A student in Michigan got arrested for cussing at a teacher, on charges of disorderly conduct. The police say the words were meant to provoke an attack. The kid faces a possible sentence of 30 days in jail.

I personally believe this is an overreaction. If the student got in her face and was screaming and yelling possibly, but according to the news the student said one cuss word.

What do you all think?

Teachers work at school as a job, they should not have to endure abuse, just for doing their job. Teachers must hate it when they try to teach kids, and it gets spat back at them.

Teachers work at school as a job, they should not have to endure abuse, just for doing their job. Teachers must hate it when they try to teach kids, and it gets spat back at them.
And what is your thoughts on the debate at hand?

This is why alot of people don't want to become teachers, besides the crappy pay. I really would love to be a teacher, but not at a public high-school. I would teach at a private highschool, but I would rather teach at the college level. Unfortunately, alot of colleges and universities are moving towards requiring that all of their instructors, not just professors, have PhD's. At the moment I'm struggling through my master's degree, so I'm not really sure I want to go on for a PhD.

Anyway, on topic, the punishment is perhaps a bit severe, but kids should respect their teachers.

ok, soz

My view is that 30 days jail is an overreaction... people at my school can tell i teacher to fuck off and get away with no punishment (I hate my school :()

I was going to say my thoughts, then thought instead...do you have a link to the news article on this? That way I'll have the whole story, and can look at it in detail.

Perhaps this (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=817&e=5&u=/ap/swearing_student) is what it was? There's also this, (http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041011/ap_on_fe_st/swearing_student_2) which is basically the same story, slightly reworded.

I am all for it! Who knows what vulgar crap or death threats the little monster tossed out? What ever happened to respecting your elders? Does that punk think folks teach for fun? Did politeness and civility become uncool?

That kid won't do jailtime, but he probably will re-think his actions. At least he isn't getting the strap on his hand. If he/she doesn't learn respect and civil behaviour in school, whats going to happen is when he drops out because of immaturity he'll find the best he can do careerwise is head fry defroster at Maccy D.

Bad behaviour must be stopped in the bud or it will breed like adolescent STD's

Rant over.

I don't know, it's really hard for me to say anything without knowing exactly what he said.

School resource officers intervened and charged him with disorderly conduct, saying his language was meant to provoke violence.

It does not say he just said "one word", for all we know he could have threatened the teacher in some way.

I don't know, it's really hard for me to say anything without knowing exactly what he said.

It does not say he just said "one word", for all we know he could have threatened the teacher in some way.

Yeah, those two small articles don't really give a whole lot of details, they were just what I could find.

[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=817&e=5&u=/ap/swearing_student

The suspension is not overreacting but the arrest is. If the teacher asked the student to leave, and he refused thats another thing, but it doesnt mention that in the article.

most teachers love debating, however there is a fine line between a debate and an argument. No teacher want to endure argumental stress from kids who think they know it all and wont open their mind to new beginings.

[http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=817&e=5&u=/ap/swearing_student

The suspension is not overreacting but the arrest is. If the teacher asked the student to leave, and he refused thats another thing, but it doesnt mention that in the article.
Yeah, Sariala already posted the link to it.

And how do you know what he said? It doesn't mention that in the article, either.

I think it's a major overreaction. Perhaps my perception of the situation is a bit off since in the majority of my classes, the kids are allowed to swear, and the teachers swear at the kids, but I'm pretty sure that JAILTIME is pretty ridiculous. They're just words. Kids beat the shit out of other kids in school and just get suspended for it, so why would someone get thrown in jail for saying something offensive to a teacher.

I don't understand it. Then again, I'm vulgar.

Kids beat the shit out of other kids in school and just get suspended for it, so why would someone get thrown in jail for saying something offensive to a teacher.
They can get arrested for the former, depending if someone presses charges or not.

IMO- i try to treat anyone equal- i TRY to treat my friends (my age) like adults, and i treat adults like adults- but when someone deserves it or is being just outta line or something, i wont treat them as such anymore.

So my view varies. Since the articles are all very vague, then ill make scenarios:

If the teacher was being condescending, snooty, plain rude, etc. to the student, the student may have no needed to cuss- however, i think jail time would be overracting.

If the student was just being an ass, then a suspension may be in order. A month jail time? No. The parents accept that the kid has had behavior problems, and they probably know that a 3 day suspension was coming and he deserved it. And rightfully so, they claim that jailtime is overreacting.

so IMO overall- 30 days jailtime isn't necessary.

Yeah, Sariala already posted the link to it.

And how do you know what he said? It doesn't mention that in the article, either.

I heard on the news that he used "profane" language. They didnt mention that the teacher felt threatened, or that she was threatened, which led me to believe that she wasnt threatened.

If she was threatened, yeah of course its a different story. But just cussing is not cause for being arrested.

If she was threatened, yeah of course its a different story. But just cussing is not cause for being arrested.

I wasn't there, so I cannot make a call. It will be sorted out in court. If the accused student wishes to hire a lawyer to fight the charge, more power to him.

Now, If the teacher provided grounds for arrest, then I give the adult, the teacher, a benefit of a doubt because school is for students to learn in a safe environment and not cause disruption. (even though it can be fun sometimes, but my prankish ways ended in 6th grade, this person was mentioned as being 17 yrs old...).

Okay, I will let you guys in on a little secret. One day while I was in the back seat of the bus on my way to school, I once flipped off a police officer because someone dared me. This was in 1981 and he pulled the bus over and told the driver what had happened. The bus said, 'Sure come one in.' The police officer took me off the bus and told the bus driver to go on and that he would take me to school after he took me to the police station. Well, needless to say, I had a field day with this asshole. I was not always consevative as I am now. Anyway. I informed him of my freedom of speech and that I was just telling him that I didn't like the idea that he was following to close to the bus.

He took me to the police station and sat me down and tried to scare me. I was hip to his thoughts and it didn't phase me. Remember I was a bad ass then. After about 1/2 an hour, he placed me in the police car and brought me to school. He walked me into the office and told them what happened and I will never forget this. My English teacher was in the office and she told him that he had no right detaining me for 30 minutes. I smiled and walked out. The moral of the story is if you are violent with your verbal words, then they tend to be more strict. next time give them the finger and when they take you to the office, tell them that was your way of saying that you didn't approve of what your teacher said. Let them form their own opinion as to what your middle finger really said. They can't hold you accountable except unless you actually say it.

NOW DO NOT TRY THIS AT SCHOOL. THIS WAS BACK IN THE 80's THINGS WERE MUCH COOLER THEN. LOL

But the finger doesn't always mean F/U. In some countries it means hello.

tMR

most teachers love debating, however there is a fine line between a debate and an argument. No teacher want to endure argumental stress from kids who think they know it all and wont open their mind to new beginings.

Yes well, that is what detention is for.

The school should have dealt with this on a school level, otherwise I seriously question their authority role. How many kids did you see in high school lip off a teacher? No it's not very nice, it probably does irritate the hell out of the teacher, but it's certainly not worth of being criminalized. If this case goes through, it opens the door to a lot more teachers prosecuting their students, and unless there is some form of thread, abuse, or violence involved, I don't agree with it.

Like said, I don't know the whole story. But then again, nobody here does.

According to the information you provided, I would say it was an overreaction. Unless this was in high school. I think that teachers can't be too careful once kids get older. I would say that an ISS or OSS would sufficient. No need for jail time for a child.

I read the original AP story and it said: inciting violence. I would think that means he said something to the effect of "hey lets beat up the teacher"

Little Monsters grow into Big Monsters unless you nip it in the bud. Set a bad example and let it go unpunished and every impressionable kid is going to think its ok to spout off hurtful or disrespecting crap. Then its only an action away from being acted out.

Andy

I read the original AP story and it said: inciting violence. I would think that means he said something to the effect of "hey lets beat up the teacher"

Little Monsters grow into Big Monsters unless you nip it in the bud. Set a bad example and let it go unpunished and every impressionable kid is going to think its ok to spout off hurtful or disrespecting crap. Then its only an action away from being acted out.

Andy
Yea, well don't you think jail time is just a tad too harsh for being rude? Nothing justifies the kid swearing at the teacher, but this isn't something to be thrown in jail for.

Yea, well don't you think jail time is just a tad too harsh for being rude? Nothing justifies the kid swearing at the teacher, but this isn't something to be thrown in jail for.He won't go to jail Fwed. But I bet they scare the bejesus out of him. ;)

HAHAHA your strife quote is from GACK !

in my school, the teachers cuss at the kids sometimes..
yes, the kid should be punished, for disrespecting a member of authority, unless the teacher is the one that provoked it. He definitely shouldn't get that large of a punishment, a week's suspension seems fine. I have wanted to cuss out teachers in my time, but I never have, for fear of something like this happening. But while I do not feel that his actions were right, the sentence is also not right.
Rory

Teachers work at school as a job, they should not have to endure abuse, just for doing their job. Teachers must hate it when they try to teach kids, and it gets spat back at them.

That may be so, but not all teachers are the goody-two-shoes "I blame rap music" type. Some are honest to goodness jerks, and I can see why some children will eventually snap and cuss at their teachers.

However, it depends on the situation. Of course, the child should be punished, but thirty days in jail? Hardly. I think even a suspension is too much. Give him a week's detention. If the child has a record of doing things like this before, and has had warning, give him a suspension after the third time.

I`ve gotten suspended for cussing at a teacher but thats just wrong for them to put them in jail for it!!!!!!!!!!

Many of my teachers cuss...but i think theres a difference between swearing and swearing AT someone.

If the kid said:
"Go to hell, bastard." or something strictly directed to the teacher, that is bad.
However... if the phrase said was:
"Homework sucks ass." I dont think thats much of an offense...

I mean, i hear teachers express opinions with cuss words- but never directed it at anyone.

"I swear, something in this room smells like ass."
or
"Yeah, homework does suck ass, but blahblahblah"

But yeah, im just saying cussing AT someone will probably be punishable or considered an offense...cussing in general- no.

And I do agree- that there are many ways to interpret the article- as to whether the kid was starting crap with the teacher, or if the teacher had a long history of bugging this particular kid or something.

Theres just lots of variables that cant really be defined...

Cuss? Is that the American slang for curse? Sorry, just had to clear that up.

Well, anyway, I think that it's perfectly acceptable to detain him. Like Elric said, ignore the problem now and you'll face a much bigger one later on. I don't get along with all my teachers, well, scrap that, all but one but that's only because I have to constantly correct him. I mean, he's the teacher, he shouldn't need me! Mebye I could get a certificate... anyway I would still never dream of swearing at him, and if I did I would expect nothing less than suspension. Ok, mebye I could get away with it now I'm in college, but yeah.

Regards,

Spero