There are times in our lives where we forget the boundaries of common decency, where we push the envelope beyond reason, and when we do that, when the fog clears, we realize the error of our ways. I’ll be the first to admit, I’ve done some pretty stupid things in my life time, but what I overheard in the employee lunchroom regarding a prisoner’s mail almost made me choke on my chicken sandwich.
“Excuse me,” I said. “A teacher did what?”
Nothing really shocks me anymore. Or so I had thought. I remember a young, married, female corrections teacher with two toddlers leaving her husband for an inmate doing “all day.” I saw her sitting in the prison visiting room with her new man. I wondered whether it was worth it—to sacrifice her marriage, her family, and her job to listen to a prisoner making empty promises of how their life together would be some day. I’m sure the conversation ended with “can you put some more money in my account?” This is the same old story, a real yawner if you ask me.
But what I overheard in the employee lunchroom, if the media got a hold of it, would shock an entire community. This isn’t anything like the gay prisoner I once knew who corresponded with a male elementary school teacher on a regular basis. “Oh look,” he said to me, “Richard sent his latest picture. Isn’t he sweet?” I thought to myself, what would the parents of Richard’s students do if they discovered his love correspondence? You could argue that Richard is entitled to his private life, and I’d respect your opinion, no need to argue. Again, a real snooze fest as far as I’m concerned.
But what I overheard in the employee lunchroom is very much different. The correctional facility’s mailroom opens all incoming envelopes and packages. Legal mail is opened in front of the prisoner. Personal mail, on the other hand, is unsealed and examined prior to delivery. So when the large manila envelope addressed to an inmate arrived, the mailroom worker followed protocol. What she found was a bunch of letters from a teacher’s fifth grade class. It had been an assignment. Some of the students claimed they were being forced to write the letter, that they really didn’t want to do it. A few fifth graders included their personal addresses. Luckily, none of the letters made it inside.
I’m not sure what the relationship is between the fifth grade teacher and this particular prisoner, but I’m willing to bet the school district will be notified. Do you think they’ll pass this information on to the parents? Or will they keep a lid on it? Time will tell. At least the Michigan Department of Corrections intercepted it. Please feel free to share your outrage.
22 comments:
Jim, I'm shocked that some of the 5th graders provided their addresses in their letters to th prison inmates. Absolutely, this should get back to the school and that teacher should be .... Parents should be told as well. I can't believe it! --Bro, Ron
Some of the things I have done as a teacher have shocked me to this day.
I was brought up in a system where teachers, especially phys-ed teachers nearly went to the stage of violence to maintain discipline.
I recall slapping a student because of his punky attitude.
"You will hear from my lawyer," the student had said. But he did not call his lawyer and actually stuck around in my class.
I gave him an A.
That is appalling. The teacher should be fired and the parents should definitely be notified.
That's creepy, all right. A recent AP study -- you may have seen it -- compared the ranks of teachers with Catholic priests, and estimated that maybe 5-10% of (mostly male) teachers are pedaphiles or at best highly inappropriate in their interactions with underage students. The study is worth checking out, certainly. It's shocking, but not surprising.
Here's the title, dated October 20, 2007:
"AP Study: Sexual Misconduct by Teachers a National Scandal"
First - hey, you're back! Good to see you posting again. I thought you'd gone away for good.
As for this, the mind boggles. It makes me sick. I certainly hope the word is spread to the school district and the parents, though I would think some parents must already know. Surely the kids said something - especially the ones who didn't want to do it?
Frightening.
it is a very scary world out there, and the poor children have to suffer because of stupid adults. Heaven help us.
Yes, my freely felt outrage is a-bubbling and frothing, indeed.
Made to do the assigment? That is... well, not unbelievable, but disheartening. Yet another reason on the pile as to why I never want to have a kid--just too much to worry about with the world.
At least some of the kids put it right in their letter that they were being forced to do the assignmetn. Good for them.
Now the female corrections officer--I couldn't imagine her gettiing any less than what she bargained for. But how pitifull was her marriage for her to do that? Or maybe, how scarred was her psyche to do that? I'm sure it didn't help--her mental health, or her bank account.
And that is an old rag. My bro tries to convince everyone he writes to that he needs at least two hundred a month to get by on the inside. I tell everyone who brings it up that the only thing they are buying for him is drugs for him and his cellmate.
That is truly a "WTF!?!" event. I hope the teacher is fired. What possible motivation could a 5th grade teacher have for this assignment? Maybe I don't want to know the answer to that.
Unbelievable. How about she have them write the soldiers in Iraq fighting for our freedom. Thought I heard it all. Thanks for sharing. MW
good mother of mary, so many nasty ppl in this world.....hell knows whats going on in ppls heads.
Have a good week:)
The worst crime of all is to use children for one's own ends. I do hope the parents find out.
As a (retired) teacher, I am horrified! The fact that some of the kids included their addresses and said they were being forced to write the letter shows me that the teacher did not even bother to proofread the letters.
I do hope the parents and principal find out about this because a lot of kids wouldn't say anything to their parents. Children are taught (brainwashed) to "respect authority" but they also need to be taught when it is acceptable to question it (in a respectful way) and when to report things that make them feel uncomfortable. We always teach kids to report to a parent or teacher if anyone touches them inappropriately, but what about touching their body and soul in a potentially harmful way. Thank God for that mailroom person. That teacher should be outright fired!
I'm sure the teacher ment well.
we have stuff like this down here too
I remember watching prisoners hosting a birthday party for orphans on the news
I suspect it will be covered up as a misguided act of kindness, but why the teacher did not make sure there were no addresses is beyond me. It's possible that the inmate was in for a crime that would make this less creepy... like say he was the teacher's brother in on some white-collar offense. Still not a great idea, but that's a little less creepy than sending Valentines to a pedophile. =)
I love the old vintage photos you find. I have not seen my family photos since moving back to Michigan. My wife assures me that they are in a box somewhere. I hope to find them someday in the corner of the basement where the boxes are stacked.
MIGUEL TORGA
THE PLOUGHMAN OF THE WRITING
A SHARED PATH
In the 1st centenary of his birth
BY CRISTÓVÃO DE AGUIAR
I agree with most of the folks here. The teacher should be fired and the parents should be notified. Also, the kids who wrote the letters should be made to understand that it was the wrong thing to do, that it was not okay, and the kids who didn't want to do it had the right "gut" feeling. That teacher should never be allowed to have children in his care again. He's completely lacking in judgment.
I can't judge most lapses in judgement given how many I have made myself, but that one is pretty egregious! What was she thinking . . . ?!
We women are keen to fall into the hands of a charmer....
Maybe the teacher also encourages the kids to listen to "Gangsta Rap" and to idolize criminals.
The Principal and School Board should be informed, and some of the kids will probably tell their parents, some of whom will make waves.
This impresses me as a serious lapse in judgment on the teacher's part.
Holy Bad Judgement, Batman!
Wow...Truly scary...Thanks for the insight!
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