Responses to this message:
Maybe. Then agai, maybe not.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/2001/Jan/12/FRONT1.htm
Friday, January 12, 2001
Mother charges improper sexual content in Flagler classroom, slander of daughter
By DEBRA JOHNSON (debra.johnson@news-jrnl.com) Staff Writer
PALM COAST -- A Flagler Palm Coast High School exceptional student education teacher is under investigation because a parent claims the teacher labeled her daughter sexually promiscuous as part of a class lesson.
Darlene Parker, 42, Daytona Beach, continues to teach in the exceptional education class while the school district completes its investigation of the incident, Principal Larry Hunsinger said.
The mother of a 14-year-old girl complained to school authorities on Jan. 4. A formal complaint was filed with the Flagler County Sheriff's Department on Monday. The complaint says the mother believes the teacher's action against her daughter, taken while conducting a class lesson Dec. 18, constituted child abuse.
The case has been turned over to the State Attorney's Office for review.
In an investigation report filed by Deputy Leta Knight, the mother has charged that Parker used her daughter "as an example of inappropriate sexual behavior" by writing the child's name, and the names of other students, on the blackboard and then writing beside the names such terms as "whore," "slut" and "tramp."
Parker, reached at home Thursday night, was surprised to learn that a complaint had been filed.
"There is a formal complaint filed? I didn't know that," she said.
She declined to comment on the specifics of what the lesson contained.
But she said she was concerned about the ramifications of this complaint.
"I'm really scared. You hear horror stories about teachers losing their careers over something like this," Parker said.
She said she would have no comment on the allegations because "I do not want to cause any harm to my students."
Parker teaches a class of about 12 special learning disabilities students, according to Hunsinger.
A student teacher aide copied the lesson from the board and is expected to give that information to authorities, Knight said in her report.
The mother told the deputy a recent meeting with Parker to discuss the incident "ended with the teacher telling her that she was attempting to keep the child from behaving like the slut that she was," according to the deputy. The meeting occurred in the presence of the girl and guidance counselors.
In the report, the mother said Parker, as part of the classroom lesson, took a poll of the teen-age students, asking each how many sexual partners they had had. She then wrote the numbers on the board next to the students' names.
Knight said Parker refused to allow her to see the lesson plan and refused to give a written or tape-recorded statement.
Parker did tell her the classroom activity in question was part of her lesson plan "meant to explain to the children the importance of a reputation," Knight wrote regarding Parker's statements.
Knight also said the teacher told her the girl's mother and family were pursuing the complaint "because they were poor and wanted some money."
The father of the child, reached at the family home Thursday night, declined comment and the mother could not be reached.
Hunsinger said Thursday he was near completion of the school's investigation of the incident.
"We do not condone this sort of thing and it is very disappointing when we have a report of such an incidence," Hunsinger said.
He added that he has had only one complaint filed by a parent against Parker concerning the lesson.
Hunsinger and Assistant Principal Neil McCoppin have been in daily contact with the teen-ager and her mother. The student was immediately moved to another class when the complaint was filed.
Hunsinger pointed out that the incident occurred two days before the high school was dismissed for the winter holiday and was not reported until Jan. 4, a day after classes resumed from the break.
"We have only had five days to do our investigation. I have interviewed adults and other staff members about the incident, but I am still talking with students," the principal said.
Parker has been a teacher for three years, two of those years at the high school as an ESE teacher. Hunsinger said she has her state certification in that field and up until Tuesday, there had been no complaints filed against her.
*
Ah, Florida - were even the Special Ed. children aren't that special.
Responses to this message:
Post a response to this discussion thread