Okay, you can be friendly with the common trash at school, kid, but don't be bringing them home to our house, you hear?"

Or do we have separate but equal schools for teachers kids?

What about church outings and scouting events?

If you solve problems out of context with the values of our society what values does our society have?
 
Jiro said:
Well according to deafbajagal's post - your case would not violate the school's policy - "the policy is clear...students and teachers should not interact outside of the school. For example, the student should not be at the teacher's house for a party."

Your student wasn't invited to your house for party or a chit-chat. Your student was hired as your babysitter. So..... :dunno:
Click to expand...

When I was in middle school, my friend and were invited slumber party at our teacher's house...that was in 1985...it was no big deal. Nothing inappropriate happened. It was one of the best memories I have cuz it was such a big deal to hang out with our favorite teacher..:dunno:

I undy about schools wanting to protect themselves so I would agree that slumber parties or sleepovers wouldnt be a good idea but going over to a friend's who happens to have a deaf child attending at the workplace where I work at shouldnt warrant a termination or a pink slip on my file. Come on!
 
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